The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-18

to the Italian parliament for Palermo, in
conjunction with the Duke of Verdura,
had bought shares to the value of l,500,-
900 francs in the Italian General Naviga-
ton 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. BySseme
means or other the government got wind
of these Irregularities and appointed M.
Notarbartolo to make an official inquiry,
which he did so eonscientiously as to cost
him his life 1t being alleged that Pail
zollo gave orders to a man named Fon-
tame to assassinate him, as he feared
other disclosures would follow.
Paiizollo was arrested and stands a fair
chance of meeting his deserts. He, how
ever, together with his fellow conspira-
tors, is member of the Malta, body
possessing power well nigh incredible to
those who live in a land where Threats,
let alone assaults, are punishable by fine
or imprisonment 1t is generally felt
that the result of this trial will either
deal the death blow to this society or
raise it to such a state Of ascendancy as
to actually menace the safety of the
state.
During the Investigation of the murder
the facts were disclosed that during
Crispi's various terms of Office as pre-
mier he had taken advantage of the fact
to Introduce many of his own country
men, that is to say, Sicilians, into the
government departments at Rome, nota-
bly, into the MINISTRIES of the interior
and of justice.
MANY. IN OFFICE.
Most of these were appointed on the
nomination of Palizollo himself, as the
parliamentary representative of the cap
ital 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
even to stop altogether, the wheels Of
justice are friendly to the Malta, if
not actually affiliated thereto.
Palizolio has been all along one Of the
chief political supporters and adherents
of Crispi. He took leading part in the
ovation to the octogenarian statesman at
Palermo in the early part of this year,
| and, in fact, is a welcome guest of the
| Crispi family at Naples as we'll as at
| Rome. This, taken in conjunction with
t1I, ~,
man is now known to have displayed
when premier to further all the wishes
| of his friend Palizollo, has naturally led
! to the charge that the former prime m n
| lister himself is a prominent member of
! the Malta.
| 1t is known that he belonged to this Or
! ganzation of crime in his youth-in those
days when he used to devote his time and
energy to devising nitroglycerine bombs
/ and internal machines for the assassina-
| ton of tyrants, both royal and admins
| trative.
There are now loud cries to the effect
] that Crispi should be put on trial as a
member of the Malta; that is to say, as a
member of 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 a purely political or
| ganization, nor yet criminal one; itshas
/ no paid officers, no definite committees
/ no elected chiefs; but what it has Is a
| system somewhat akin to that of Freema-
] sonry without its formalities, by means
/ of which a member can attain certain
position of eminence above his fellows by
seniority or deeds accounted useful to the
i community.
i PLAN OF OPERATION.
4 In each town there is a person mutual
ly recognized as the intermediary between
the classes and the higher powers, who
In important cases, advises what methcd:
are to be pursued; whereas, in minor
cases. each member uses his own discre
ton, knowing full-Well that he will
should occasion, arise, receive assistance
from headquarters. Where those head
:. quarters are no one but the emissary ii
each town knows-they may be at Paler
mo one day and 100 miles away the next
The manner of initiation is primitive II
s it's simplicity. The new member swear
on the cross that he will help his fellow
members "to the death itself. !" That l
ALL His name Is not written down II
any local records, but it is sent to head
quarters, where, by mouth, it is c5mmu
nicated to the various MaGosip in tn
8 district in which the new member lives
and 1t is their duty to inculcate in n n
the various traditions of the Malta. t
q reveal their signs. and, last, but not lees.
to inform him that death by the dagge