The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-15
THE MAFFiA.

Every one VINO Is interested n lJGiisu
affairs has heard OF the maha that
strange and terrible association which has
for 50 many years terrorizcd Sicily. and
which the authorities seem powerless TO
suppress Bur il IS astonishing what er
rOneous ideas are held on the subject,
even by Italians. The malta. has been
confused with bTigandage. with socialism.
with republicanism. and is generally re-
garded as a regularly organized secret
society. It Is none OF these things. It
has been rightly called q stats Of social
immortality. Most authors who have
written about Sicily have spoken Of the
malta, but perhaps the most truthful ana
lucid account OF il that has appeared IS
Signor Antonino Cutreras book La
Malta e Mahosi" It contains muen in
teresting Information about an institu-
ton against which the author. as head
Of the Palermo police. has been fighting
for many years il she interests Of law
and order.
One Of the chef causes Of the malta. ac-
cording to Signor CEtrera, is the very
peculiar character of the Sicilian. Re is
intensely proud individualist. brave ar
rogant, vicious and has a tendency TO
secrecy. He is impatient OF all govern
ment: and hatred CT authoTity-thc re-
suit OF ages of uisrule-is dogma OF his
creed Hence a feeling has grown up
among all classes in the island that the
authorities should never be allowed to
interfere in the private affairs OF Sell
ians- No one should ever give informa-
ton to the police about anything II a
man has suffered an injury from another
he must revenge himself like "a man or
honor" and not call in the aid of the law
This feeling is expressed by the word
omerta, which means the virtue Of keep
ing silence. Against the police, as the
organ Of the government. which comes
into closest touch with the people. the
bitterest war is waged- Whosoever helps
them is scoundrel and a coward. and
generally comes to q bad end This per-
verted idea OF honor makes it very diff
ncult to punish even the vilest Grimm
ais, as evidence is hardly ever obtaina-
Die. Not only viii the friends and fellow
mafosi of The murderers refuse TO give
information. but even casual witnesses
of the deed who have no interest in the
matter, would consider II 6isgraceful To
aid the authorities in any way. A man
who had been shot by an enemy and was
dylng IN a field. when questioned as TO
the identity of his assaflant bv some
caraDinieri who happened oe be passing.
replied: "Gesu Cristo." although ne
Knew perfectly well who had fired the
shot Signor Cutrera quotes several SiciI-
ian popular songs. which show that The
sentiment Of omerta is regarded as the
highest virtue. Among others there is a
curious sonnet, in which two assassins
are supposed to be listening to a CONVEX
sation between the judge and their
dying victim. When questioned. the lat
ter replies: Knife with knife-if / live.
! shall do my own justice myself viii
not speak" 'sWen done, He is man
OF honor" is the comment of the listen
ers.
A much discussed point is the object
and aim of the malta. The italian gov
eminent. when it occupied the island
after Garibaldi's expedition. in 1860
thought that it was a political society
of patriotic and revolutionary charac-
ter But such was not the case II arose
under the misgovernment of the Bour-
bons. and occasionally took part in revo-
luuonary movements: but il was more
secret means of protection against the
eXtoruons and expressions Of the infam-
Gus Bourbon police than anything else
IN the revolution Of 1920 the malta heIped
the Liberals chiefly with the object Of
plumber, and its members committed all
sorts of atrocities When the Rourbous
returned. knowing the power OF the malta.
they did not disturb it, and only punished
the Liberals. The same thing occurred in
lS4S. Again, ia 1860 the maffosi sided with
triots By the PiedmOntese government
with employments. offices and pensions.
But when the authorities found that the
object of the malta were merely 10 ac-
quire influence and advantages for its
at the expense of the rest of the
community, it partially Withdrew its
favor The rebellion Of Palermo. in 1856.
was the consequence-the only revolution
IN which the malta PLAYED leading part.
Since 1866 the power OF the society has
gone on increasing; for. although the
italian government has introduced many
reforms and has often tried 10 break its
influence. II is in way compromised
with the madosi, because il accepted their !
help in 1850; even after 1906, IL has some
times had recourse to them for electoral
purposes Hence, its hands are not alto
sether free in dealing with them The
malta Is ali-powerful in elections. and il
naturally favors those candidates who be-
long to it and by whose means il viii
gain still more influence.
Some very interesting chapters Of Signor |
cutrera' s book deal with the peculiar or
ganization of the malta. II IS no real
secret society. It has no central author /
ty, no government. no laws. In every I
town and village. and in every country /
district there are groups Of mafiosi with (
their local chiefs. These grouns are an /
more or less connected with each other 4
IND malios is sure Of finding friends /
and protectors in any part Of Sicily. But /
there is no interdependence between one /
malta group and another. although the /
OF the capi-mafia of Palermo &C. ]
somewhat greater than that OF the others. I
The mafiosi of Palermo are OF two binds /
he mafiosi proper and the ric0ttari The 4
former are often men Of position-bar-
listers. municipal councillors. electoral !
agents, deputies They arrange contracts.
settle disputes, fix the terms for the let /
ing of farms. and form a sort Of private 4
police for recovering lost or stolen prop /
arty The ricottari. who constitute the I
-ank and Gle of the malta, are idle stu
tents and dishonest workmen. They earn I
heir livelihood chiefly as s0uteaeurs. and 1
hey also form the clique ia the theatcrs
without their favor no performance and /
10 artist can hope for success The ma
iosi Of this class are the most riotous
-evengefCl insolent and bioodthirstv
They are responsible for eighteen muir
iers and twenty-eight attempted murders
r seven years. and for many other lesser
.rimes. In the country districts the mafa
imposes its rule on the Inhabitants By
means n the campieri and The GUARDIAN 4
n watchmen Of the fields and orange
groves. The landlord or farmer who re-
uses 20 pay toll 20 the rada ard ap-
,oint its nominees as watchu7en (aH ~
hem desperate characters viii have bis
-ees cur down. bic oranges stolen. bis
attic lifted or mutilated aud bis own
lie VIII not DC cafe. ~ however. he
.omes &c terms with 10. r. will be secure
rom ali harm. FOR no common thief would
90 man protected IS the nathan
mico. When money is ueeded hv IRE ma
losi II some particular tistrics. threaten
nE letters are sent 20 ore or move ~ thr
yezlthiest landlords. TIE demands are
aTely refused. as tire recipients know