Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-19
THE MAF|A'S WORK OF VENGEANCE
A Marked Man Applies for PO-
lice Protection.
He Has Been HOunded for Years by
Assassins.
His Wife Poisoned by the Fiends and His
Son wounded-The italian Mur-
der Society's Doings in
New York City.

By the Associated Press.
New YORK, Nov. 18.-When Antonio
Flaccomio was mysteriously murdered
in front of Cooper Union, few years
ago, Superintendent Byrnea, then the
inspector in charge of the detective
bureau, made the discovery that q
foreign association, usually known as
the Malta, had agents in this country,
and that the order was fiourishing in
several cities of the United States. The
assassination of Flaccomio was laid at
the door of the Malta, but the members
OF that order are so solidly bound to-
gether that the murderer has never been
arrested.
A marked victim OF the Malta has
asked for protection OF police head
quarters from the agents of the order
who are sworn to kill him. This man is
Mario Condo, an intelligent Italian.
He has told his story to the police.
The story he told Detective Formosa
began 80 years ago, when he wgs still a
boy in Italy. His father was an Italian
nobleman. In 1910 murder was COM
mitted in Paris, where his parents
lived. His father was wealthy man
and the lower and criminal classes
had great hatred for him. To shield
the real murderer his father was arrest
ed and taken to prison where he was
kept for three years, Notwithstanding
his innocence. Then he was let 60 on
his paying a sum of money. Several
Italians who are identified with the
Malta bore grudge against the elder
Marie, which Condo says has been
transferred to the son.
Mario came to this country in 1867
and soon went into the business of maxi
ing balloons and selling flowers. He
says he has been bounded several years
and threatened with death. and
has gone flom one. place to
another to escape assassination. Mar
zio formerly lived in Brooklyn. It was
there his wife died last year. She had
been sick but Is days. The Malta, he
said, tried to palm off one their mem
bers as doctor, but he discovered the
fraud. Shortly before his wife died an
Italian priest came to the house and
ordered everyone out of the room. The
priest sent him for medicine. While he
was gone the priest induced the
dying woman to give him
$500 which he said he would
send to her brother, Antonio Bronio,
who is soldier in Italy. When his
wife died her body turned o reddish
hue, but the attending physician gave a
certificate of death from pneumonia.
She was buried in the Holy Cross ceme-
terry, Brooklyn. Later. he Gays, the
body was taken from the grave by his
enemies and moved to some unknown
place. The money which his wife gave
to the priest was never sent to her
brother. Condo says that he learned
telling him of the confession
Italian, who was living in BROOKLYN
at the time OF his wife's death, and went
to Italy where he died. Before he died
he confessed that Condos wife had been
poisoned by agents of the Malta, in or
der to get her money and property in
Italy. He gave the name Of the priest
who got the money, who confessed that
it was not sent to the dead woman's
brother. He also confessed that the
same persons who caused the death of
Mrs. Condo were sworn to kill her hus-
band. Condo went to see the Italian
priest, who, he said, was connected
with church in Brooklyn. He
accused him of keeping the money. The
priest threatened to have him killed if
he said anything more about the mat
ter. He has been warned number of
times since that he would be killed if he
did not keep quiet.
One year ago his 11-year.old son was
FLASHED across the face by an unknown
party, and by this meane poison was
injected into the wound. The child
recovered, however. Condo says
his letters are intercepted and
that he is being bounded
night and day. About three months
ago he made up his mind to so to
Italy and get possession of his wlfe's
property. His enemies heard of it and
tried to get him to 60 in company with
young man, who, Condo has since
learned, was member of the Malta, and
was to murder him at the 6rst oppor-
tunity. Condo is trying to get enough
money to get back to Italy, but fears he
will be murdered before he can get
away. $50