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.
_Fourth Article_--He that does not come at the precise hour of meeting
the blackmailers on the day set for duty will be punished without
warning. If he gives an explanation acceptable to the society, he will
be reinstated; otherwise, he will not participate at the next division
of funds.
_Fifth Article_--A recruit is entitled to one-fifth of the spoils
procured by or through him for the society.
_Sixth Article_--The society cannot proceed in any matter without the
consent of all the companions; the opposition of a single vote is
enough to dead-lock the proceedings, provided the reasons given by the
dissenter are satisfactory and convincing to the society.
_Seventh Article_--If a companion arrives once the council is in
session, his presence cannot alter the agreements entered into.
_Eighth Article_--Every meeting called is to be known to those on duty
that day, at least twenty-four hours beforehand, except in unusual
cases.
_Ninth Article_--It is to the disposition exclusively of the head of
the society to establish the place and day of meeting without
objection.