The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-02
THE MAFIA PICTURED.
Description Of the Lawless Italians
at New Orleans.
Evening Post.I


Evening Post.I
WASHINGTON, March 17.-The in
interest excited by the recent outbreak
in New Orleans is as intense here as
in any city, perhaps, except the one
where the events occurred. The
diplomatic turn which has been given
to the affair by the Italian Legation
has made it, in measure, local. Be-
sides this, Washington contains large
number of residents who have lived a
longer or shorter time in southeastern
Louisiana, and understand the social
situation there very we'll. One of these
persons, gentleman who was formerly
in active business in New Orleans,
said to your correspondent last evening:
"The italian question down there
is quite as serious as the Chinese ques-
ton ever was on the Pacific coast or
the Hungarian question in the PENN
sylvania mining districts, and, in my
judgment, great deal more so. The
'Dagoes, as the Italian peasants and
ex-brigands are known there, would
be welcome enough if they were gov
erned by any decent code of laws or
morals. But they are not. They
have the society Of the Malta, which
exercises terrorizing influence
throughout the reputable part of the
community vastly more potent than
the influence exercised BY the laws of
Louisiana upon the rufian. Bear in
mind that this is no mere question OF
race or of caste; neither is it the revolt
of one faction among the laboring class
against another faction. In these
respects it differs from the alleged
color-proscription in the South gen.
orally, from the anarchist troubles,
from the trade union tyranny, and
from the anti Chinese warfare. 1t is
the law-abiding element of the com
munity against the besotted, ignorant,
devilish cut-throats from the slums."
"The mob who marched upon the
Jail the other day you would hardly
call 'law-abiding,' would you?" asked
your correspondent.
"The members Oft are usually among
the best citizens of New Orleans" an
swered the Louisianian, "and those
upright and honorable business men
who were not actually in the midst OF
the mob we're heartily in sympathy
with it. l do not defend these out
breaks any more than I defend a
decent man who, after long provoca-
tion, loses his temper and knocks down
a blackmailer, or shoots sneak-thief.
In either case there is breach of the
peace, which is of itself reprehensible
but there are some wrong things which
we cannot, in our heart OF hearts,
utterly condemn men for doing. Now,
these Italians of the Malta are the most
degraded wretches who find their .way
to this country. Most ofthem acually
get living by crime, while those who
follow ostensbly respectable trades get
rid of competition by holding threat
of murder over the head of any one
who ventures to intrude where they
have already taken possession. Nobody
objects to an Italians having a fruit
stand, for example; but it is poor
rule which gives a monopoly of that
sort of trade to the Italians, isn't it!
and yet you let an American attemp,
to enter the lists as rival of one oi
these Dagoes, and tEe Malta serves a
warning upon him at once to get out
if he values his life. Go along the
water front in New Orleans, and count
the number of stevedores you will find
there who are not Italians. l could
easily afford to give you a twenty
dollar bill for every one you can point
out to me. Why is this? Because the
moment an American or Irishman trie:
to get into the business, in steps the
Malta with its murderous message and
frightens him out again. The fish
trade and one or two other interest:
are controlled in the same way"
"If that is the practice, why do MOI
the good citizens of New Orlean:
break it up by prosecuting the ring
leaders in the courtsr'
"They do try to. What does il
amount to? Every time member o
the Malta gets into tight place, one
or more OF the jurymen who are to try
him receives warning, written anc
sealed, from the Society, which strike:
terror into his heart, and the jury dis
agrees. The criminal law is a good
deal of lottery a. best, as you know
and when you are trying to enforce il
under such a handicap as the Mafis
places on it, you have got hard tasl
before you. This jury which tried ths
Dagoes the other day, and whos'
action gave rise to the riot, was, il
my opinion. more likely terrorizee
than britrd."
"You speak of the criminal mean!
of livelihood pursued by SO many OF tn
Italians. What do you refer to?''
"Smuggling, petty piracy, ant
dealing in smuggled goods with full
knowledge of their pedigree. There
was Joe Macheca, for example.
knew him we'll, and his father befor
him. They were OF type of whicl
brigands and smugglers are made il
their own country. The elder Machec
was millionaire, and built up hi
fortune in the fruit trade, but b.
devious methods. There has been fol
years, and is now, a systematic cours
of fraud practiceed by Italians upol
the revenue. The Neapolitan and tn
Sicilian immigrants are, as rule, per
feet water dogs. They are fearless o1
the sea, in boats in which an American
or an Euglishman would not ventur
out Of sight OF shore. One of thos
fellows, after he has accumulated