Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1912 — “BLACK HAND” LETTER RECEIVED IN RENSSELAER [ARTICLE]

“BLACK HAND” LETTER RECEIVED IN RENSSELAER

Brief Communication Threatens That Citizen Will Be Hung if He Fails ' to Comply With Demand. —— Probably the first “black hand” letter ever received in Rensselaer reached this city this Thursday morning. It was addressed to a prominent business man and threatens Ahat he will, be hung if he fails to comply with the demand of the senders. In the lower righthond corner Is the picture of a hand, drawn crudely in ink. The fingers are outstretched and the hand has the appearance of being ready to grab the man selected for the persecution of the “gang.” Strange to say the letter did not cause the recipient any worry, as he was able to see at a glance that it was all a joke. The recipient was J. L. Brady, who has just sold his elevator and grain business here. The senders were C. W. Coen and J. C. Paxton, of South Bend. The communication readß: Mr. J. L. Brady, Rensselaer, Ind., Dear Sir: A committee was appointed at 3 o’clock this afternoon to have you bung unless you decide to~ move to South Bend as soon as your business is settled up in Rensselaer. Yurs very truly, COMMITTEE. , It will be seen that South Bend boosters have a good way of influencing people to locate there. It will certainly be a great loss to Rensselaer to have Mr. Brady move away and if black band letters would do any good toward inducing him to- continue his residence here, he would find bis mail box full of them every time he went to the postofflee.