The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-22
MOST EEARED SOCIETY Nv
THE WORLD--- THE lZAEZA
Continent and
Bloody Work7he
Story of the Barrel Murder, a Typical Malta Crime

Better known and more feared than
the Black Hand, of which I wrote last
week, and more interesting because
of it's wider scope, deeper mystery and
greater success, is the Malta, another
band of Italian criminals which, de-
flying the ingenuity of the shrewdest
police and government operatives in
the United States and Europe, still
continues it's nefarious work, reap
ing a rich harvest of spoils.
Terrorism, blackmail, counterfeit
ing, forgery, robbery, arson and muir
der are employed to fill the treasury
of this strange society, and no con-
siderations of life or property are
permitted to stand in the way Of the
provision of revenues large enough to
enable it's moving spirits to live in
luxury and to WELD influence so
great as to be unbelievable.
A year ago, in barrel near the
dock at the foot of East Eleventh
street, New York, I saw the body Of
man whose throat had been cut
from ear to ear. A fortnight later l
saw eight ugly, desperate Sicilians
overpowered by a dozen central Of
flee detectives and United States Sc
cret service men after a furious fight
in the BoWery near Houston street.
That night at the police headquarters
l heard Inspector McClusky tell a
thrilling story of the daring work Of
one of the most desperate bands Of
criminals the metropolitan police had
dealt with for many years, and saw,
In the midst of a collection of grue-
some exhibits, evidence which proved
the connection of these men with the
Malta and acquainted me with some
of the secrets Of this remarkable or
ganization.
Organization Admirable.
The revelation there made indicated
how perfect was the organization Of
the branch Of the dread society.
There is a close organization of Of
hcers, each acting under the immedi-
ate direction of his superior and each
eXacting from subordinates complete
and unhesitating compliance with all
instructions whether they be to kid
nap a child, "shove" a quantity Of
spurious money or eXtort money from
wealthy and ever-suspicious Italians
or to go to desperate ends to free
compatriOts who had fallen into the
hands of the law. Could one forget
the character of the society, one could
not but pronoun it's organization
admirable. --..
Modonio Benedetto, whose body
was in the barrel, was not a member
of the Malta himself, but his brother
in-laW Giuseppe de Priemo, was. De
PriemO, in following the orders of his
society, had been arrested and con-
victed for passing counterfeit money.
He was serving a sentence in the Sing
Sing prison and being i'll almost unto
death, had, upon the occasion of
Benedetto's visit told his brother-in-
law of certain moneys belonging to
him, which the Malta band was hold
ing. Benedetto went to New York
and sought out the president, whose
name had been given to him by the
prisoner The president gave Bene-
detto cordial, effusive greetings and
promised to look into the matter, but
the moment Benedetto's back was
turned the machinery Of the Malta
was set in motion to accomplish his
destruction. One Fanaro; d valuable
member of the band, took Benedetto
in tow and during the five or six days
he remained in New York, never let
him get out of sight and prevented
his taking any step which might lead
to an expose of the society.
How the Malta Is Watched.
The deepest mystery surrounding
the atrocious murder was revealed
when an old scrubwoman splashine
thru the muddy street in a heavy
downpour of rain early that morning
sought to rescue for her own use, the
shoe which protruded from the bar.
rel and found it attached to human
foot, hardly cold. 1t was nearly two
weeks before the name Of the victim O.
this crime was known. The police
protested to be utterly at sea. If they
were, the secret service men were not
The story told that night by Inspector
McClusky indicated also how excel
lent and thoro an organization is tina
of Uncle Sans sleuths. From tn,
memorandum books of the four oper
atives, it appeared that they wer
acquainted with the identity Of TIL
dead nan and Of the probable muir