Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-02-06
Taught to Steal.

in which young children are prepared
to enter the Camorra is given by DR..
de Blasio, a Neapolitan physician who
has been studying the habits of
criminals. The Camorra at Naples,
like the Malta in Sicily, is an organi-
zation of criminals that is centuries
old. The Camorra begins its work
with the infants who are abandoned
by their parents, or who are lent out
to the impOstOrs who beg in the streets
of Naples. These children, for the
most part those of persons in prison
are taught to beg for the end Of a
cigar or a soldo, and infest the cafes,
In winter they sleep IN holes and
stables, in summer on the church steps,
under archways, or on the benches IN
the public gardens.
When they are six or seven years
old they are instructed in begging and
thieving by older children. At ten
years of age the little Camorrista, or
little thief, becomes singer. He must
know how to improvise song to the
girls and reply with an extemporane-
GUS verse to the verse of companion
or an antagonist In Naples there
are two armies of cantatorl, one be-
longing to the streets in the older
part of the city, and one to those Of
the west end. They constitute the
neophites of the Camorra, and COM
pete in public, passing their oxam'na-
tiOns by nights in the streets. They
choose :or the subject of their chants
anything that happens in the city, and
very often the object of derisive songs
is an old man or poor idiot.
The better class hear these scotis
but do not interfere, and often laugh
at the wit which is scarcely ever miss
ing. The two bands are naturally
great rivals, and once year at least
they defy each other to a series Of
battles in which stones are the weap-
ons and at the close of the fray knives
too often come into play. This prac-
tice of battles with stones among boys
can be traced back as far as 1928, for
at that period the Duke of Alva caused
thirty "stone throwers" to be arrested
in Naples. The war cry Of the boys
is Amelia, Amelia" the derivation
of which is not certain. After the
war cry comes the challenge in the
form of a verse, to which the enemy
responds likewise.
Then the young boys commence the
attack. The passers-by flee, but at
no great distance stand old and young
men. who incite the rival bands, and
if necessary rescue one or the other OF
them from arrest by the police. Two
wears ago there was famous battle OF
this kind in Piazza Mercato, which
ended in a fight between the police
and the stone throwers, during which
the horse cars were stopped for some
time. This duel ceases at the first
drawing of blood-a slight scratch re-
ceiyed by one of the members OF the
two parties puts an end to the battle
The wounded boy is surrounded by
his friends and taken 10 his mother,
real or adopted, to be bound up and
nursed. The songs sung by the boys
have always a chorus, and generally
there are two soloists, who sing a verse
in turn, which is ended by a refrain
sung by the chorus, mere "Ah oh J
All ohr In npoetical form these youths
express the knowledge they have Of
the worst evils and vices of human
| life. but the verses are realistic and
without the least CLEAN of sentiment.
- London Ners.