The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-30
Old Society Revived


 In 1895 the old criminal association,
 known as "Famiglia delle vampe," or
 Family of Flames Cor fre). which had
 been transplanted to America, where 1t assumed the name of Black Hand. was revived in Calabria and Sicily. At pres ent, according to Professor La Marca, it is thoroughly organized and naturally It's
 members are in close connection with their American comrades. The Family
 of Fire has It's chief. whose power is absolute, and each province and district
 has special sections or groups linked together by the common bond of crime. The members of the gang use a special language. which is understood only by the initiated. All the members are armed and they must either carry mir rors'' (razors) or else the "tufa" (revol- ver). They must be on the lookout for "monks' (policemen) and must defend and protect each other. The chief of every section or group attends to the ordinary administration of the gang; he collects the fees paid by each member, convokes secret meetings, generally in the open air and at night. organizes the work and presides over the tribunal when an execution is decreed.
 The Family of Fire has numerous members both in Calabria and in Sicily and its ranks are increasing daily In fact, one of the chief duties of each mem
 ber is to persuade his friends to join the gang and often when persuasion is use- Hess threats and intimidations are adopt cd. A special formula is generally used to press new recruits into the service of the society. A member of the gang goes up to a young man of promise and asks him; Do speak with fool or with an evil-disposed person?" If the young man is willing to join tho society he re- plies You speak to a man." The mem Der of the society then says that he, too, Is . man, but man of honor, meaning that he occupies high rank in the gang, and he then adds that the society needs the young mans service and requests him to pay "nower," that is, . contribution or fee. WiiAn this fee Is paid the young man becomes a member and he is said to
 walk under the name of the old member who persuaded him to join.
 Members Are Graded
 Tn case a young man refuses to join the society. after some time he Is told
 to leave the place or to pay fine. but he generally does both or else disap- pears n1ysteriousiy. The Family of Fire has a special code of honor. which con-
 sists of many rules divided under two headings-"Dirty Policy" which relates to 0i6ClpilnCs 0AIu E hAbc 1SASyD WhiSAi deals with the work of the society. The code also fixes the procedure to be adopt ed in executions, and these are grouped under the single heading of "Convic- tions."
 The members of the society are divided Into different classes. They generally begin their career as young men,. then they are promoted to young men of honor" later they take the name of "dealers,' and "chief deaiers'' when they may still he promoted to "ricottari" The Family of Fire has become so powerful and rich. mainly owing to the consider able financial contributions of it's mem-
 bers in America who belong to the Black
 Hand, and 1t has extended 50 widely all over southern Italy and Sicily. that It's members enjoy the utmost immunity.
 Mysterious murders are becoming very frequent and yet the police hardly ever succeed in arresting the murderers. The
 Family of Fire is indirectly aided by the inhabitants. whose passive attitude and reticence impede the course of jus- tice and who know too well that to give information to the police about crime or give evidence against prisoner in- variably leads to vengeance.
 Professor La Marca deplores that the government authorities make absolutely no effort to combat criminal associations and. that no surveillance Is exercised over returned emigrants. who often come back to Italy with large sums of money