At any rate, few of them took any chances in
the matter, and his trip to America was a financial success.
In much the same way a notorious crook named Lupo forced all
the retail Italian grocers to buy from him, although his
prices were considerably higher than those of his competitors.
Even Americans have not been slow to avail themselves of
Camorrist methods. There is a sewing machine company which
sells its machines to Italian families on the instalment plan.
A regular agent solicits the orders, places the machines, and
collects the initial dollar; but the moment a subscriber in
Mulberry Street falls in arrears his or her name is placed on
a black list, which is turned over by this enterprising
business house to a "collector," who is none other than the
leading Camorrist, "bad man," or Black Hander of the
neighborhood. A knock on the door from his fist, followed by
the connotative expression on his face, results almost
uniformly in immediate payment of all that is due.
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