Telegram-herald., 1891-06-15
WHAT IS THU NALA VITA!
II il an Oath Bound Band Of De-
mons Joined
SWORy TO MURDER AND TO PLUMBER
Gang OF Demons Discovered and Ex-
posed by an Italian Sewspaper-Ths
Society Consists of Handreds-lts
OAths and Ritual,

iucu pctb ol THO Main N4tS foS.csys
charged with various crimes, the Illus
trazlone ltaliana, of this city. says, IN
its issue of May 2S:
The Camorra, of Naples, and the
Matia. of Sicily. exists in Apulia tAdri-
attic provinces of southern italy under
the name of Mala Vita (evil lifel. 1t is
an organized association with iron rules.
Its object is theft. robbery and assassl-
nation. Ii has a council OF admins
tratlon which divides the profits OF the
Mala Vita society from thefts, rob-
beres, etc. Fifty per cent. goes to the
chiefs, % per cent. TO those who execute
their orders and IF per cent. TO the re-
serve fund. For eight years this society
has kept the southern Adriatic prov
inces of Italy.
Under u Reign of Terror.
1t was only discovered in 1889, after
long and dangerous researches, and
only year afterwards were the
authorities able to lay hands on por-
ton of its members and associates.
Although 179 members of the society
have been brought to trial by the court
OF assIzes at Bari, the authorities have
not been able to secure the chief ones
among the guilty and it is probable
that they never Will be caught. Appli-
cants for membership must apply
through member to the chiefs.
Members are divided into three classes
-noyices, full of members and chiefs,
who are called Uncles.
The head chief Is called "Wise Mas
ter" The candidate is initiated with
great formality according to the estab-
lshed ritual and is obliged to take the
following oath:
with One Foot In . Tomb
and the other in chains:
al swear to abandon father. mother,
children and relatives, to make war
against infamy. and to guarantee hu-
milty." lnfarny is understood to be
hunger, and humility the weak.
The cardinal principle of the society
Is that the richer should maintain the
poor. He who possesses nothing has
the right to live at the expense of him
who has, is the foundation upon which
the whole edifice is built.
Members of the society are subjected
to severe discipline. Disobedience to
others is punished by the chief. If
light, with
Razor Gashes Upon the Faces
if grave, with death. For every revela-
ton or betrayal and for every testimony
against a member, the punishment 10
death. Those who execute the sent
enced are selected by lot and when
designated are themselves put tos1eath
if they do not kill the member intticat-
ed. Furthermore, whatever the men,
bers gain in play, a certain amount
must be given to the society.
Among the members arrested at Bari
many are tattooed with emblems pecu-
liar to the society. The existence of
the society was discovered by the Chew
alier Gastano Redavide, the well-known
Masonic chief at Bari who, in 1884,
Obtained Secret Information
of the existence of the society, and
wrote about it in his newspaper, ii
Martello, for the purpose of attracting
the attention of the authorities. His
efforts were successful, and he was able
to ascertain all the particulars referred
to in this article. Immediately after
his discovery one of the members, who
was suspected of divulging the secrets,
was condemned to death by the So
ciety, but fortunately escaped mortal
wound when the razor stroke was de-
livered. He was, however, horribly
d!sigured. There are many disfigured
members, because many have bee IN
denounced as traitors by their COM
panons. The chief of these who was
on trial IS the Cocoine Sabius, who is
endowed with phenomenal importance.
I nj nf nd IF
cious hatreds, of infinite vengeance,
thus far repressed. He was in prison
at Bari for attacking the customs
guards.
One day certain Eduardo Cabzelius,
who was IN his room in the prison
ward, proposed to him TO enter the
Mala Vita society as a novice. He ac-
cepted, and at once there came to the
room
Group of sixteen Men,
in the midst of whom Cabzelius took to
post. Then the established ritual was
performed. We quote from the char
acteristic deposition Of Cocoline:
after the ritual kissed the hands
of all the members present and the
foreheads of tive others, whom after
wards discovered to be simply novices
like myself. On the morrow and for
days afterwards | was obliged, IN nv
quality of young novice. 10 make the
beds of chiefs, wash the dishes which
served for their table and to give them
whatsoever other service they required
| began to grow tired of that slavery.
when the chief of the prison guards
asked me 10
Act rs a Roman Guard
in smother ward. | accepted and in
payment for my work the prison ad-
mInlstration gave me three lire so go
per month. One day Cabzellius sent
word TO me that the 500 did not belong
to me, but IN the chief of the society.
| did not like it, and plainly refused to
submit to this unjust claim.
They then thought to persuade me
with fine manners, and with the same
ritual "a accompa nled my nomination
as novice I was proclaimed full MEM
ber. Their efforts were such that my
three lire per month went to the society,
FOR whose members were bought vine,
cigars and cakes. the major society and
the fuH members minor society. The
sign of recognition vas these words
"In the Name Of HemiIisy
belong to the branch of the Msls Vita
society"
Among the accused there is one
Francesca de Palma, who having VITA
drawn from tie society and having
gwen testimony against some ot the
members charged with theft, was con
demned % have his eyes put out with
qulcknne fIe was Afterwards stopped
on the road by several members. who
said 20 hlm You infamous traitor,
We srs looking for you. They
attempfst ~ dispatch hfw with Their