The Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 127, October to March, 1909Various
History
The Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 127, October to March, 1909
Various
Adventure stories -- Periodicals; English periodicals; History, Modern -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Voyages and travels -- Periodicals
On the following Monday, when it had been ascertained that Barracola
was safely within the Jersey City barber's shop, Sergeant Collins
walked into the place, and before the astonished proprietor could utter
a sound a revolver was placed close to his temple. Another detective
now entered, handcuffed the man, and led him outside as though he was
walking out with a friend. The barber was taken to the police-station,
and there forced to describe the location of the secret door through
which his "customers" so readily disappeared. It was deemed wise to do
this at the station, in case the man should touch some secret button
giving warning to the conspirators.
Meanwhile the place had been surrounded, and Sergeant Collins,
accompanied by Officers O'Brien, O'Malley, Whalen, Curtis, Snow, and
Hendricks, entered the barber's shop. Going to the place designated,
they found the secret door leading into the house adjoining, and
quietly passed through, closing the door after them. Silently the men
walked down the hall, but not quite silently enough, for, sitting by
the balustrade of the stairway leading into the basement, was the big
Italian before mentioned. He called out sharply before one of the
officers could stifle him. There was a scurrying sound below, and
the detectives rushed down to find the place empty, the rear door
open, and a pitched battle taking place in the yard between their
brother officers and a dozen Italians. The night being dark, it was a
difficult matter to distinguish friend from foe, but the police closed
in resolutely, leaving no loophole for escape, and soon seized their
men. Windows were opened on all sides, and the neighbourhood was soon
in a state of great excitement. Lights were brought, and the captured
men taken back into the house which they had left so hurriedly. Here
a doctor was hastily summoned, for several of the police had been
badly knifed, and one or two of the prisoners had also received some
punishment, the officers' clubs having been very busy among them.
Antonio Barracola and ten others now faced the detectives, who, at
the point of revolvers, searched them as well as the house. The
correspondence, papers, and systematically-arranged reports from
various parts of the country which were discovered afforded conclusive
proof that the captured men were none other than the officers or moving
spirits of the dread "Black Hand." Every possible attempt was made to
keep the thing quiet until further arrests could be made, but this
proved futile, the affair creating an absolute _furore_.
Sergeant Collins and Officer Whalen took charge of Antonio Barracola,
who protested that he simply acted as banker for the others, whom he
knew only in a business way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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