The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-02

Certain disclosures concerning the OPP
erations of the Malta in New Orleans
seem to indicate that its commercial is
far greater than its social political i'm
p0rtanCe, as in Southern Italy IL appears
TO be an organization calculated simply
to prevent competition and to establish
a practical monopoly of the shell fish and
other industries in New Orleans in par
ticular. Tire whole work p IN the levCe
is also absolutely controlled by Stella S
or men of Italian blood through the ter
rOrism which has now run for twenty
years. An old New Orleans merchant
recently told correspondent in Wash
ington that he would be vii ing to give n
twenty dollar bill for every American or
Inshmau who could obtain job as
stevedOre along the New Orleans levee.
Even should a man succeed, he says.
'in getting work, he would receive the
usual threat from the mysterious organi-
cation and would be compelled to run
imminent risk of losing his life the first
time he passed through dark alley"
This is a perfect reproduction of that
system which the traveller has so often
remarked IN certain sections of Southern
Italy. A familiar instance of this may
be found in the takingo of carriages in any
CalabTian or Sicilian town. The tourist
has noticed that if he makes choice first
of one carriage and then, for some per-
sonal reasons, wishes to change to an
other carriage, No. , will not take him
under any circumstances. This is be-
cause No. 2 declines to compete W.T. No.
| /, fearing lest No. is n member of the
murderous order and may get him under
the ban. No doubt many instances of
mistaken fear occur both in Italy and in
this country; but the whole system is
based upon shrewd ambition to get
possession of certain trade and keep it.
In New Orleans, the Sicilian, NeapOli-
tan and Calabrain emigrants found a
rich field for thei" operations. They
went there when observance of law and
order was less conspicuous than at pres
ent, and it is said that the large for.
tunes possessed by some of them have
been acquired by smuggling. The
Southern Italians, born on rugged and
dangerous coast, are perfect water-dogS
and will go in a tiny boat where nc
American OF English fisherman would
think of going. The ingenuity of tho
! smuggling Opel ations which they have
carried on between the Caribbean water.
and New Orleans for the last twenty
years is very great. Two or three oil
them succcCd in buying II small schooner
and in it sail up and down the Caribbean
Sea, receiving their supply from RATS OF
boats from shore and landing them il
Louisiana in the same manner, thu
schooner never leaving the high sea, Sc
tina it is parcnnially safe from capture
Should repairs become necessary, tn,
little barque will sail to the north and
putting into some minor port, alleg,
stress of weather as the excuse for tn,
irregularity of its papers. The profits o
this smuggling business may be imag
I ined from the remark of New Orlean
merchant, that only system of SNUG
Cling could make bunch of banana
, bought in the Caribbean Island for 6
cents cost 80 cents on the corner o
Canal street in New Orleans. InasmucI
G as the Italians are streaming into tn
: various ports of the country by til
thousands per day, is highly import
5 ant that the influence of such an organ
K cation as the Malta should be destroye
forever. The Italian Government quit
understands, also, that work done in TIL
country against the miscellaneous an
> murderous gangs will have a good II
>, feX influence in Italy.-BOStOn JOuTnG