POLIGE BREAK UP
ITALIAN AERESTED FOR EXTORTING MONEY BY THREATS
TO KILL
EXTORTION GAME
Italian Believed to Be Blafck
Hand Member Is Arrested
for Operating Here.
Removed by Lydia E. Pink-ham'sVegetableCompound
ROWT
3
RAZOR CONCEALED IN SHOE
Officers Think They Prevented Kill
ing by Capture of Rocco Car
faro, Who "Wanted Money
to Defend Mnrderer.
Rocco Caffaro, an Italian 35 years
old and of the most brutal appearing
trpe, .was arrested by the police yes
terday forenoon after having created
a reign of terror for five days among
the poorer class of Italian residents of
Portland. He was engaged in raising
money by threatening methods for the
defense of an Italian murderer named
Labaterro. now in custody at St. Paul.
Rocco Calatorti, a section foreman em
ployed by the O. it. & X. Company,
caused Caffaro's arrest after having
been threatened with a horrible death
for failure to contribute $40 to the fund.
Caffaro Is believed by the authorities to
be of the murderous Black Hand fra
ternity. Many Italian workmen and petty
dealers have given Caffaro money dur
ing the short time ho has been operat
ing in Portland and so profound is the
fear of Black Hand vengeance among
the poorer Italians that Caffaro might
never have been exposed except that
he drove too harsh a bargain with the
section foreman. Calatorti was told that
unless he procured the $40 demanded of
him by Saturday night his head would
he severed.
Tells Story to Police.
Not able to raise that much money
on short notice Calatorti went into
hiding Friday, when he was told he
must pay or die. Hounded by the fear
of death he finally resorted to seeking
police assistance Saturday. That his
fears were not without basis was shown
forcibly when Caffaro. on' being ar
rested by Detectives Coleman and Price,
was found to have a razor secreted in
his left shoe. It was with a razor that
he had threatened to sever the section
foreman's neck, so that intended vic
tim vows.
Calatorti says it will never again be
safe for him to leave his home at 669
Fifth street after dusk, as Caffaro has
four close friends who have been about
with him for several days and who
may be confederates. The police are
now looking for these four men. al
though they are not known to have
made any threats.
Owing to the fear In which the Ital
ians hold the Black Hand, the officers
had great difficulty yesterday in trac
ing Caffaro's movements during his
money-getting campaign here. After
several hours of persistent inquiry. De
tectives Price and Coleman learned of
but two who were willing to admit they
had given the fellow money. Joseph
Galaberis, a peddler, gave up $1.70, all
the ready cash lie had. Sarveris Goio
vanalli, 669 Fifth street, parted with $7.
Galaberis was talking with the black
mailer at Fifth and Sherman streets
when the arrest was made. Apparentfy
having confidence that the peddler
would be afraid to assist him, Caffaro
attempted to slip the tell-tale razor to
him unobserved by the officers.
May Have Planned Crime.
Caffaro was arrested a few minutes
after he had called on the man he had
threatened. The police believe he had
gone there to kill the section foreman.
This view is supported by the fact of
the secreted razor, which had been pre
viously named as the instrument of
execution. The call was made, too,
after the last hour of grace had ex
pired for payment of the $40.
The Intended victim was in hiding in
South Portland up to the time of arrest.
He had arranged with an Italian woman
residing in the same house to notify the
police the moment Caffaro put in an
appearance. This the woman did but
she refused to see the officers when
they arrived or to give them any in
formation, saying she was afraid the
Black Hand agents would dynamite her
home. Having previously secured a
minute description of Caffaro. the offi
cers cast about the neighborhood, after i
receiving the warning call from the
woman, and finally picked the fellow
up at Fifth and Sherman streets, where
he was loitering in company with Gala
beris. From where he stood Caffaro
was able to see the Calatorti homo and
the officers regard it as not improb
able that he was watching for the sec
tion foreman.
When arrested Caffaro indulged in
some grand opera heroics, demanding to
know why an innocent man was mo
lested by officers while speaking with
his friends. He was promptly informed
as to the charge against him.
Maintains He Is Innocent.
"Ah, you makka me seek," ho said,
folding his arms dramatically and draw
ing himself up to his full height in an
absurd posture. When Detective Cole
man caught hold of him he struck at
the officer's arm but after being shaken
tip a little resumed his grandiose pose
and went quietly to the jail. En route
he saw Calatorti, who had betrayed him
to the oflicers, and he favored that in
dividual with a most uncomfortable
scrutiny from as black and ominous a
pair of eyes as ever graced a brigand,
comic opera or otherwise. "I will feex
you fora dis," he hissed, and Calatorti
manifested symptoms of extreme dis
comfort. From a letter that was found in the
prisoner's pocket the officers wero able
to learn that Caffaro was collect intr
money for the assistance of a St. Paul
murderer. The letter, written in Italian,
was not of such a nature as to com
promise Caffaro, however, although there
are words in it which were very difficult
for Italian students to decipher and
which may have meaning other than
that conveyed on the surface, so the
officers believe. The letter was signed
by Filipio Labaterro, Upper Levee X 24
St. Paul. It set out that the writer's
son, and Caffaro's cousin was in prison
for killing someone and that $500 was
needed to defend him. The sum of $440
had already been subscribed and Caffaro
was asked to send on $60.
Blackliand Is Xot Mentioned.
There was nothing about the communi
cation to indicate any blackhand connec
tions, although the officers say it is
unlikely that any such reference would
be mad in a letter of that description.
It is essentially a blackhand practice!
however, to raise funds for the defense
of any member of the subtle brother
hood who may chance to get into trouble
through murder or blackmail or any
other of the established practices of the
society.
Caffaro has been in and out of Port-
X II I Pittas ' vvvt n I
hf I tail WJ? '
u j VA Vtt
UOCCO CAFFAUO, WHOM POLICE KELIRVK
1IEH.
land for the past three years. Where
he rooms while in the city the officers
were not able to learn yesterday. The
prisoner declined to tell, suavely assur
ing them that he never bothers about
sleeping and consequently doesn't need
any room. It was learned that he came
In from Spokane only a few days ago.
It Is possible he was there on the same
mission. While his hands are those of
a laborer they do not show the --effects
of recent work. He has never been
known to work more than a few days
at a time and the local Italians say they
have no information as to how he keeps
up.
The subject of Caffaro was one which
the majority of bootblacks and Italian
workmen seen by the police declined to
take up. He Is said to have been in
Ohicago and St. Paul just before going
to Spokane on his last trip out of Port
land. No one seems to remember just
when he left Portland, although he had
been missing for six months at least.
Two years ago he was suspected of com
plicity in a supposed blackhand murder
which occurred at First and Clay streets.
Nothing could be proved, and after a
brief detention he was released. In
vestigation as to his connection with
that affair may now be renewed.
Missed Chance to Get $1000.
Goiovanalli. the Italian who donated
$7 to the fund, told the officials that
he came near to losing $1000 in cur
rency. Caffaro demanded of him that
he give all his money. He took him to
his home, opened a trunk and with
great ceremony uncovered a small tin
cup in which was the $7 in small
change, hidden away for emergency.
Caffaro was satisfied that he had got
ten all there was and left. Goiovanalli
says that at the time he had $1000 in
bills in his pockets, having drawn the
money for use in a business transac
tion. This occurred last Tuesday, which
was the day, seemingly, that Caffaro
began working the local Italians. The
extent of his receipts can only be
guessed at. as nearly all those who put
up are afraid to tell. His appearance
being that of a man who would cut a
throat on the slightest provocation, his
countrymen admit they were afraid of
him.
"He came to me on Friday," said
Calatorti, who caused the arrest: "He
said, 'I want $40 from you.' I knew
what that meant and asked no ques
tions. But I did not have the money.
He told me to get it off my friends by
Saturday night if I didn't want to loso
my head."
Notwithstanding a considerable de
gree of fluency in the use of the Eng
lish language at the moment of his ar
rest. Caffaro was In a "no ea.be" mood
last night, and all efforts of the officers
to cross question him came to naught.
"Threatening to kill" is the charge
jotted opposite his name on the police
blotter.
SUIT WILL TAKE YEARS
O. & C. Tj.VNT CASE SEEM lSG LtY
ISTBUMIXABLE.
Claimants to -Railroad Timber Land
May Die of Old Aro Before
Decision Is Reached.
Among lawyers it is not regarded
as an exaggeration to say that several
of the men associated with the Oregon
& California Railroad Company as de
fendants In the Government's land
grant suit will have died before the
case finally is decided In the courts.
Because of the magnitude of the suit
and the interests involved, it will re
main for the United States Supreme
C,ourt to write the final decree, for It
matters not which sldo wins in the
lower court it will be taken to the
highest tribunal in the land. The suit
Involves 2.300.000 acres of the most
valuable timber land in the state, ex
ceeding $40,000,000 in value.
Only the first round in what will
prove one of the most stubbornly con
tested legal battles in the history of
the country has been fought. It con
sisted of the argument on the railroad
company's demurrer to the Govern
ment's bill of complaint, which was
concluded and submitted before Judge
Wolverton Saturday. As has been
pointed out, a ruling by Judge Wol
verton on the points raised In the de
murrer and which attacks the suffi
ciency of tte complaint and the Gov
ernment's right to maintain Its suit,
cannot be expected for probably eight
months. The railroad company has
been given 60 days to prepare and sub
mit its brief. An additional 30 days
is allowed the Government to file Its
brief and then the railroad company
, w
IS BLACK-HAND MEM.
has 30 days longer to file a reply brief.
In this way four months more will be
consumed before the demurrer finally
is submitted to Judge Wolverton, who
probably will require an equal length
of time to write his opinion.
Regardless of what Judge Wolver
ton's opinion may be, the losing side
will take an appeal to the United
States Supreme Court.
Should the demurrer be sustained by
Judge Wolverton and the ruling of the
trial judge be affirmed by the United
States Supreme Court, the effect would
be to terminate the litigation. But
should the demurrer be overruled by
Judge Wolverton and that opinion rati
fied by the Supreme Court of the land,
the case would have to pass through
the usual procedure and be tried on its
merits. This would be but the first
step In the almost endless legal Jour
ney to be followed.
If the demurrer is finally overruled,
then the defendant company .will be
given time to answer the complaint.
Counter motions would be offered by
both sides and months would pass be
fore the case would be at issue and
ready for formal trial. The findings
of the trial court in the suit would
follow the same legal route mapped
out for the ruling, on the demurrer to
the complaint. Years Instead of
months will be required for a final de
cision In this Important suit.
settleISlIiiestion
APPEAL. TO IEGISIiATTTRE TO
It BACH DECISION XOW.
Mr. Fcnlon Objects to Turmoil Over
Seliools, Involving, He Says,
Other Matters.
PORTLAND, Or.. March 14.(To the
Editor.) Referring to the special session
of the Legislative Assembly to convene
on March lo. permit me to express my
views upon a subject of vital importance.
In my Judgment, to this state
Primarily the special session has been
a J?.T tho enctment of the appropria
tion bill for improvements at state In
stitutions, particularly the Insane Asylum
so that the unfortunate wards of the
state may have that attention and care
which an intelligent and enlightened com
monwealth must take of those who are
the peculiar wards of the state in these
circumstances. In addition thereto. I as
sume that the unfortunate situation of
the three state normal schools should be
brought to the sharp attention of the
members of the Legislative Assembly,
and It seems to me, with all deference to
the views of others to the contrary that
the Legislature should at the ensuing ses
sion settle for all time to come the state
normal school question, and end once
for all the disgraceful and unfortunate
situation In which the state Is now
Placed. Portland does not want a state
normal school. It is an insult, if I may
be allowed to use strong language, to
the Intelligence of Multnomah County
and the City of Portland to throw out
this bait for a state normal school and
thereby give thoughtless and careless
voters of Multnomah County, who have
no Interest In the question, who know
nothing about the normal question an
opportunity to vote a large plurality in
favor of such measure, and thereby de
stroy the work of years at Monmouth.
Ashland and Weston, and thus engender
further Jealousies between the metro
polls and the rest of the state. It may
also be taken as a sop to Multnomah
County in return for support to retain the
state capital at Salem.
While Senator Smith in Introducing and
tha Legislature Just closed in enacting
Into law the bill referred to doubtless had
no such thought In view. It will be con
sidered by the voters of Multnomah
County as Intended to quiet the agita
tion in this county and in other sections
of the state in favor of the removal of
the state capital to the City of Port
land, a thing which ought not to be
considered for a moment, and a thing
which ought not to be Injected Into any
election or Into any prospective state
legislation. Portland iliu. nn .
... . " i ii l me
state capital, it does not need the state
normal, and It should have neither, and
a vote on either question ought not to be
attempted, thereby unsettling the poli
tical situation in Oregon for the next
two or four years. This bill ought to be
repealed formally and summarily. In
lieu thereof the Legislature should decide
whether to maintain three state normal
schools, one at Monmouth, one at Ash
land .and one at Weston, or to select one
of the three and maintain it. I myself
favor three, Weston, Ashland and Mon
mouth, and I believe In liberal appro
priations for the building and maintaining
of each of the three schools for each of
is y
. .. -' v . . . . , . u;uin A j m x 1111k-
ham's Vegetable Compound removed
a cy&x. lumor oi
four years' growth,
which three of the
best physiciann de
clared I had. Thej
said that only an
operation could
help me. lamverj
gladthatlfollowed
a friend's advice
and took I.ydia E.
Pinkham's Vege
table Compound,
for it has made me
"V
f --mi;
otiuiiK mill v tr 1 J
woman, and I shall recommend it as
long as I live." Mrs. May Fry,
Lindley, Ind.
One of the greatest triumphs of
Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com-
Sound is the conquering of woman's
read enemy tumor. If you have
mysterious pains.inflammation, ulcera
tion or displacement, don't wait for
time- to confirm your fears and go
through the horrorsofa hospital opera
tion, but try Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege
table Compound at once.
For thirty years Lydia E. Pinkham3
Vegetable Compound, made from roots
and herbs, has been the standard remedy
for female ills, and such unquestion
able testimony as the above proves the
value of this famous remedy, and
should .give confidence and hope to
every sick woman.
If you would like special advice
about your case write a confiden
tial letter to Mrs. Pinkham, at
Lynn, Maes. Her advice is free,
and ahvT t'ejnfal.
the three separate sections of the state.
It will save expense and give better work
to have three such schools than to have
one big school.
Referring to Monmouth in particular,
the property now clainred by the state
normal at Monmouth Is owned upon tho
condition that it shall be maintained as
a state normal school, and unless It is
so maintained, all the property at Mon
mouth will revert to Christian College,
the former owner of the property, and
this property Is worth approximately
$100,000. The prudent and wise thing
to do is to put these three schools on
their feet at once, allowing their large
classes to go on, and to go on with tho
idea that that school is permanent, and
the Legislature which does this will
establish the state normal school sys
tem In this state upon a permanent ba
sis which. In the long run, will be a
work of economy. The state normal
school Is as necessary as the common
sehool; If the common school system
must be maintained by the state, the
state normal school must be preparing
the teachers for such work; the two
are co-related, and It is a mistaken
policy to assume that a state normal
school is merely a high school for a
local community; It ought not to be
so. and It will not he so if a proper
effort Is made to maintain the schools
as they should be maintained. If there
should not be three schools thus es
tablished. I would of course favor Mon
mouth a the oldest and probably the
best of the three schools, although this
may be debatable, and thereby save the
$100,000 worth of property at Mon
mouth which otherwise will be for
feited to Christian College and be lost
entirely to the, state.
It Is a disgrace to our state that the
Legislature should have adjourned with
this question In the present condition.
Weston is trying to raise money to
maintain Its normal until June; Ash
land and Monmouth arc doing the satuo
thing. Thes classes now there, in the
middle of the school year, are cut off
by the state without any thought as to
the reckless course that has been pur
sued. I speak with a good deal of ear
nestness, but I am satisfied I give voice
and expression to the sentiment of the
great majority of the people of this
state. I am myself a friend of the
state university; I have two sons who
graduated there; I am myself a gradu
ate of old Christian College, but I have
a very high appreciation of the educa
tional system of this state, and I wish
to have restored the state normal sys
tem, and have It removed from current
politics.
I am also an admirer and friend of
the Agricultural College at Corvallls,
and believe It has a mission to perform
which should go on to Its successful
destiny, and it. too, snould be liberally
and properly supported. If the Legis
lative Assembly, when convened In spe
cial session, will resto the state nor
mal school system. It will be the end of
so-called trading on this account, or of
threats of reprisals upon the state uni
versity or upon the Agricultural Col
lege, which has been the subject of
criticism for 20 years.
A constitutional convention may be
rejected or created at the election In
November. 1910, by the vote on the
Smith bill for a state normal at Port
land. In other words, the great public
question which underlies the organic
law of the state, which should be con
sidered by men as statesmen, will be
sacrificed to get a state institution at
a particular point, or to destroy a state
normal at some other point. The ten
dency Is vicious, and ought to be ended
at once.
I do not care to speak In detail as to
the remedy for the situation in which
we are placed, but I do say that It Is
supreme folly to place Oregon as one
of the five states out of the 48 without
a normal school system. Oregon can
not afford thus to destroy this Instru
mentality so .effectively necessary In
the extension, development and care of
its common school svstetn.
Wf. T. FEVTON.
This world is with
the man who smiles
when the Coffee Hurt
is "one and
has been used a week.
"There's a Reason.
P0STU1
to 1
Again yesterdav
everybody connected in any way vith GREGORY, were taxed
to the utmost.
HANDLING THE CROWD AT
liKEGCJR- HEIGHT
Hundreds of lots were sold and there were scores of people, rent
slaves, freed from the bondage of landlordism. People are capti
vated with GREGORY'S plan of selling high-class residence
property for as low as
ioo
$5
VISIT GREGORY HEIGHTS
SCHEDULE TO BE ALTERED
Six-Minute Service Planned Tor
Montgomery-fetreet Cars.
The Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company is planning to estab
lish a six-minute service on the Mont
gomery street line. Cars are now
scheduled to run every 10 minutes com
ing from Mt. Tabor and up Eleventh
street. A loop system will soon be
established, running up Morrison -street
!i!!!il!l!lll!il!inai
Wfretk
Hi 5
filBai 1 wins
cause many a laugh, by their comical capers, but they
are simply used to illustrate the fact that Gold Dust
Washing Powder makes work a pleasure. Gold Dust it
self is a happy reality. It has brought joy, contentment
and rest into more households than you can count.
If you have been a slave to housework, let the Gold
Dust Twins relieve you of your back-breaking burden.
Gold Dust is better than soap or any other cleanser. It
will do the work twice as well in half the time, and at half
the cost. To use a homely expression, you are simply cut
ting off your own nose if you are not using Gold Dust in
connection with your housework. There is no other way
so simple as the Gold Dust way.
Let the Gold Dust Twins
ifflnmrnimwT,nMimi
the streetcars, streetcar enmlovns. snlosniMi an
A LOT, PAYABLE ON
SUCH EASYTERMS as
DOWN, $2.50 MO. J
to Eleventh, south on Eleventh to
Montgomery, west to Thirteenth, north
on Thirteenth to Washington, east on
Washington to Third and south on
Third to Morrison. When the loop
system Is put Into operation, the Mt.
Tabor cars will bo routed up Morrison
street to Chapman, which corresponds
to Eighteenth street. A .10-minute
service will be given on tho Mt. Tebor
line. The Jefferson street line also
runs Into the territory covered by the
loop system. A switch Is now being
Installed at Thirteenth and Montgomery
streets to complete the loop.
Th work of Installing n switch at
Their WeigMh lti 'dcildi
a
The
i) Gold Dust
Do not use Soap, Naphtha, Borax, Soda, Ammonia or
Kerosene with Gold Dust. Gold Dust has all desirable
cleansing qualities in a perfectly harmless and lasting
form. The Gold Dust Twins need no outside help.
Made by THE N. K. FAIRBANK COMPANY. CHICAGO
Makers of Fairy Soap (the oval cake)
A MONTH, LESS !
THAN RENT FOR A
HOME of YOUR OWN
OJWI
THIS WEEK
East Water street and UawtArne. ave
nue has been completed, s. J that tin
Oregon City and Cazadero ca-s are r.
longer compelled to- run thl ugh tin
freight yards on the Kn.t Pidoi a turn
out switch has also been put iy on Eift
Water street, near Hawthorn avenue,
facilitating the service, althouf-, it do.-s
not prevent a few minutes' t'.cl.iy i
Oregon City pars thnt are coii cllod to
wait for fazadrro Mrs to pullut from
East Morrison and Water struts.
Wchfoot oil bl
asking a shi
reasr.
softens oHtri.r. w
do your work." P
3 1
H