Prepare for Your Death, Mr. Nicola Cameriero

MR. CAMERIERO GETS BLACK HAND LETTER.
Well Known Italian Merchant Receives Mysterious and Threatening Missive.
Mr. Nicola Cameriero, one of the most prominent of the Italian merchants of Macon, renounced his allegiance to Victor Emanuel of Italy yesterday and became a citizen of the United States, and Macon in particular.

He was therefore somewhat shaken up yesterday morning when in his mail was a suspicious looking letter addressed to Mr. Nicola Cameriero, 357 Fourth street, Macon, Ga., and postmarked at Macon the day before.

When he opened the letter he saw only a few lines, but these were accompanied by some pictures. The letter read as follows:
"Prepariti per la tu morte."
"Ioe ultima."

Which translated read: "Prepare for your death."
"First and last."

In the right hand corner is a hand pointing downward to four short straight marks as if underscoring the hand. On the left hand side was a rudely drawn pocketbook and a Maltese cross, while underneath were the figures $200.

That was all there was to the letter, and it was as much of a puzzle as a black hand letter, if a black hand letter.

Mr. Cameriero has an idea who sent it to him, and he is laying low so as to fasten his suspicions. He does not believe in any such foolishness, and the writer will suffer if his suspicions are correct.

The letter may, or may not, have been a joke, but if it is the writer has struck the wrong man. Mr. Cameriero is a full fledged American citizen now, and he will be protected. He does not think that the letter had any connection with his having taken out his naturalization papers, but it was something of a coincidence that it should be received on the very day he became a citizen. [Macon Telegraph, Georgia, 27 May 1909]

Nicholas Cameriero was born about 1863 in Viggiano, Italy. He was first married to Ella English 28 December 1887 in Bibb County, Georgia. The first Mrs. Cameriero died 23 December 1895, just hours after giving birth to their second child. The following year, on November 15th, Nicholas married Marie/Mary F. Nicolia:

MARRIED.
Sunday morning, Nov. 15, 1896, at 8 o'clock at St. Joseph's Catholic church, Nickalous Cameriero and Mrs. Francisco Nicolia, from Italy. They have taken up their abode at his residence, No. 420 Mulberry street, Macon, Ga. [Macon Telegraph, Georgia, 16 November 1896, page 4]

Nicholas Cameriero died 13 August 1937 and was laid to rest next to his first wife in the Cameriero lot of St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery section at Rose Hill Cemetery.