Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-03-06


the scandals which have taken place in
the Bark of Sicily. NJ. Palizollo. dsputy
to the Italian parliament for Palermo. in
con- jun, ton with the Duke of Verdura.
had bought shares to the value OF l.3OO,-
GOO francs in the Italian General Navi-
cation company with the money Of the
bank.
Finding the shares going up in value.
he transferred them to his own account.
and paying back to the bank the 1.5OO.-
600 francs. he appropriated the profits
of the investment for his own benefit. BY
some means or other the government got
wind Of these irregularities and appoint
ed NJ. Notarbartolo to make an official
inquiry, which he did so conscientiously
as to cost him his life, it being alleged
| that Palizollo gave orders to a man nam
ed FOntane to assassinate him, as he
feared other disclosures would follow.
Palizollo was arrested and stands a
fair chance of meeting his deserts. He,
however, together with his fellow con-
sprators, is member Of the Malta. a
body possessing power well nigh incredi-
bic to those who live in land where
threats, let alone assaults, are punishable
by fine or imprisonment 1t is generally
deal the deathblow to this society or
raise it to such state Of ascendancy as
to actually menace the safety of the
state.
During the investigation of the murder
the facts were disclosed that during Girls
PTS various terms of office as premier he
had taken advantage of the fact to intro
duce many Of his own countrymen-that is
tn N;r;I;
partmcnts at Rome, notably into the
ministries Of the interior and Of justice.
Most Of these were appointed on the
domination of Palizollo himself as the
parliamentary representative of the CAPT
tai Of Sicily and as the political boss Of
the island. Naturally Palizollo only Sc
lected men upon whom he could rely to
serve his interests and those Of the Malta,
and thus it happens that today large
number Of government officials holding
responsible administrative positions at
Rome and, with power to obstruct and
to even stop altogether the wheels Of
| justice, are friendly to the Malta. if not
actually affiliated thereto.
Palizollo has been all along one OF the
chief political supporters and adhercnts
Of Crispi. He took a leading part in the
Palermo in the early part OF this year
and. in fact. is welcome guest Of the
Crispi family at Naples as well as at
Rome. This, taken in conjunction With
! the extraordinary readiness which the
old man is now known to have displayed
when premier to further all the wishes
Of his friend Palizollo, has naturally lie
to the charge that the former prime min
! iStor himaolf ia n nrominont nom hor ri
| the Malta.
There are now loud cries to the effect
that Crispi should be put on trial as a
member Of the Ma6a-that is to say. as a
member Of a criminal organization for
hidden by law-and definite charges are
| about to be brought against him in con-
! nection with the matter
The Malta is not 4 purely political or
| ganization. nor yet criminal one; it has
| no paid oficers, no definite committees.
no elected chiefs. But what it has is q
! system somewhat akin to that Of Free
masonry without it's formalities, by
| means of which a member can attain a
certain position OF eminence above his
| fellows by seniority or deeds accounted
! useful to the community.
In each town there is a person mutual
| ~ recognized as the intermediary be,
| tween the masses and the higher powers
methods are to be pursued. whereas in
| minor cases each member uses his OWL
discretion. knowing full we'll that he will
should occasion arise, receive assistance
from headquarters. Where those head.
| quarters arc now no one but the ennis
Gary in each town knows. They may be