The Society known as the Black Hands was an extortion ring that used threats of violence to force citizens to pay money. "Typical Black Hand tactics involved sending a letter to a victim threatening bodily harm, kidnapping, arson, or murder. The letter demanded a specified amount of money to be delivered to a specific place. It was decorated with threatening symbols like a smoking gun, hangman's noose, skull, or knife dripping with blood or piercing a human heart, and was in many instances, signed with a hand, "held up in the universal gesture of warning", imprinted or drawn in thick black ink." [Wikipedia]
The nearest city that experienced "Black Hand Society" activity was New Orleans until letters were received by Negro citizens in Pensacola in September 1913. They were delivered by a small boy with each of the twenty letters demanding $80 from the recipient or they would be killed. One was received by Joseph Chandler of 111 South 9th Avenue. Another demanding money was Martin Simpson of Desoto Street and 6th Avenue. The letters were signed "James Jones" and gave his address for the extortion money of 118 East Intendencia Street. The case was under investigation by the Pensacola Police Department with no arrests to date.
Pensacola News Journal Article 9-29-1913
Black Hand Society (Originated Serbia 1911)