Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-24
POWER OF THE MAFiA IN ITALY.
Malignant Activity of OrSanizati Oh
Whose Sole Penalty Is Death.

The Italian Malta of to-day is not a
complex organization with constitu.
ton, ordinances and bylaws, but a
community of sentiment striving to
preserve the feudal institution of per-
| sonal vengeance, and warning against
| state interference, with individual IL
cense. There are, however. within
| this great solidarity of malefactors
numerous bands of criminals having a
formal organization and special fields
| of action, as brigands, cattle thieves.
contra bandists, intimidators and ex-
tortioners, in family or personal
groups, such as the Posa, Fratuzzi,
AMBROSE, Stoppaglieri, Fratellanza,
Cosca, Mala Vita and Carciolo. All
these societies, according to Cham6erS'
J0brnai, have their officers, rules, oaths
and penalties, or usually one penalty
death.
A direct outgrowth of feudalism, the
Malta originated in Florence and Genoa
at time when the retainers of the
later medieval mobiles lounged about
the now deserted palaces waiting for
| the bidding of their masters to carry
out some new assassination in the con-
slant campaign of private vengeance
Unlike nihilism, the malta is not strict
ly a secret society-it is nonpolirical.
and is the development and perfection
OF a supreme power directed to every
kind of evil; it is the instructive
solidarity, brutal and selfish, that
unites-to the injury of the state, of
laws and of organized society-all in
dlviduals that desire to obtain their
living, not by labor, but by violence,
trickery and intimidation.
In every part of Italy it is nndoub t-
eddy power of malignant activity,
which in these days of unrest and an
archy is rapidly extending its nefa-
rious influences. The difference be-
tween the rich and the poor mafiosa is
merely one degree. The wealthy pro-
prletOr becomes an ally either to carry
on hereditary feud, to make himself
a beneficiary of past crimes, or merely
to crafty desire for power If he is
not IN voluntary sympathy with the
offenders he is constrained to lend
himself directly or indirectly to their
schemes. Otherwise, a gunshot,
general slaughter of his cattle, a fire
that consumes his harvest, threaten
ing letter or sequestration of his per-
son, reminds him that, while the law
has many formalities and delays, the
action of the malta is summary. He
rarely hesitates longer as to where he
shall attach his interests; if he does
his own life pays for the delay. 1t
happens thus that a family may be OBJ
iged to witness the marder of rela-
tive and remain silent rather than
incur the further action of the, malta
as they would do by having recourse
to TIE criminal courts.
That the strength and influence of the
m',ha is recognized with apprehension
by the Italian government is undeni-
able, and facts revealed at the recent
trials at Bari and New Orleans tend to
confirm the opinion that it is now
closely allied with the anarchistic
movement. Notwithstanding the eff
forts of the Italian police, its power is
rapidly increasing, and it's attitude to-
ward both government and society is
certainly the reverse of reassuring.