The Washington herald., 1911-05-02
IN THE RANKS
OF THE CAMORRA

OF THE CAMORRA
In the ranks Of the Camorra. as In
the most mondane circles. social status
plays its part and makes itc influence
felt. One finds in!i It two clearly defined
classes Of members-the plebeians and
the .patricians-working in harmony
and not IN opposition, There are sec
tions Of the Camorra which none ex-
cept those of noble birth or very good
family are permitted to join. They are
the Arsene Lupins Of Naples. This
criminal smart set has It's own special
sphere OF action. It frequents the sa-
Ions and drawing-rooms of the fash
ionaRe world. wears evening dress, and
dimes at good restaurants. These high
caste criminals consist very often OF
decayed and spendthrift noblemen and
'viveurs' of prominent families, who
are driven to life OF wrongdoing by
impecuniosity. Their speciality Is the
extorting of taxes from high-class
houses. or from other estab-
lishments bearing sinister regulations.
The police, curiously enough, view
these proceedings with a tolerant eye,
50 that there Is little fear Of the men,
bers Of the .Camorra Elegante being
called to account for their illegal prac-
tices. to call them by no harsher name.
There Is good ground for complaint re-
garding the apathy Of the authorities in
the hunting down Of the members of q
body which specializes in every branch
of villainy. In Naples, when a Camor-
rist crime is such as to excite more than
the usual degree Of public horror and
reprobation. the Official world bestirs
itself and the carabinieri are summoned:
Tor II Is useless appealing to the civic
police. Scores of arrests are made; the
local newspapers .are full Of sensational
Of the deeds Of the accused
men. For weeks examining magistrates
are kept busy interrogating the prisoners.
Then. when public interest has evapo-
rated, the whole affair Is mysteriously
hushed up.
The prisoners will be released, return
ing to freedom without a stain on their
They will find themselves
the objects Of commiseration and public
by reason of their .unjusti-
fed arrest" and In course of time their
citizens may elect them
to the provincial council, or even to Par
Lament. All this explains why 1t is that
the Camorra has its agents everywhere;
why it is able to penetrate into the
prisons. into the dossiers Of the secret
police. and into the carefully locked dis
patch boxes of ministers and officials Of
every grade.
There is scarcely any form Of unlawful
enterprise from which financial gain can
be extracted that escapes the Camorra.
collecting Of taxes to fill the society's
exchequer. Travellers arriving in Naples
who hire a cab to 60 to their hotel are
often surprised to see an individual
mount the box beside the driver. This
is the agent Of the Camorra, who Is
to collect a commission from the
cab driver at the end Of tie journey. Let
the visitor hire a boat to board the small
steamer that is to convey him to Capri;
II he has eyes for such things, he will
see the boatman hand a percentage Of his
fare to a shabbily dressed individual
lounging on the quay. the taxgatherer Of
the Camorra.
In the midst OF its manifold activities
the Camorra has found time to organize
and control the professional beggars Of
Naples. who have become such a pest
In that city. They protect the halt, the
lame. and the blind who live upon the
charity Of tourists. 1t is the Camorra
which apportions to these beggars certain
areas and profitable pitches"
on the steps Of churches and at the doors
Of the public buildings. The association
makes II its business to see that no un-
authorized beggar usurps the sites al
lotted to its own proteges. 1t trains Grip
pies in the best way Of exhibiting their
disgusting sores or deformities.
It may he as well to say something Of
the initiation Of candidates. 1t Is marked
by solemn rites and ceremonies, partly
mystical. partly superstitious in charac-
ter. Formerly the solemn oath Of adhe-
sion was administered at a full meeting
of the executive chiefs. 1t was customary
Tor the head to be uncovered and the
breast and arms to be barred; the eere-
nony Of cutting open the arm Of the
red image with the blood thus drawn
was also common. as was the practice
Of the candidate swearing before a re-
igious emblem to prove himself worthy
of admission by the preparation Of some
terrible deed Of blood.
Close investigation Of the methods Of
he Camorra has proven that this bloody
ritual has fallen into desuetude. The
ceremony Of initiation now concludes
with the administering Of the oath OF
idelity to the society followed by the fra
.cTHdi KISS, given ny tHe hcopHytc "
very one Of the brethren present on the
occasion of his reception. With the Ca
norrist this kiss Of fellowship Is held
% be as binding as the oath itself. The
.ustom OF tattooing, despite the protes-
ations Of the Neo-Camorrists, q group Of
he society which wishes to do away with
'uch barbarities. still prevails among the
lewly initiated.
According to the penal code OF the or
treason in the case Of q higher
yrade Official, even where guilt cannot be
clearly established by irrefutable proof,
8 punished by death. Unauthorized deal
ngs with the police. misconduct with the
wife of another member, the killing Of a
or nonmember without due per-
mission from the executive. extortion or
for individual gain, insubordi-
lation to superiors, and cowardice In the
execution Of duty are all visited by the
,ame punishment. When the death PEN
llty is pronounced, every member present
las the right individually to knife the
.ulprit. There are never lacking aspi-
ants to this bloody office. especially
lmong neophytes, for the self-nominated
Ii sure Of pecuniary recon-
,ense and promotion
Next to death itself. the most dreaded
is that Of facial disfigure-
nent by razor-slashing. One Of the Inn
,risoned Camorrists now awaiting trial
It viterbo, for supposed completely in
he Cuoccolo murders, bears this tell-tale
ign manual Of the Camorra's displeasure.
n the vicaria and Chiaia. slum quarters