Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-09-19
.MALODOROUS ORDER
FACTS or IMPORTANCE ABOUT
THE DREAD MALTA.
A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION
An Inside Look at the Deeds and
Methods of the Society-Weird
Initiation-Record of Murder,
Treachery, Abduction and Extor-
ton.

The Malta is one of the mos
curious and regrettable features oi
modern Sicilian life, and is sourc,
| of constant anxiety to the Italian gov
eminent, and of absorbing interest e
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
character have been put forward
But a great deal of light has been
shed on this social phenomenon by a
recently-published book called La
Malta e. /. 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 hi;
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
| man is in his eyes SO vile as he who
| calls in the help of the authorities
! for any purpose whatsoever. He is
no man of honor" but "cascittuni"
spy The highest virture in Sicily
is 'onesta," which is possessed by
those who never in any way help the
| authorities by giving Information
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
1 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 will never turn informer IF |
Z! live shall kill you: II | die forgive
you," runs Sicilian proverb. For
''onesta" man must go to prison, he
must suffer every hardship rather
than peach" This feeling is the
i af
song and legend.
The Malta is unlike any other
| known institution, 1t is not 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.
II assumes many different forms, and
has no general recognized leaders. 1t
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 a "ricottaro,"
which means man who lives on the
Illicit earnings of unfortunate women.
Among the "ricottari" are men of the
upper bourgeoisie-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 ad-
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-
spoasible for more deeds of violence
than the other sections. This proves
that the institution is neither
attributable to poverty nor to the
"latifondi" Oarge landed properties).
as this region is the richest in Sicily.
and that in which property is most
sub-dlVided into small holdings. The