The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-17
ITALIAN THIEVES.
The Malta, Camorra and Other
Organizations.
Their Own Government-Curious State
of Affairs Described by a Native
writer-How These Secret Societies
Conduct Their Operations.


unexplored, and for this reason S. Mer-
limos article in the Political Science
CuarterLg on "Camorra, Malta and
Brigandage," will arouse great deal of
interest, especially as the writer is ma
tive, and has made a careful investiga-
ton of the subject. He says:
Even so late as 1862, j. e., two years
after the installation of the present Gov
eminent, traveller landing at Naples
might see, as soon as he stepped on shore,
mysterious parsonage approach the
boatman and quietly receive from him
copper coin. Who was this man, COM
paratively well dressed, often adorned
with jewelry, who came forward with
the air of master, claimed his due, and
received it without having uttered a
word? If the traveller should have put
the question to the boatman he would
have been told that the man was the
'CamorriSt.' On arriving at the hotel,
preceded by the porter with his baggage,
the traveller would notice a second lndl-
Vldual, equally mysterious and taciturn,
TO whom the porter-or If there were two,
each of them-handed with evident sub
mlSsiV5ness again small coin. On fur
Their inquiry the traveller would have re-
ceived the same unsatisfactory answer:
1T is the CamorrIst.'
son taking a cab, similar incident
would occur, and SO on throughout a tour
OF the town. Al railway stations, at Gus
tom-houSeS, at street corners, in coffee
houses and taverns, in gambling denS,
the Camorrist levied taxes on the bust
ness and the pleasures particularly the
vicious pleasures of the poor. His func-
lions might appear successfully as those
OF the policeman, the Justice of the Peace,
the broker, the money changer and many
Others.
"Why, then, was the Camorrist? And
who gave him the authority for his acts?
The answer Is that he was member OF
secret association, and that the power he
welded was conferred by nobody but
was merely assumed. Yet he was not
necessarily criminal He might,
strictly speaking, commit no action Tor
which he might be amenable to punish
mept; and whatever iliegality there was
In the fact itself of the existence OF the
Camorra was practically obviated by
custom, and by the acquiescence of the
Government. The Camorra was, indeed,
almost branch of the Government. let
the Government at times prosecuted 1t,
and ultimately has nearly destroyed II.
AT the hight of its glory the Camorra
acted quite independently of the Govern
ment, ana rather as its rival. The soci-
ETY. was in fact a lesser government es-
: )
The prominent features of the organiza-
ton may be summed up as follows:
'Eirst-The real object of the Camorra
was to extorJ money; yet, in return, IL
ContriVed to render some service or as
sistance to its victims.
''Second-Such services might be, in
some cases, of a questionable character
the Camorrist might assist in doing
wrong, or even IN committing crime; but,
as rule. e., when he had no reason to
the contrary-he acted as an impartial
arbitrator between the parties submitted
to his self-assumed jurisdiction.
''Third-The jurisdiction or field of
operations OF the Camorra was confined
TO such social relations as ordinary re-
main outside the province Of the Gov
ernment-petty interests which a Gov
eminent neglects to protect or for which
the official protection proves too slow or
s costly.
"Fourth-The Government tolerated
the CamOrra, provided 1t confined its
operations to the lower classes of the pop
ulation. Hence the traditional respect of
the Camorra for the middle or higher
classes.
"Eitth-The lower classes had become
accustomed to the rule OF the Camorra
and submitted almost ungrudgingly to it.
The Camorra continually drew to itself
the most daring elements of the popula-
ton and left out only the weak and
timid. The latter found protection, as
well as oppression, at the hands of the
former.
''Sixth-The Camorra recruited and dis
ciplined the most violent characters, and
reduced crime to its mildest form.
ITO corroborate those statements [
shall describe the operations of the Ca
mora.
1.-The mysterious parsonage whom we
have referred to as receiving fees from
the boatmen and the cab driver, acted as
a timekeeper, and distributed the jobs
between the men. His presence was in
tended to prevent quarrels. Those classes
of workmen were actually organized
under the rule of the Camorra. So long
as the Camorra was alive the Neapolitan
cab drivers successfully resisted the in
PRODUCTION OF the omnibus and the enact
ment of a municipal tariff and other re-
strictive regulations. In its latter days
The Camorra, at the request of the police,
often induced the striking cabmen to re-
sumo work-a fact which bears witness
TO the hold which the association still re-
tanned on the men.
.'At the city markets the Camorrist
would inspect the merchandise, verify
the weights and measures, and settle dis
putes, charging one sou per basket or
sack of merchandise brought for sale.
''In the evening, when the little coster-
monger (bazZariota), having sold off
basket of fruit or vegetables, repaired TO
the tavern, the Camorrist would be there
TO collect the money-which belonged to
some farmer from the vicinity-and
would hand it over to the owner on the
following morning, when he appeared
with fresh goods at the market.
''At the country fair the Camorrist rem
Gered more important services He
would stand guarantee TO the buyer OF a
horse or mule that the animal was not
disqualified for work by some occult de-
feet; while to the seller he would guaran-
tee the punctual payment of the price.
AS matter of fact the guarantee involved
no pecuniary risk to him; it was based
wholly on the submission of the people
to the Camorra, and their fear of the pun
ishment which the association would
visit on the party who failed to fulfill his
obligations.
but the functions of the Camorra COW
cred much wider and more varied field
In street fights the Camorrist would
throw himself between the dappers and
separate the com batants at the risk of his
life. His presence at auction sales pre-
vented fraud and mpositions-except
such as were committed on behalf of the
Camorra. The extensive connections of
the Camorra made its assistance and con-
nivance Indispensable to the preparation
for the commission of thefts and burglar
les and moreover, to the disposal Of the
stolen booty; yet, through the Camorra
stolen property might be recovered for a
reasonable indemnity; so. too, the seducer
might be obliged to marry his victim. or
otherwise TO atone for his crime. The
nawn- broking and money-lending busi-
ness was entirely under the control of the
Camorra, through which recalcltrant
debtors were compelled to honor their
obligations ana the lmpecunlcus might
obtain delay.
of a most IncFafIVA QntprnrISpS