- The estate of James Van Sant declared to be worth upwards of seven millions. When his will was read it was found he appointed his nephew, Herbert, executor, giving him power to settle the estate and divide his wealth according to the stipulations contained therein. To his wife, one half of his fortune was to set aside for her own use and to his only son the remaining half. Upon the death of the latter, his portion would become the property of Herbert, the boy's cousin. There was a vast difference in the make-up and temperament of the two cousins. Herbert was shrewd, crafty and scheming. Secretly he participated in nightly orgies with denizens of the underworld and developed a fondness for wine and women. Harry was the soul of honor, clean-cut and a lover of home, but sadly lacking in business experience, as his time had been spent in college and among his mother's social set. Therefore, it was but natural Herbert should covet Harry's good fortune and curse his own condition. Men of his type rarely consider the means necessary to the acquirement of a fortune, nor did Herbert hesitate when he found he could become suddenly wealthy by simply removing from earth a single individual. He knew of a man, Lugi Lombardo, who would readily undertake such a task for money, so he called on the Italian and opened negotiations. Lugi was the unconvicted head of the Cammorists in America and was surrounded by the scum of Sicily, Calabria and Naples, whom he controlled absolutely. He would stop at nothing to make money. The bargain made, Herbert arranged to have Lugi receive Harry when he arrived at a given point, lured there by a false message which he would send. Harry was at home with his mother when the message arrived and he hurriedly left the house to aid, as he thought, a friend in need. Lugi'e men were lurking in the shadow and suddenly pounced upon him as he approached and carried off, bound and gagged, to the lair of the gang. Then Lugi was struck with an idea. Why kill this man for a paltry few thousand when he could be kept alive, a prisoner, and used to blackmail the man who wanted him out of the way. So when Herbert appeared the Italian told him it would be far better to tie the prisoner in a sack, attached to heavy weights and consign him to the river than to attempt to dispose of his body in any other way, to which the cousin assented. He was told to meet the Italians at an abandoned dock, at twelve o'clock that night and there he would see the job done to his entire satisfaction. When Herbert saw the huge bag and its contents dropped with a splash in the river, he turned away with a smile of exultation, satisfied with the night's work. Meanwhile, Harry had been taken to the ruins of an old mill where a hiding place, under the ground, had been previously arranged by Lugi and there he was left under guard. After a lapse of time, Harry is mourned as dead and the scheming cousin goes to the family lawyer to arrange with him the further execution of the will. The attorney becomes suspicious at his eagerness and decides to employ a detective to try and find his old client's son. The famous Petrosio, the Italian Sherlock Holmes, is engaged and quietly he begins the work of investigation. While collecting evidence on another case, Petrosio happens to visit the Italian quarter and there overhears a drunken Sicilian speak of a prisoner in the old ruins. He follows the fellow and discovers him to be one of Lugi Lombardo's tools. Subsequently, Petrosio reaches the old ruins where Harry is incarcerated and succeeds in releasing him at the risk of his life, and, with the aid of a squad of police also arrests Lugi and his band of cut-throats. By means of the harrowing, nerve-wracking torture of the "Third Degree" a confession is forced from the weaker of the gang which is used later on to convict Lugi and send him up the river for a long term. Pertrosio does not allow Harry to return home as yet but keeps him in seclusion until the night of a reception which Herbert gives to his friends in the Van Sant mansion, in spite of the widow's protest. There he declares himself the rightful heir to Harry's share of the Van Sant millions and just as his friends are about to drink his health the family attorney introduces Petrosio, who tells the villain he will bring to him a man to whom he dare not repeat the declaration he has just made. Herbert's face blanches but his nerve does not forsake him until Harry is brought in and he realizes his danger. His attempt to escape is frustrated by Petrosio who turns him over to the proper authorities. Mother and son are again united and joy reigns in the Van Sant household where a few hours before only gloom and despair existed for her.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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