The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19


Camorra here are the blackmailers. They
work In New York. New Orleans, Boston
and Chicago. They lure young men into
their fold by telling them they are really
band Of Anarchists organized to over
throw kings and princes.
In consequence OF this the men OF the
secret Service Office have found members
OF the Camorra sitting shoulder to shoulder
with Anarchists Of one particular group
one night and with Socialists In one par
dcuiar club the following night. While
following up the Anarchists they have
stumbled upon nests OF counterfeiters and
while hunting counterfeiters they have
stumbled across new groups Of Anarchists.
But above their anarchistic traits stands
out that Of the Camorra extortion. AL
through the game the strong Cypress the
weak.
There are three grades OF the Canon
! rists here, according to the best authori-
! ties First comes the ruling power. known
/ as the Camorrista; then the execuioner Of
the Camorra, which class is known as the
'Pcciotto di searro.' and the lads Of bad
life. or 'garzone di mala vita"
The fellows who are elected to the grade
! OF executioners hope some day to rise TO be
I Camorrista, and at council meetings when
some person Is sentenced TO death one OF
/ them usually steps forward aud asks the
special privilege Of committing the murder
He pridos himself on his daring
II Is often tn" case. according to the
/ Secret Service detectives. that there are
30 many volunteers that II becomes neces-
sary To draw by lot to sec which shall have
the privilege Of doing the killing. The
murderer, or "picciotto' then receives an
introduction to the council. one OF the
'Capi' saying in italian Recognize the
man Riconosoete Puomo.)
In the oath which follows the .picciotto'
declares that he will have no relations what
over with the police force. will show fidelity
TO his associates. will betray none OF their
secrets and will not denounce any Of his
companions who break the law. The man
who takes the oath takes II on crossed
knives with some Of his own blood on his
hands. He knows that II he violates the oath
he will be promptly assassinated..
Tie word Malta was coined among the
prisoners in an Italian Jail. 1t was made
use Of publicly by y Sicilian drama; Is. who
wrote a comedy on prison liz. along in 1890.
II was also mads use Of by the bands OF
thieves In southern Italy who had estab-
lished a murderous secret society there.
but 1t has no relation to the sMaifia' Of
two centuries ago.
II was taken up here when the Italian
counterfeiters began to organize in bands
all over the country. II connected these
bands like the links Of a chain. and they
began to acknowledge a certain ill-defined
obedience to The chiefs or influential MEM
bers.
There are several bands or branches Of
these In New York Some are known under
the names Of social and political italian
clubs. Others are simply groups Of men
WY have become acquainted IN a wine shop
or cafe. They have learned 10 take one
another into confidence. and later have
drifted into the oath binding part Of it.
They swear to oppose force by force
when interfered with II a member Of one
band complaints that some inohensive
Italian has become a witness against him
In a court OF law the witness Ii summoned
before the council or lured to the meeting
place and plainly told that he must leave
town or take the chances Of losing his
life.
In other cases men have been forced
to take the oath Of allegiance at times
when the band feared the outsider knew
too much about the criminal records Of
individual members. So fear has been the
means Of greatly aiding the Malta In gain
ing a strorg hold In this city and In other
cities Of the United States.
Cases are known to the Secret Service
detectives In which a victim was led into q
council meeting and directed to take the
oath then and there under penalty OF death
II he refused. Some men have hesitated
and asked for time TO consider the matter,
declaring that on account of their religious
beliefs they could rot take the oath, ard
they have theroupon been frightened by the
members. who have tird them down and
passed knives across their threats, threat
ening to kill them instantly.
In some ceses the point Of the knife has
been allowed to penetrate the skin to force
the victim into q confession, ard later the
man 30 tortured has been murdered.
The vengeance Of New York's Malta
! according to the Secret Service men. has
frequently fallen In cases where a member
of a band has been dunned for debt. Such
n case was that Of the Hebrew pedler. Weis-
hard. whose body was found in a trunk
over on South street. The Malta left its
| mark on his throat, several wounds made
with stilettoe Of different sizes.
On the night Of Feb. 2. 1890, Raphael
Reca, who had incurred the enmity Of the
Malta. was murdered In a room In an Italian
boarding house at 10th street and Rail
road avenue. An autopsy revealed the
feet that he had been stabbed through
the heart, under the heart ard In the side
with a sharp-p pointed instrument which
left a hole TO bigger than might be made
nv a shoemaker's needle. Several men
were arrested at the time, but they werc
released
On the same night Alfonso Silvestro OF
tas Sullivan street. came out OF Nicoo
Gerardo's cafe at LIS Thompson street. A
man who was apparently stranger to him
also a sicilian. stopped and said something
10 him about counterfeit fve-dollar bills.
The next moment the stranger drew a
revolver and sho, him through the left eye
The bullet entered his brain. The stranger
wa. arrested and scnt to prison, claim
ing that he did the shooting In self.
deferce. "
On May - Of the same year shortly before
, o'clock in the morning Francesca Michael
OF a oliver street was followed out Of