BLACK HAND SOCIETY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3195, 21 May 1909, Page 5

BLACK HAND SOCIETY

ANOTHER OUTRAGE. RETIRED CIGARMAKER SHOT. United Press Association -By Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received May 20, 8.10 a.m. MEW YURK, May 19. After repeated threats from the Black Hand Society, Puccio, a retired cigarmaker, was shot dead on the staircass of his residence in New York. Puccio was the closest friend of Petrosini, the American detective, who wan murdered at Palermo, Sicily, in March last. The constitution, printed and bound in pamphlet form, on which at least four of Pittsburg's circles of the Biack Hand Society are based, was produced in full in :ourt in Pittsburg (U.S.) recently, translated from Italian. Its reading at the hearing of six Italians charged with attempts to blackmail R. R. Quay and other prominent Sewickleyites, produced a sensation in court The translation in full makes more than 2,000 words. Copies of it were sent to the Baltimore police to assist in their work against the society there. Marvellous oaths are included in the 39 sections of the by-laws. The different degrees—the spies, scouts, theyives, sluggers, and knife menare" named, The assigns of the organisation are all divided into sections. The pickpickets, thieves, and the bullies, or "sluggers," employed by the members are not admitted to their meetings, which can be attended by only those who have "earned honour."

Penalties are graduated from small fines to branding with the knife or the iron. For lesser offences it is pro vided that the brand may be made on the body. For greater ones it must be affixed on the face, "so that all members may always know the traitor on sight," For the more heinous offences of warning a victim or revealing any of the deeds of any members the penalty is death. Under the chief, or head, who is known only to the head circle of those who have "Earned Honour," is the Cainuffody Lustra, the spy and scout oveiseer, to whom all members of the various sections must report. The lowest penalty for the disobedience of his orders is the branding of the emblem of scorn upon him. The bylaws set the price to be paid for spies, thieves and pickpockets at 27.50d01. For bullies and "beaters" lOdol, but for the administration of the death penalty it is considered dishonourable and dangerous to hire a third party, and only members of the society are chosen, who act without remuneration in fulfilment of the sacred oath. Members of the society to know no blood relations—neither father or son, if the offence be against them both. Members of the same circle also are sworn to indulge in no feuds with fellow members. Here are a few of the penalties provided:—"He who refuses to obey the orders of the chief, the overseer, or of any member bearing insignia of having 'Earned Honour,' shall at first offence be branded by knife on the body, beneath clothing. For second offence shall be liable to death at the word of the chief

"The member who ..will attempt to reveal the secrets of the society or who permits any one of his family to reveal its secrets, that member shall be punished with death. The chief shall detail not more then three of those who have 'Earned Honour' to accomplish his fii is; "The memb r who shall forsake a fellow m Tiber, Lecominga coward, shall be p:ni-leJ according to the severitv of tie harm that befall 3 the fill w wo ihe deserted at the or'?rs cf the h ad circle, even to deati." The deteetnes say these by-laws vary in different localities, but fragments of rules found in raids on four different Black Hand headquarters in Pittsburg show the same sihems of organisation and the same genera, plan of punishment.