Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-09-19
FACTS OF IMPORTANCE ABOUT
THE DREAD MALTA.
A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION
An Inside Look at the Deeds and
Methods of the Society-Weird
lnitation-Eecord OF Murder,
Treachery, Abduction and Extor-
ton.

1 source
| of constant anxiety to the Italian gov
eminent, and of absorbing interest 70
| all foreigners visiting the island
| Much has already been written on the
! subject, and many more or less
! fantastic theories as to its causes and
! But a great deal Of light has been
shed on this social phenomenon by a
i recenrly-published book called La
Malta e. i. Mafiosa (Palermo), by
Signor A Cutrera. The author has
for many years been chief of police
at Palermo, and has consequently had
unrivaled opportunities of studying
the inner workings of the organiza-
ton
The origin of the Malta is by no
means ancient. 1t dates No further
back than the beginning Of the nine
teenth century. The causes to which
it is due are probably the centuries
Of disagreement to which Sicily has
been subjected, and, above all, to the
infamous police systems of the Bour-
bOns. The Sicilian has acquired IN
consequence an Unborn hatred of all
government, and he regards any inter
ference of the authorities in his
private affairs with jealousy and dis
trust. His character is the eXaggera-
ton of individuality. All private
differences should be settled privately,
either in fair fight or by murder; no
iC in wi i
calls in the help Of the authorities
for any purpose whatsoever. He is
no man of honor" but a ''cascittuni''
(spy). The highest viTture in Sicily
is ''onesta," which is possessed by
those who never in any way help the
about crimes of which they know
something, even if they themselves
are the victims. This feeling is so
strong that a man who has been
badly wounded in fair fight or by
treachery, if questioned by the police
as to who committed the deed will
deny all knowledge of it. If he should
recover he will revenge himself, but
he viii never turn informer. IF I
live l shall kill you; if l die l forgive
YOU" runs a Sicilian proverb. For
"onesta" man must go to prison, he
must suffer every hardship rather
than peach" This feeling is the
burden of many a Sicilian popular
song and legend.
The Malta is unlike any other
known institution. 1t is not a secret
society, political or otherwise; it has
no fixed rules or statutes; it's objects
are not unnecessarily criminal. 1t is a
sort of vast mutual help association,
to which an indefinite number of
Sicilians belong. It's aim is to gain
influence by every means, SO as to
promote the interests of its members.
1t assumes many different forms, and
has no general recognized leaders. It
often has recourse to bloodshed and
violence for purpose to terrorizing, Of
getting money, or Of revenge. It's
effect is to produce an appalling
state of moral anarchy and lawless-
ness. 1t IS distributed unequally over
the island, and, as Signor Cutrera
shows by map, it does not by any
means flourish least in the richest
parts of the country. There are
three main divisions of the Malta;
the Malta of Palermo, the Malta of the
district round Palermo, and the Malta
Of the provinces. Palermo is the chief
centre Of the institution, and the resi-
dence of most of the 'pezzi grossi,"
or leaders. The youth who aspires to
Malta honors begins as ''ricottaro,
which means a man who lives on the
illicit earnings of unfortunate women.
Among the "riccttari" are men of the
upper geoisie-idle students and
smart men about town"-as well as
members of the lower orders. They
are arrogant, insolent, and ready with
the knife and the revolver. They act
as the official clique in the theatres,
and are commonly used as election
eering agents. The higher members
of the Malta are often men Of civic
and political Importance. Their
houses are like government Offices.
They are constantly busy with sec
retaries, agents, etc. Their halls are
filled with all manner Of people wait
ing for an audience to ask some favor
letters of recommendation, legal adj
vice, the removal of some obnoxious
official, pressure on the judges in a
lawsuit. and so On. The "capi-mafia''
are not paid for their services, but
by this means they acquire influence
and power among all classes. At
election time their services are in
valuable, and the candidate who has
the Malta on his side is almost sure
| to be returned, whatever his political
views are.
The Malta in the Conca d'Oro is re-
sponsible for more deeds of violence
than the other sections. This proves
that the institution is neither
i attributable to poverty nor to the
''latifondi" Qarge landed propertfes),
as this region is the richest in Sicily.
! and that in which property is most
sub-divided into small holdings. The
orange and lemon groves necessitate
a large number of watchmen if fruit
stealing and damage to the trees are
| to be prevented. But the only wav
to protect ones property effectively is
come to terms with the Malta, accept
its nominees as watchmen, and pay it
a toll. Otherwise every night thous-
| ands of oranges and lemons will dis
appear, trees will be mutilated. and
the landlord, if he disregards these
warnings, will probably be shot from
behind a garden wall.
In the province the Malta has a