[6] Mirabeau L. Towns, attorney for the gang. CHAPTER XX THE "BLACK-HAND" TESTAMENT On the person of one Rudolpho Palermo--one of the henchmen of the Morello-Lupo band--we discovered a small black book closely written in the nebulous dialect of Sicily. This man was under arrest on the charge of dealing in spurious money of the United States and Canada. We felt sure we had in our grasp an important document. After some little coaxing Palermo finally confessed that the ominous looking little book contained the rules governing the actions of the "Black-Hand" Society. Palermo is now serving a second sentence of six years in the Federal Penitentiary of Atlanta, Georgia. The following is a translation from the Sicilian patois of the rules and articles found in the little black book--the bible of the "Black-Handers": _First Article_--Whoever confides to other companions, not belonging to the same society, the operations and movements of his associates, or offends a companion by word or deed, seriously or in fooling, or does not respect the recruits (who cannot be commanded for other than affairs of the society), or refuses to mount guard at his turn, or gets drunk or has a quarrel among companions, or when being called by a companion for business of the society refuses his service without justified motive, or leaves town for more than one day and does not let it be known to the society, is punishable by a fine of $20 and cannot come back to his place. But his associates must be all of one accord, pro and con, in judging him guilty. In case one of the companions in the society departs, he must surrender to those remaining the power of his vote, or he must leave his address so that the society may notify him of a meeting in the case of new practice, when he will go to the place at the expense of the interested party. But if the punished party does not give proof of amending, he will be unfrocked--in all points remaining honored, however--unless he commits some infamy. Whenever the society is re-formed there must be an opinion of the judges as to who merits his place, and who cannot come to his place, until a meeting of the same society of its own will takes place, without any one appealing to another body of the society. _Second Article_--He who swears falsely on his submission, who draws a weapon against a companion without a weapon and one of the same dimensions (always an uncovered point) or pulls a revolver, or has a duel with any man of the same society without the permission of his superior, is unfrocked, roundly deprived of his rights, and he who protects him falls in disgrace without right of appealing to another body of the society. _Third Article_--The companion who knows of an offense committed by an associate against the society, and does not report it to the society, falls under the same charge.