How the Death of Joe Petrosino, the 'Italian Sherlock Holmes,’ Remains a Mystery Over 100 Years Later

Jul 30, 2024 402

BY: SAL BONO

Towards the end of the 19th century and the turn of the 20th, one New York immigrant community was terrorized by their own people. Italian immigrants arriving in America in search of a better life were treated as subhuman. On top of that, a secret society known as the Black Hand, which was a loose organization of Italian criminals, terrorized the new arrivals with kidnappings, murder and extortion. The fear amongst the Italian community went on for years until one man stood up for not just the scared citizens of New York City but for his people around the country.

Joe Petrosino was an immigrant who believed in the American dream and worked his way up the ranks of the NYPD to become the first Italian detective. He led a special task force called the Italian Squad, which was hellbent on taking down the Black Hand as well as the Mafia. 

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SOURCE: https://www.insideedition.com

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