Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.
The
Black Hand January
5th, 1918
The Black Hand was a reference to
Italian gangs in America around the turn of the twentieth century.
The Black Hand was best known for
extortion. They would charge business owners a fee to operate in their area and
if they didn’t pay they would be threatened with kidnapping, arson, or murder.
Just after the first of the year
in 1918, the Black Hand sent out late notices to the business owners in Flint
letting them know their fate if they didn’t pay by the end of business day on
January 5th.
John Drudi of St. John Street
received a death threat and took the letter to the police.
The police set up a stake out at
John’s house. When the Black Hand showed up and started shooting the police
were there to make arrests.
John Surace, an Italian grocer
and meat dealer, located at 933 Trafalet Street was not so lucky.
He received the same death threat
and blew it off thinking that they would not follow through. Plus he felt he
was ready for them if they did come after him.
That evening John was enjoying a
nice supper when gunshots blazed through the wall hitting him in the head.
John was rushed to the hospital.
He died a few hours later.
The only clue the police had was
the note from the Black Hand.
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