The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-01
THE slclLiAg xAFpA.
The System OF rerrarism Maintained bv the
order-The limitation Rites.


order-The limitation Rites.
fG,obe-Democras.l
The imprisonment in Catsnia. Sicily. Of
the three hundred members OF the Mama
Society, whose trial Is postponed 10 June,
As announced In the cable disps,ehes fbe
other day. shows the growing strength OF
the Italian Government In that most nm.
ruly part OF the now united Kingdom. and
the spread Of modern ideas In ancient Tri.
paeria. IL looks, indeed, like the Begin
ming Of the end Of that wonderful orcani.
zation winch has for centuries defied every
succeeding government OF the island, and.
supported by public feeling, virtually ruled
Sicily.
OF late years IL has been rather the GUS
tom 10 mix up all Italian secret societies
with the "Italia Irredenta" movement
So far as that OF the Maffori Is concerned
nothing can be more mistaken. The IRE
dentist agitation IL in favor Of recovering
portions OF Italy, or, more correctly.
provinces where the italian language Is
SPOKEN, bui which belong TO other States.
Such Is, for example, Trieste and its neigh
borhood, now belonging 10 Austria, and
that portion OF the Riviera ceded to France
some five and twenty years ago. The av-
erage Sicilian cares a. little for the acqui-
sition OF the unredeemed" parts OF Italy
. as he does about the Irish-Englsh land
question. He calls the men from the MAIN
land, and especially from the northern
parts OF the peninsula. J0reSiiere, or for
eigners, in exactly the same manner that he
would 30 call an American or an Eng.
lshman. One evening IN the spring OF
1876 / went. after the opera, in Messiua, 10
sup with a young cavalry officer. The
next night, meeting him by chance. pro.
posed Ia go again 10 the same place. The
landlord coming up remarked that he was
always glad 10 see foreigners. and that their
coming 10 his restaurant was compliment.
/ looked up. smiling at the officer, who
was in full Italian uniform, but be gravely
assured me that, although he had been Sta
toned in Sicily for more than two years,
he had yet 10 meet the first Sicilian who
looked upon HIM as in any way being
fellow-countryman.
During this same visit l went from
Palermo for short foot-tour into the in
terror. EVERYTHING was done to dissuade
me from making the attempt, which was
represented as one OF extreme hazard. l
had, however, been accustomed to this
manner Of seeing countries and learning
the ways Of the people; had, twenty years
before, heard about the same stories OF
danger from brigands when i first went
through Italy, and, leaving all my valus-
bles behind, dressed in plain gray, and,
armed only with stout stick, I started.
At the first stopping-place beyond Nor
reae one OF the women in the little way
side inn begged me in frightened whis-
per 10 go no further, but to wait for the
convoy OF train OF orange-carts and re-
turn with them to the city. On my way /
had met a gentleman on horseback pre-
coded by four and followed by two
mounted servants, all with holsters at
their saddles and sill armed with carbines.
As they rode up l happened to be adj
hiring q lovely view. but noticed that as /
came in sight, although / was alone, and
that except a bit OF Struggling cactus
hedges there was no cover, that all had
unslung their guns, as IL making ready for
a combat. ! asked the girl of the inn who
the gentleman was. She supposed prob
ably Sig SO-and-so or Such-a-one. But
why the armed escorty U Do Did i
think the poor gentleman would 60 out on
a visit alone and be carried of, to the ruin
OF his family / had only time for weeks
tramp, and returned 10 Palermo In perfect
safety, but returned with belief that the
Sicilau Maffori were real, and not like the
Italian brigands, creatures OF the mind,
comique stage.
Ay first occupation In the city was to
try, from intelligent foreigners resident
there and the few natives who would talk,
and discover what Was the dreaded Malta.
what its history and its membership. OF
It's existence and power there was no doubt
whatever. It's history was hszy, and its
members seemed TO differ in one important
particular. The great mass was unknown;
its secrets were as those OF the grave. Yet
there were a few members OF the order,
leading blameless ives, who were yet
known to belong TO its dreadful ranks. So
far a. I could gather. the Malta was formed
by disbanded soldiers after some war and
while Sicily was possession OF the kings
OF Spain. The organization soon grew
in power, and was looked upon by
the people as patriotic league. II
was still, at the time OF my visit,
most powerful political machine, but had
degenerated into national terror. There
were men In it Of all social ranks. There
were curled darlings OF society, members
OF the noble club, men OF the highest birth,
fortune, and station. The Mafori knew
every social event, every move upon the
political chess.board. There were city
shop-keepers and artisans, peasants. and
Il
was dreadful one, and TO reach the higher
grades demanded a courage far above the
common One OF the first ordeals was TO
be given a sword and 10 Withstand the
attack OF one Of the most skilful
fencers OF the order. The candidate
was almost always wounded, sometimes
seriously. and, while bleeding from his
wound, the sword was again thrust into
his flesh TO see how the would-be member
bore the punishment. The slightest sign
of fear or shrinking disqualified him. lie
never knew by whom he had been sur
rounded nor where the deed had been
done, but many, in fear and trembling,
had told OF the first dreadful ordeals.
Brutal deeds had been done by the order,
but singular feeling, which was univer,
sal In Sicily, had kept the victims ana
their friends dumb. II was thought dis
honorable, infamous, to bring the police or
authorities into the matter. A man might
be robbed, beaten, wounded; he would
deny to the police, II they came. that any,
thing had happened, or would say
he had wounded himself by acct
dent. He or their friends must them
selves ayenge the insult. This strange
feeling existed in all classes. The
Malta itself was governed by rules OF iron.
In the lowest grade they knew none Dut
certain designated sub-leader. These SUB.
leaders knew one from whom they received
their orders. but knew not each other, I'M
less chance brought them IN contact while
executing their duties. Each province had
A head. and received through certain CHAM