The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-16
THE vENpErrA AT NAPLES.
A Universal Custom that Has the support of
Long Ages Of Practice.


Long Ages of Practice.
London Saturday Review.
A foreign visitor to Naples who chances
through the police reports in one of the local pa
pers will form but poor opinion of the security
of the city. He will read, among other things,
that from four to five persons are, on average,
found stabbed in the streets, and that those OF
the victims who are still living, almost without
exception, declare that they unable to sup
ply any information with respect to their assault
ants This in itself is startling, but when he
learns that neither the killed nor the wounded
has been robbed of penny his surprise VIII IN
crease and he will not improbably arrive at
the conclusion that the town is lntested py
band of miscreants who take a disinterested
pleasure in murder and look upon stabbing
legitimate form of sport The fact is that these
crimes have all their origin in the vendetta, and
that the lips of the sufferers are sealed by
sense of honor not more perverse than that
which would prevent any gentleman from report
ing the name of an opponent by whom he had
been wounded In duel
The vendetta IN Naples is not the wild and
reckless vengeance which foreigners usually sup
pose, but vengeance reduced to rule and recog
nzed by public opinion. The vendetta is the
duel of the lazzaroni and any peasant or fisher
man who Shrinks from entering upon one Wiien
due cause is given is treated with as much con-
tempt by his equals as German officer would
be if he refused challenge This explains a
fact that has often puzzled strangers, when
man has been stabbed the sympathy OF the pop
uace is almost invariably on the side of the as
sailant whom thew consider the probable victim
ofan unjust and cruel law The act Of which he
has been guilty is no crime In their eyes, Ihey
know that hislife would have been rendered in
tolerable if he had not committed 1t, and that
now the only prospect before him, if he be dis
covered is death or life long ignominy. In
the old days the brigands were constantly re-
cruited by men who had such misfortune,
and who fed to the mountains to escape the gal
lows.
Vendetta may be incurred in a number of
different ways When a man has been slain or
a woman seduced the duty of revengng the
act falls upon the nearest male relative, though
if he be advanced in years it will probably be
unnertaken by a younger klnsman In these
cases punishment follows as matter of course,
and no warning need be given. The worst OF
personal insults is a remark casting obloquy on
parent, especially dead mother. Merely to
curse her soul is comparatively harmless, and
even illusion to her past life need not be
taken anlss. There are number OF Neapoll-
tan expressions which strangers rarely hear, as
they are only used for the purpose of provoea-
ton, and which, with very different meaning,
have the same weight which such terms as liar
or coward would have if addressed to a Cont
mental officer. A blow from a master or an &C
knowledged superior is rarely seriously resented;
from equal it is said that one given with
stick may be forgiven, while one with the hand
must be avenged. 1t is difficult however, TO
obtain accurate information to this and several
other points in the lazzaroni's code of honor
As soon as man feels himself aggrieved he
must give Idlr 0OGlce TO MS enemy even IL ne
intends to avenge the insult on the spot, he must
allow his opponent time TO unclasp his knife.
Nor is this all There is a strange courtesy and
consideration for others in these hot-blooded
Neapoitan beggars A crime of violence is very
rarely committed in the house of friend or
tavern, as this would cause the host unpleasant
ness. When the young men quarrel over their
wine they do not fly at once at each others
threats; they talk and gesticulate hercely, so
that stranger thinks that free fight may be
gin at any moment While the noise lasts there
is no danger; as soon as the matter grows serious
those concerned become quiet, and drop away in
groups to settle their differences where nobody
but themselves will have to bear the conse-
quences.
A warning of vendetta may be given in so
many words, but this is rarely done except in
private, SIS. if the threat were known the danger
of the victor would be increased The language
of signs, which every Neapolitan of the lower
class knows, is ssnerally made use Of, and the
gesture most commonly employed is made by
pressing the thumb and forefnger together in
such way as to leave a narrow space between
them, which is supposed to typify the hole the
challenger hopes to make in his adversarys
body. In Naples, too, men still bite their
thumbs as they did in the days of Samson and
Gregory. and this is not expression of con-
tempt, but declaration of war; This gesture.
however, has fallen good deal out of use of
late as it Is apt to attract attention, and it is
said to be discouraged by the camorra.
When the warning has once, been given and
understood the claims of honor are satisfied
From thenceforth each opponent is free TO guard
his own life and attempt that of his adversary
as best he can. He may lurk in dark and lonely
corners and stab in the back without shame. This,
which seems to an Englishman the foulest spot
IN the vendetta has certainly been spreading of
late years, since the vigilance Of the police has
rendered fair combat almost impossible, and
cunning and secrecy are the only arts by which
the victor can hope to escape. In the old days,
when an offense was slight a fair combat with
knives which ended in a scratch is said to have
hao,, go hxyR ba
as it is still by the journalists of Paris, though
the fercer kind of vendetta has always existed
in the South. Yet, even when it assumes the
widest FORM there are considerations that stay
the hand of the avenger.
Men will often speak in the heat of q moment
words which they regret when they arc cool A
vendetta seldom arises out of these, unless the
two opponents are alone and draw their
companions, two parties are imme-
diately formed for common understand
ing, and each of the advarsaries is accompanied
homo by his supporters ON roundabout ways
which prevent the chance of a meeting. One
friend has cigars to buy at particular shop. an
other must pay little account, a third is obliged
to speak word or two with his cousin. The
rage of both the adyefsafies has generally cooled
down considerably before they reach their own
doors, and in an hour or so afterwards they are
ready to listen to reason. If the case be a diff
cult one, a eamorrist is called as umpire to de-
eide who has been technically in the wrong, and
the man against whom judgment is gwen is
expected not only to make an apology
to his opponent but to invite him, the
friends who prevented the affray, and above ALL
the camoFrist, to sumptuous dinner, 1t may be
remarked here that the camorra undertakes the
task Of avenging the wrongs done to its own
members. II any one of them be killed or
wounded his knsmen are informed that they
have neither the right nor the duty to undertake
the vendetta; vengeance in such cases belongs to
the association alone, and it rarely fails in IN
ficting it
Old men among the lazzaroni assert that the
vendetta has besn demeralized Of late. Thirty
Fears ago the offenses that must be answered by
the knife were clearly known. Now men stab
each other in passing fit of passion or what
g worse from rivalry In business, and the popu.
lace which would formerly have form such 3