The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10
THE MALTA SOCIETY.
Organization a Mystery Even I'm It's
Own Italy.


Golfers Weekly.
There is just as much mystery about
this society in Italy," said my informant
"as in the United States. You might live
in Palermo or Messina with all your neigh
bors members of the Malta, and yet never
hear the word mentioned. 1t is something
that no one cares to talk about We only
know that money is extorted right and left,
because IL is certain death to refuse, and
unless these murderers are caught red
handed, they are rarely convicted. Mafi-
osa never 'squeels,' as you call it in this
country. No more will the relatives Of a
Malta victim help the police. If they know
the murderer, however, they will bide their
time and pay him in his own coin.
THE essential idea is opposition to gov
ernmental authority, a condition OF the
spirit The Malta itself has no recognized
head, no one to give orders or to pass
good men; the great majority are vile.
They have an oath, L belive, and certain
forms of procedure, for instance, In the
choosing of one who is to commit a muir
der. But for entire secrecy they rely upon
each mans hatred for an established law
and the fear of vengeance"
In connection with this 1t Is interesting
to know that there is no such word as
Malta in the Italian or any other language
From two or three sources the writer
learned that, according to the Sicilian le-
letter representing one WORD of a five-word
oath. The first word is mordo, meaning
death, and the whole is an oath which
obligates the Mahosa to put to death by
dagger, pistol or fire..
Do not put this aside as being too melo-
dramatic for prosaic twentieth CEN
fury. The whole existence of this society,
lasting now for one century is so fraught
with picturesque tragedy, that compared
with its annalss the most extravagant fic-
ton seems dull Every enterprise under
taken by the Mafia Is out of the ordinary,
whether kidnapping, murder, blackmail or
counterfeiting. Every man in the order Ii
prepared TO fulnl his oath, too, but he de-
mands an even chance.
From a confession alleged to have been
made last year by e. Malta prisoner,
charged with the killing of Catania in
Brooklyn, these murderers are described
as deciding who shall put a man to death
by the tossing of cards. The elect sit about
table, the cards are shuffied, and one
starts to deal Ace Of diamonds Is the
fatal card. and the man 10 whom ii is dealt
Is given a certain time within which to &C
complish his mission.
BY the account Of a Secret Service man
who stumbled into a Mana crowd while while
is what they call "Thirty-three." In this
death count the candidates, six, dozen,
or twenty, put both hands on the table, but
Withdraw whatever fingers they choose
Each finger is counted, beginning from a
certain point and the owner of finger No.
80 is eliminated. He sits by to the test
narrow down to two persons, one OF whom
will surely be elected.
Equipped with citizen papers, these Ital-
ian outlaws scatter all through America.
Canada and Mexico. Last year. on nearly
the same day. their bands murdered a
merchant in Brooklyn, burned the house OF
fellow countryman in Hazleton. Pa, and
kidnapped a rich citizen of the City Of
Mexico. holding him for $4,000 ransom.
Thus far they have not dared to hold UP
any person of prominence like Mr.. Rookie
Teller or Mr.. Morgan, but they may get to
il in time
For the most part their operations are
confined TO counterfeiting and blackmailing
their own countrymen. In pursuance OF
these crimes a murder is every now and
then committed. The stabbing OF Benedetto
Madonna is a precise illustration.
This man was associated with a counter
feiting gang that has engaged the efforts
of William G. Flynn, chief Of the New York
division of the sercret service, for more
than a year. Madonia's brother-in-law. De
Prima was also of the crowd, but IL now
serving a four years sentence in Sing Sing.
There Madonna visited him recently and
learned that the $1.000 raised TO help De
Prima had been appropr ated by the
''gang." Enraged at this breach OF honor
in the Maha. Benedetto <Aadonia came
from his home in Buffalo to demand the re-
turn Of the fund. His Eff0 imDlored him