Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-17
THE MArIA IN THIS COUNTRY.
1t Does Not Exist ~ an Organisntion-H0w
Its Members Operate.

| 1t Does Not Exist ~ an Organiznti0n-H0w
1 Its Members Operate.
''The Malta does not exist in America as an
organization" was the opinion Of prominent
detective, who has had as much experience in
dealing with the foreign criminal element as any
other man in this country. He talked quite freely
on the matter with STAR reporter this morn
ing, but said that for obvious reasons he would
prefer that his name be not used in connec-
ton with an interview. He has in his posses
sron letters from two men who were perfectly
familiar with the workings Of the Malta Their
stories agree in every particular. notwith-
standing the fact that one is Sicilian, menu
Der of the Malta and a crook who is now doing
his term in the penitentiary, while the other is
Eoman by birth and a man Of education and
OF hrst-rate standing in this country.
sIoILIAN ORGANIZATION.
In the first place the Malta is Sicilian organ
ization which was started as a political, or,
more properly speaking, as a revolutionary
| movement against the italian government.
All the best men of the island allied themselves
with it and it had nothing of the low selfish
! about it. Later on. rs is generally the case
with secret organizations Of this sort, the
rough end lawless element got the upper hand,
until there. was no crime known to the law that
was not charged up in the category against
them.
band of Sicilians come over to this country
| Tor instance. and settle down, some in one city,
| some in another At first they may not even
know their compstriots, but soon they
come together, Joined by common bond Of
Interest. Two men find that they
| are from the same district in
Sicily and later on that they are both members
OF this great secret society, and before long a
little ooterie &c together. They are not men,
bers of a society banded together against the
mi sin lplx ,tatr of
Slclllan organization that is hostile to the
Italian government. Their enmity as
rule is directed against the
Italians with whom they thrown in contact
Is 10 be put out of the way it is simple matter
to draw lots and one of the little set can do the
business IN quiet. gentlemanl; way.
scAFrEDI's EPISODE IN NEW YORK.
The man Scaffedi who was one of those shot
to death in New Orleans ON Saturday. was in
volved in an episode of that character in New
York some time ago. One Carracci was sus-
pected of giving away the secrets of the Malta
and he was nominated for vengeance. Scaffedi
met Carracci on the street and grasped him
earnestly by the hand, crying out, 'Ah, Johna,
go I,lada TO see you; hope YOU wella."
And he held firmly ON to Johns hands
while third party stepped up behind and
drew long dirk knife caressiEgly up and down
Car-accis face, laying it open from top to bot
tom. Scaffedi was the one who caught Carracci
as he fell. saying as he did 80, ION. da poora
man: and it was owing to his intervention that
the third party slipped away. John recovered
and ever since then he has been after Scaffedi
with much enthusiasm, but unfortunately he
himself fell from grace and his term has not
yet expired. He intended 70 kill Scaffedi as
soon as he was free man, but the people of
New Orleans got in ahead of him and there is
nothing left for him to do in the matter.
MEMBERS OF THE MAFIA IN THIS COUNTRY.
There is an immense number of members of
the Malta in this country and the most of them
are from the very worst class even of that I'M
desirable set. OF the foreign element in this
country who are arrested as criminals SO
per cent of those that have come in con-
tact with the secret service are Italians. All
Slcliians are Italians and there is no record to
show what portion of this So per cent halls
originally from Sicily.
As CoUNTERFEITERs.
1t is said that the secret service Of the United
States has been aware for several years of the
operations of La Malta i'll this country. Their
counterfeiting, which is their diversion as well
as part of the duties of their profession of
crime, conld not fail sooner or later to bring
them before the eye of the governments de-
tectye force. Sabastano LAMA. who held
meetings with regular group at 95 Thompson
street, New York city, sold Malta counterfeits
at 10 cents or the dollar to colored people.
boys, girls, hls own cOuntrymen and any Amer
lean he could find simple-pinded enough
to buy.
With reference TO this The STAR reporter was
told that of course neither individuals nor
societies would be recognized rs counterfeit
ers unless it was known that they had actually
been doing counterfeiting work. A large num-
Der Of counterfeiters are Italians. it is true,
and The STAR informant concluded by say
ms. If a Sicilian were brought before me
charged with counterfeiting 1 should FIRST ask
him Il he was a member of the Malta and I
should be very much surprised if he should say
that be was not. He might possibly be telling
the truth but would hardly think he was'