Evening journal., 1888-08-08

ing, boot backing, or the doing Of odd lob,
and errands for their countl.ymen. Their
earnings are precarious and varying. there.
fore not easily estimated Singillarly few &c
into any form Of trade, though within a com.
paratlyely short time a good many have
opened five cent shaving shops, to the infinite
disgust Of higher priced BARRIERS. A con.
siderable number Of Italians arc also farm
laborers.
The women are as active and hard working
as the men, but seldom become domestic SER
wants. or enter mills or factories. They ara
for the most part engaged in picking or sort
ing rags, cooking, housekeeping or peddling
The most successful are the rag sorters who
by working some fourteen hours a day nver-
age about "a a week The Others seldom
earn more than fifty cents day.
The curse of the contract system is over all
the industries the Italian enters. He ~
poets, as a matter of course, to nav a com
mission on every job he obtains This fact
is utilized by tho lower order of politicians
especially in connection with CITY works
Here, where the laborer nominally receives
sl.5O or So a day, 80 or IS cents a day Is
really deducted and divided between The
padrone, the contractor and the politician.
In Italian immigration there is a danger
GUS and disproportionate element. composed
OF criminals and outcasts of the lowest kinds
Among them are some OF the more blood
thirsty survivors Of the old Carbonari. OK
banditti, professional assassins, low gam
blers, thieves and counterfeiters This class
has mysterious organization, known as the
Malta. This is a secret society, and so ieal-
ously guarded are its secrets that its very err
istenee would DO a questionable matter. if il
had not been demonstrated again and again
IN our courts Of law when criminals have
been brought to trial In more than 100
cases Of this kind culprits have been be-
friended and protected by an unauestionable
and mysterious power, that has baffled and
thwarted the utmost efforts Of the United
States secret service and tho New York DO.
lice This has been done by the free use Of
money, the retaining of expensive LAWYERS
for the defense Of penniless offenders, the alb
Quoting or intimidating Of witnesses and the
employment Of professional periurers. Aside
from all this, there is no question that the
Malta constantly conceal criminals and com
mt crimes by means of regularly organized
machinery.
The best authority for these seemingly in
credible statements is ex-Inspector Drum
Aiohui OF the United States secret service
who recently resigned his position. He has
repeatedly been told by witnesses on whom
he was relying that they were afraid to tes-
tlfy lest they be assassinated. Other wit
nesses have suddenly disappeared when it
was greatly to their interest to remain and
testify. Others who were poor and friend
less have suddenly found profitable employ
ment just as they were about to be called ON
in court, and when sworn they have told
utterly different stories from those they af-
hrmed before. Moreover, members of the
Malta have confessed the fact to him.
1t is by reason Of this organization that
the Italians have obtained reputation of
which they are rs a class not deserving.
The Italian peasant, although squalid and |
in his manner of living, is peace |
able, honest, reasonably sober, hard working |
and faithful TO his employer, while he carries |
Irugalfty, as we have seen, to a vice His /
compatriots, however, have been so |
iaring in the commission of fragrant crimes |
hat the race has come to be despised and /
hated by many who should be more discrim- |
natlng FALEs-CURTIs.