Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-03-29

The Plague OF Sicily.
No man in recent days has given
more study TO the manners and GUS
toms OF the Sicilian people than Or.
Pitre. lie is one of the slorieS Of
Palermo.
His volumes treat Of the manners.
the traditions and the popular litera-
ture of Sicily, but when he comes TO
the chapter in which he should treat
of the Malta he confines his remarks 10
the philology Of the word, and declares
that ne VIII not occupy his pages With
any other aspect Of it.
VI Rene Bazin, the thoughtful and
elegant French writer whose acQuaiuG~
ance ! made ut Granada a few years
ago, in his book "Sicile," gives the re-
ports OF three persons on the Malta:
Ihe keeper of the hotel who says that
there is no such thing rs Malta IN
Sicily, that il is the safest and beet
policed country in Europe; citizen II
Palermo, who points out Matioso, but
says no more; and third who Will
tell you terrible stories that will haunt
you in your sleep.
The ordinary traveller can gather
little information from the people re-
garding this universal opposition 10
the laws, this society, which is not
secret because it seems that every one
is 4 member of IT,
Both NJ Rene Balm and the able
artist and writer, NJ Castor Nuiilier,
who is one Of the most recent writers
on Sicily, for their information re-
garding the Malta fall back upon works
published some years ago in Palermo
in which this plague of the land is
described
a Result OF Oppression.
NJ. Vuillier says that 1t has been de-
scribed as secret society, admirably
organized with numerous Affiliations
and many mysterious statutes: a hid
den and terrible force, which defied
justice, despised the laws and COM
pressed Sicily as in an iron net.
The spirit of the Malta still reigns in
Sicily; 1t is a result of oppression in
the past, and it may be said in this
sense, that every Sicilian, especially
among the people, belongs to the
Malta.
1t is an interested solidarity which
unites. by instinct of defense, a whole
social class against the constituted
law and customs, The bond of union is
neither apparent nor regular.
A real Malta constituted of adopts,
initiated individuals, statutes, chiefs
and secret intelligence with the whole
country, does not exist
This survival of the Middle Ages,
this particular spirit will M. Vuillier
thinks, still endure for a long time to
come. The thing is in the blood, and
1t may be said, in the customs OF tn
people. 1t will continue under govern
ments which, even if not entirely bene.
ticient, are not even oppressive.
At present what prevails is senti-
ment Of solidarity, for each one thinks
1t useful to do himself justice, outside
of the law useful to impose on the
weak and attach himself to the strong
est; and useful to oppose the consti-
tuted power by escaping from legal re.
pressions.
Societies of Malefactors.
Ia, j,t,, t,,1., ~.
| iiosi are organized in societies Of male.
| factors These are composed at times
of groups which are enemies one to the
other. but always agreed in concelling
their dealings from their adversaries
The adopts in the Malta are more or
less criminal When they have done
something harsh, or offended against
| the laws and evaded the consequences
OF their wrongdoing. they are respect
ed among their companions and ac-
quire an ascendant over them.
These offenders in time are chosen
judges In disputes between masters
and servants, laborers and their EN-
ployers, and such like. Then they be-
gin to be surrounded by the followers
who are necessary to them Thus is
the nucleus of a dangerous society
formed
Suppose that a person is suspected
Of being a spy on the society The
only safety, according to the author
tiles, quoted by NJ Vuiller, lies in get
ting rid of him And this strange
society will act, not only on it's own
account but will sell its arm to deliv-
er anyone from his enemy The price
of the crime will vary from so to 500
lire. I"
Such Is the statement put forward
by this author, whose work, admirably
illustrated, has been translated into
Italian and published by a very prom
inent publishing house in Milan
Method Of the Mafios
The ordinary proceeding in the COM
mission Of the assassination is minute
ly described