The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-01
THE DREAD MAFIA.
HOW TIE MEMBERS WREAK VENICE
ANCE ON THSlR 6GTRAYERS.
. Full y .scription Of the Society that has

\ Full y .scriptien OF the Society that has
Caused so Much Blooashed in New Or
leaus-it Should be Wiped Ont.
The La Malta is a secret organization
composed almost entirely of SlcihanS,
and was founded by an Italian cut
throat named Malta at Palermo a hun
dred years ago. The members are for
the most part criminal and counter
feiters, and hesitate atno atrocity. The
inhuman cEuelty Of some Of the Malta
agents is almost beyond human ere
dence, and savors OF the brutal barbar-
ity of the middle ages. EincenZo Ar
dit burned a victims house in New
Orleans. hoping to burn the owner at
the same time. He WAS sent to the
penitentiary, organized branch OF the
Matia-for house breaking purposes
only-among his fellow prisoners, got
out, went to st. Louis and murdered a
foe Of the Malta there.
lie went to Chicago, opened a saloon
entlced an obnoxious fellow country
NAH into it and stabbed him in che
back with a knife so long that it stuck
out on both sides Of the dying man as
ne fell to the ioor. He went to New
York, opened d store, Tired it to get the
Insurance, and was unsuccessful. He
vowed vengeance and La Malta on a
fellow cuuntryman whom he believed
instrumental IN causing his defeat.
He invited his victim to Il private
apartment to have a glass OF beer, Of
fered q baakGr with one hand, and with
the other, by one stroke of the razor,
laid the poor wretch'S face open from
his forehead to the point OF his chin.
When the wounded man, almost hy a
miracle. recovered and was able to
leave the Chambers Street hospital he
was afraid to complain against Arditl,
who went scot free.
In October, 1888, Antohio Flaccomio
was assassinated in the shadow of the
Cooper Union building, in New York
city. Elaccomio had been adjudged a
traitor 70 the organization, OF which at
one time he was prominent member,
and it was said that CarmellO Farach,
who was murdered in the Staten Island
woods four years before. had been en-
rolled in the same society. The unJus-
lTiia5le killing Of Farach was one Of
the causes thai led to Elaccomio'S re-
movai, but the cause OF bis assassina-
ton was the testimony that he gave
shortly before tiiS ASSASSINATION against
some Ut his couutrymen, who were
counterf+iterS rs we'll as brother mem
bers of La Malta. Flaccomlo was SEN
fenced 10 death, and two brothers,
Carlo and EincenZo Quarrara, were Sc
!ected to kill him. The former plunged
the stiletto into the doomed mans
heart.
S.cnor Railio OF New York city, the
Italian consul. is authority for the state
ment that the first that was really
known o. the order was at the begin
ming OF the present century. in the
town Of SLIM, Sicily, where a family OF
nlne named Giayanni. of considerable
social position. were murdered in as
many weeks. The father went first,
beng found at his very doorstep.
Seven DAYS later the mother followed.
Her dead body was found IN almost
the same location us that Of her nus
band. The authorities were unsuccess-
fuI in tracing the murderer or murder
els. and several days atterHard the
bodies Of the two Oldest children were
found dead in bed The others fol-
lowed in regular order, until the fami-
ly was completely annihilated. A
tough character Of the town named
Sipoli was arrested on suspicion
and confessed. He revealed the
existence Of the order, and said
that G!avauni and his family had in
CURED the anger OF the band by betray-
inc criminal who was a Malta to the
authorities. Sipoli had been instruct
ed. among others, to commit the mur.
der. He was tried, and although the
best counsel was employed to defend
him on (, plea Of insanity by the Maha
he was convicted and sent to prison
for life.
Severa! witnesses for the prosecution
were afterward murdered by the Malta.
The government, becoming aware OF
the laWlsss nature Of the organization.
at once took mt assures to have 1t sup
pressed. bu5 the efforts proved futile.
La Malta continued to grow. y police
officer in 1863, in Milan, discovered a
mark by which a member Of La Malta
could be known. 1t consisted ct a
small scar Immediately under the ear,
caused by burning. In this way great
mum bers OF criminals were atterWard
run down and brought to justice. The
society then gave up the mark, and the
police officer one year afterWard was
found dead, stabbed to .he heart.
La Malta is a modern organization
based on medieval sentiment. It is re-
lated to the Camorra, OF Naples. 1t is
a society ccHlirtd not TO the Italians,
bat to Sicilians, the baSer- kind OF
Greeks, who bring their national GUS
toms, their secret societies and traGl-
tions of murder with them. If a ST.
Gillian believes that he can provide for
the protection cf his person and prop
erty without having recourse to law
that per :on is Matiosa. lie may be a
bully, y blackmailer, murder, but in
whatever he does the public opinion
OF Sicily supports him still. The
code of ethics which maintains him is
called "cmerta," or manllness.
Not long ago wealthy proprietor
was driving TO his home in the neigh
borhood OF Palermo. Six bullets
whizzed by him. None Of them hit
him. Nc complaint vas made to the
pOlc@, yet Wltlilh q ie" IuoLCue e'Hiy-
bodv wl.3 lad ,;'kei. :."rS IL the at
Temple, assassination: Was tlrseif as
s;:ssinate;:. y Malia !:aG attacked a
Ma!i0sa. ii2 TaS more powerful than
his assaiaut. >iciiia!is Justify these
crimes. Everybody knows the authors,
vet nobody iGtert-rei. Said a guide OF
i recent traveller in Sicily: ~ onder
home 5clongS 10 g most resnectaDle
man-a highly respectable man, sir.
TIE other day he killed his cook. One
of the most respectable men in these
parts, sir.
Murder is the conner stone of the So
cjal fabric OF Sicily A Slcilian wishes
to sci! farm. = Copo Matia wishes to
huy il. Nobody dares bid against him.
Ii ANYBODY is 50 fooihardy he would be
shot next day from behind a wall or
the conner Of house.
E !,