Evening star., 1925-08-17
GENNA SLAYINGS
TRACED TO ITALY
Avenging of Broken Home
Declared to Be Back of
Gun Battles.
BY HIRAM KELLY MODERWELL.

Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Daily News.
MARSALA, Sicily, July 30.-"G Yes,
the GennaS were very respectable
peasants hereabouts."
1t was a Sicilian who spoke, an old
resident of MarSala, where the Genna
brothers were born and whence many
Italian residents of Chicago emigrated.
All Marsala knows about the Genna
shooting in Chicago. But Marsala
has heard a different story from that
told by the Chicago police.
There was a woman in MarSala.
She was happily married, but she saw
a handsome student, fell in love with
him and ran away with him. Ihat
was two years ago. That Is why, ac-
cording to the Marsala version, TWO
Genna brothers We're killed IN Chi-
cago.
Who knows whether Marsala's YER
sion is true? Defending woman
honor is the best excuse for shooting
in Sicily. Perhaps the Gennas sent
back a perfumed version OF the aHair
to their home town. But one can
gather no testimony in Marsha for
Sicilians never tell. Lieut.. PetfoSllll
Of the New York police force came
to Sicily once to gather evidence con
cerning a Black Hand affair. lie was
killed in the streets of Palermo
The first point in the Siclllan code
of honor is don't squeal. Mind your
own business Take care of yoursel.
Defend your property Protect the
honor of your women. Take your re-
Venge for robbery, for insults, lof OUT
rage. But never squeal. Ana, ABOVE
all, never squeal to the pollce: II you
do that Won are outside the law-the
Sicilian law of manly conduct, the su-
preme law of omerta.
Eye-Witnesses Not Talkative
a Sicilian will talk with you for
hours in a cafe; he viii invite you
into his home to play baccarat with
his family: he will give you his auto
graphed photograph and make MN
self responsible with his life for your
safety in his village. But he Will not
tell YOU of the affairs of his next door
neighbor.
A man is murdered at midday in
the market place. Hundreds OF peo-
pie see the shooting. The murderer
Is brought to court. But no one
who will testify against him can pc
found The case is dismissed Tor
lack of evidence.
Several years ago an Italian fam
lily moved to Palermo. One night, on
coming home from the opera, the
members of the family found that
their jewelry, their linen and most OF
their furniture had been stolen. They
reported the matter 10 the police.
Good heavensr' exclaimed an old
Palmermitan next day. What did
YOU do that for? You have two chill
dren" And promptly came an anony-
nous letter saying that 1t would go
badly with them. on the urgent ad-
vice of their friends they lett
Palermo.
Another family in Palermo (these
are authentic cases of recent occur
rence) was similarly robbed. Friends
were consulted.
"Of course, you won't tell the po-
lice" was the advice. Simply go 10
the head of the Matia."
The father of the family went and
stated his case.
Leave it to me-" was the answer.
A few days later a wagon drove up
before the door loaded with house
hold goods, neatly packed. Every
thing was brought back and put in it's
place; not a dish had been broken.
Such is Sicilian honor. 1t was not
created to protect criminals. Thieves
and murderers may feast under it's
shade, though the tree spreads its
leaves for all.
Much Shooting Under the Code.
Justice, says the Sicilian instinct, is
of the people who know right and
wrong: not of the police, mercenaries
who know nothing.
Marsala is of purest Sicily. A strong,
erect people, who look you straight in
the eye, and mind their own tiny
farms and shoot only when they think
Justice requires.
But popular justice requires a lot of
NIg~ 10 -i,,r~ tcr = l1n
full schedule of the court of assizes in
Trapani capital of the Marsala dis
trict) for the fortnight from July Is to
July 30, as recorded in the Marsala
newspaper, II Vomere:
First case, July 16-Saverio Campo,
attempted hold-up; Andrea Amato,
murder; Angelo Tumbarello, murder;
in absence of accused.
Second case, July 17-Sebastiano
Third case, July 21-Baldas
Buffa, murder.
Fourth case. July 23-Vito Pari-
nello, murder.
Fifth case, July 27-Giuseppe Col
Ietta, Tomasso Fulcio, Antonio Fulcio,
murder.
sixth case. July 29-Vito Cairza
Giuseppe Bonaccio, Vito Di Pasquale,
Giuseppe Barone, Salvatore Magad-
dino Pietro Aluzzo, criminal associa-
ton"
These probably were all gang muir
ders, perpetrated in consequence of
some vendetta or some business rival
ry The police certainly will have a
difficult time getting evidence against
the accused, or will risk being shot if
they do. In Sicily, more than in most
places, the policemans lot is not a
happy one.
fCopyright 1925 by Chicago Daily News &c. J