The Washington herald., 1909-03-28

/ bers OF the Garduna were drawn While
learning their criminal profession. and
! before becoming actual members OF the
guild. the chivatos were kept at the ex-
/ pense of the Garduna, receiving l36 mara
vedis-about a franc-a day, and were in
structed in crime by the eapataz. men,
! Der that had earned rank In the society
through the preparation OF crime. The
/ CamOrra is not so generous as the de-
! funct Garduna; the giovanetu snnurau.
or wOuld-be members. must live by their
own wits, being received into the higher
class OF members as soon as, by theft or
murder, they prove their criminal sin
/ eerity.
When a chivatO demonstrated his eIigi-
/ bility Tor promotion. he entered what was
called the class OF postulante. Just as in
the Camorra the young applicant is pro-
NOTED picciotto a sgarro. The powers OF
the two classes are very similar. the
slight difference being that the postu-
lante IS more used for ecclissare (thiev-
ing). while the pIssiotto is a jack-of-all-
trades.
The highest class in the Garduna was
that OF the guapos, corresponding 10 the
highest class OK the Neapolltan society
known by the name of camorrista The
rules that vest the quapOs with their Pc
culiar powers close with two charming
cuphemisms. the battesimi and the bagni
words that respectively express the act
OF christening and Of taking a bath. and
are intended 10 define the act OF throw
ing persons into the water 10 chastise
them with a cold bath (battesimD, or or
killing by drowning CbagnD. Later II
VIII be shown that the jargon OF the Ca
mora is not less imaginative than that Of
the Garduna.
"O' Basista'' Plans Crimes.
The two societies include, duly classified
acolytes. The Spanish guild had fuellas
(spies) and corberteras. persons charged
with receiving and dIspOsing OF stolen
goods. This latter complex mission is in
the Camorra accomplished by the basis
IA. o. Basists. as he is called In Naples.
is a Proteus in his ability to transform
himself from one character TO another
AS a rule. however. he is the man that
plans high thefts. a promoter OF crime.
This architect OF theft is generally a ser
want. butler. cook. &c. in wealthy fam
ily, or an employe of a jeweler or other
merchant: he furnishes the plan OF the
house or shop that Is TO be robbed, in
forms the society where the valuables are
stored. gives hints as to the character OF
the habits Of the owners; in short. so
cleverly enlightens the agents OF the Ca
mora that when a big piece Of robbery
in Naples is executed it Is not only usual
ly successful. but the guilty ones are
rarely discovered. More than one basista
has been able TO become a conf1dente.
that is 10 say. one OF the spies that the
police enrolls in its service
The CamOrra has also legion OF wo-
men in its service. some Of them young
and pretty; all ready 10 cooperate More
than one OF these has caused great trou-
bic 10 the jeunesse dore of Naples. helping
20 rob them OF their gliding" II Is a
but too often repeated device OF the Ca
mora 10 throw pretty girl in the path
OF young aristocrat first compFomis-
ing and then blackmailing him
The Garduna displayed more fancy in
classifying the women that aided the so
ciety. They were divided into ma.ronas.
old females who were tame instruments
/ IN It's hands. and the sorenas. who, as
the appellation explains, played the part
Of sirens in alluring young fools into the
traps OF the association.
Before leaving the comparison OF the
I two societies, few remarks should per-
haps be added. Both societies conducted
/ their business on basis Of percentage
owed them by their members out OF the
prOfts or crime Also. there is great con-
nectiOn in the use Of certain words. The
Camorra. for instance call their knife
the Zumpafuosso. and the Garduna called
theirs the punzenta; but when IL comes
to the work Of the knife the Camorra uses
the pungere. that is. a derivation from
the Spanish substantive. The Garduna
laid aside a certain amount OF money
from the assets OF crime TO celebrate
masses for the peace OF souls in purga-
tory The Camorra has the curious Gus
tom Of collecting money among its mem
bers. and those in sympathy with IL, 20
buy oil for the lamp that burns in the
corridor OF the prison before the image
OF the Virgin
strengthening SOciety's Hold.
The society thus imported into Italy
by Spain. favored by the vice kings OF
Naples and tolerated by the Bourbons
till the year 1860 has had time 10 con-
solidate and oppose the law by the ter
rorizing force Of mysterious murders un-
punished through neglect OF governments.
Influence Of the Camorra has so pene-
trated the lower class of Naples that the
police have not only 10 deal with the
society, but with the prejudices OF the
people-frightened citizens who are con-
vinced that the police cannot protect them
against the sho 4r,or-