The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-11-10
FRIDAY MORNING, NOVlO 1898.
La MAFIA, THE DREADFUL.
A sEo7sT ORGANIZATION OF lTAL.
IAN ouTTHRoATS.

The Order that Is Now Doing Such
Boojy Work In New Orieans-How the
Members wreak Vengeance -Oreanized
100 Years Ago,
The La Malta Is a secret organization
almost entirely OF Sioilians,
and was founded By an Italian cutthroat
named Malta, at Palermo, 100 years ago.
The members are, for the most part,
and eounterfeiters, and hesl-
tate at no atroclty. The inhuman cru
city Of soae of the Malta agents Is
almost beyond human credence, and
sayors OF the brutal barbarity of the
middle ages. Vincenzo Arditi burned a
victims house in New Orleans, hoping
to burn the owner at the same time. He
vas sent to the penitentiary, organized
= branch OF the Mafia-for housebreaking
purposes only-among his fellow pris-
oners, got out, went to st. Louis and
a foe OF the Malta there.
He Went to Chicago, opened saloon,
snticed an obnoxious fellow countrymrn
Into 1t and stabbed him in the back with
! knife SO long.t it stuck out on both
'ldes Of the dying man as he fell to the
iio,r. He came to New York, opened
store, !lr, d 1t to get the insurance and
was unsuccessful. He vowed vengeance
and La NJ fla on fellow countryman
whom he believed instrumental in caus-
Ing his defeat. He invited his victim to
a private apartment to have glass Of
bcer, offered beaker with one hand,
and witp the other, by one stroke of the
razor, laid thu poor wrttch's face open
rom his forehead to the point Of bis
chin.
In October, 1888, Antonio Flaccomio
was assassinated in the shadow of the
Cooper institute building in New York
city. Flaccomio had been adjudged a
traitor to the organization of which at
one time he was prominent member,
and it is said that Carmello Farach, who
was murdered in the Staten Is and
woods four years before, had been en-
rolled in the same society. The unjusti-
fable killing Of Farach was one of the
causes that led TO Flaccomio's removal,
but the cause of the assassination was
the testimony that he gave shortly
before his assassination against some of
his countrymen, who were counter
letters, as well as brother members Of
La Malta. Flaccomio was sentenced to
death, and two brothers, Carlo and Vim
cenzo Quarrara, were selected to kill
him. The former plunged the stiletto
into the doomed mans heart.
Signor Ratio, Of New York city, the
Italian consul, is authority for the
statement that the first that was really
known of the order was at the beginning
Of the present century in the town of
Bilini Sicily, where family nine
named Giovanni, of cons iderable social
position We're murdered in as many
weeks. The father went first, being
found at his very doorsteps. Seven DAYS
later the mother followed. Her dead
body was found in almost the same loca-
ton as that of her husband. The authoIi-
ties were unsuc cessful in tracing t Q
murderer or murdererS, and several
days a,terwarI the bodies of the two
eldest children were found dead in bed.
The others followed in regular order,
until the family was completely annihil-
ated. rough character OF the town,
named Sipo.i, was arrested on suspicion
and confessed. He revealed t. e exist
ence Of the order, and sal that Giovanni
and his family had incurred the anger
Of the band by betraying a criminal, VINO
was Malta, to the authorities.
Several witnesses for the prosecution
were afterward murdered by the Malta.
The government, l. coming aware of the
lawless nature of the organization. at
once took measures to have II ---.
but the efforts proved futile
continued to grow. A poll
1858, in Milan, discovered /;
which member OF La Maf
known. 1t consisted OF
directly under the ear, cauS
ing. In this way great numbe
nails were afterwards run
brought to justice. The SO
gave up the marx, and the pc
one year after was found dea .a.
to the heart.
La Malta is modern organization
based on medieval sentiment. 1t is re-
lated to the Camorra Of Naples. 1t is
society confined not to Italians, but to
Siclians, the base. kind of Greeks, who
bring their national customs, their
secrets societies and traditions of MUIR
der with them. If Sicilian believes
that lie can pluvide for the protection
of his person and property without
having recourse to law that person is a.
MGtiosa.
Not long ago a wealthy proprietor was
drivin. to his home in the neighborhood
ofP ,imero. Six bullets whizzed by him.
Nom OF them hit him. No complaint
was made to the police. Yet within
few months everybody who had taken
part III the attempted assassination was
himself assGssinated. A Malta had at
tackei q Mafiosa. He was more power
full than his assailant. Sicilians justify
these crimes. Everybody knows the
authors, yet nobody interseres. Said
guide of recent traveller in Sicily:
"YonGer home belongs to a most re.
spectacle mana highly respectable
man, sir. The other day he killei his
cook. One of the most respectful men
in these parts, sir.
Murder is the cornerstone Of the social
fabric of Sicily. A Sicilian wishes to
sell a farm. A Capo Malta wishes to buy
it. Nobody dares bid against him.
II Capo Malta runs for the mayoralty
If a village nobody runs against him.
H Invariably mas unanimous election.
HI, hands may be red with dozen MUIR
dcrs, and his pockets filed with black
mail. Not servant can be discharged
without reference to the unseen Mafla
The MufOsi rule their district as des-
pots. II they have rivalries the knife
decides it. The Camorrista of Naples
live in Italy and thrive, just as the Ma
tiori of Sicily.
The political power of the Cammorals
is brob en-, yet it maintains an under
ground existence, and has three grades.
novice in the first grade is called
"Guzone di Malavita, a youth Of bad
life. The more advanced pupil is styled
"Picciotto di Sgarro." The finished
scholar is the Camorista. The novice
marks out the victim, follows him and
plays detective on him. The Picciotto
is initiated into the secrets of the con-
fraternity. He merely gets handful OF
sous from the Camorista. He lives in
hope of reaching the third grade, and
some day, by means of an artistic stab
or unusually long term in prison, he is
advances 20 the sacred band. He takes
the oath on crowned knives with his
hands immersed in his own blood. He
is then licensed to murder whoIusOeyer
he pieps-s. The Camorista has two
degrees Of punishment-ono is the
sprS {: O or SLASH from razor, the other
Is tie to!l,ttatti or stab with knife
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