THE MAFIA

Evening Star, Issue 19776, 28 January 1928, Page 11

THE MAFIA

BROKEN BY FASCISTS TERRORISM AND BRIGANDAGE DESPERADO OUTLAWS. The power of the Mafia, which has terrorised Italy for years, has been broken. Its sinister influence, started in Sicily, but which has extended far beyond the vine-clad hills of the lovely island at the toe of Italy’s “ boot,” has come to an end, for Signor Mussolini has, won his battle against the desperadoes of the South. The epilogue of what is really a centuries-old drama was played recently in a little court house at Temini Imerse, near Palermo, where several hundred members of the Mafia were tried and convicted for their crimes. Por more chan two years the Eascisti authorities have been collecting evidence against the mysterious secret society, and now tho jaws of justice have shut and the hour of reckoning, long delayed, has at last arrived. The following brief history of the society is told by A. R. Mackenzie in a recent issue of the ‘ SanFrancisco Chronicle.’ The trial of the 900-ocld hitherto much-feared Mafia leaders brings to my mind a night in May, some years ago, in a small Sicilian yillage only a stone’s throw from Gangi, the stronghold of the most powerful of all the Mafia bands.

Just before sunset all the village seemed abroad. Children playing on the main street, young women on their balconies listening to the sound of guitars. Peace and contentment hung over the scene.

Suddenly, like the shadow of the picture, down the village street a saddled donkey ambled disconsolately. The presence of this quadruped without his master might have ben a bomb for the effect it had on all the villagers. Children were caught up, chairs were carried indoors, within a second the street was empty, and the only sound was the donkey stamping with his hoof on the stable door, seeking, admission. Windows were closed, shutters were tightened, and not a light was ; lit. Everyone seemed to wait for something unexpected to happen, i “What is the matter?” was the natural question which surged to my lips as 1, too, was virtually dragged into the front sitting room. A silence followed, and after a pause my hostess, the oldest member of the family, presently seated herself near mo and whispered in my ear; “That was Don Guiseppe’s donkey returning from the fair at Gangi. The Mafia are at work again. They have killed him in an ambush because he refused to pay them the iinney they demanded as protection. codetta will be wreaked on all those connected with this crime.” “But why the' sudden rush?” 1 asked. “You are not to blame.” ‘No,” she replied, “but the Mafia spare none when they set about killing, and we must not be witnesses, even of the donkey’s arrival. Remember, you saw nothing.” Time showed that she was right. The police sought to find the culprit, but no one could give evidence. That night no one had seen the donkey enter tho village. POWER OF THE MAFIA. This incident is symbolic of the power of the Mafia in Sicily until the leaders’ arrest. One administration after another sought to wipe out this powerful union of reckless, fearless, and desperate men, but all in vain. Though Sicilians themselves insisted that Mafia brigandage and delinquency were not the same, in reality they were. From a union of men of all professions, born and living in Sicily, joined together by that bond called Omerta, which meant Sicilians united and never would give eacli other awaj», it had for fifty years become a criminal association of men wanted by tho police for crimes, very often murder. Two centuries ago the nobles of Sicily had paid retainers who followed their bidding no matter what the orders included. Then, with successive Governments, law and order were introduced, and these men were without jobs. Each succeeding generation saw conditions grow worse. The Mafia’s power grew. The few bands increased, until in each district there was a band which controlled the destinies of tho law-abiding'. section of the country. Some of them emigrated, needing greater scope for their ambition, and, settling in the United States, founded the Black Hand.

While Catania and the slopes of Etna wore the districts where the Mafia formerly centred during the last seven yers, tho strongest bands lived near Palermo, at a town called Gangi, in a mountainous region, unco the haunt many centuries ’ago of Arab predatory bands. There wore caves where the members met anti planned tTieir nefarious deeds. Mon and women met, sometimes in the dark and sometimes with only a candle placed by the loader’s seat. •' ,

Hero it was that they were caught, surrounded by military police, several of whom were killed during the struggle. But before the arrests could be made, a year ago, the prefect in charge was faced with the difficult task of collecting evidence. For three years this w ork of forging 0116 Jink to another in the chain of evidence was put in the hands of a private detective, as the former method of putting the investigation in the hands of the police had failed. No witnesses could be found who would give evidence. The detective, when he had at! the material collected for his report, loft Sicily, and handed to the authorities the evidence, which was sufficient to bring to trial all the leaders of the Mafia. TRIAL STARTED. It was on this that the trial was started. The Mafia had been warned that extreme measures were to be taken, and they were able at first to evade arrest. They had their secret hidingplaces, and many times, when these were surrounded by the military police, the Mafia leaders had already fled by unknown devious ways up the mountainside'. _ This led to further investigation, and it was discovered that each house had hidden exits; some were like labyrinths. Finally, the Andalora family were arrested, and every entrance was watched. Nicolo, the leader, was in the kitchen sitting disconsolately by the fire. He knew he had been betrayed by one of his followers, else the police could not have known the undergallery where they caught him. He knew who had betrayed him, and he was determined to avenge this betrayal. He made a secret sign - to his mother, and she quietly stood and asked the military police on duty whether she would be allowed to take a little wine from the shelf above the fireplace! He agreed. Giuseppiva is a jarge woman, and with her large skirts she blocked the vision of her son on one side of the hearth.

She took her seat again, and when the policeman looked again Nicolo had disappeared. There was a search all over the cottage and of all the secret entrances, but he had flown mysteriously. . A warning was sent abroad to the detachment in the village and a search was made. He was found just as he had stabbed to the heart the man whom he. considered had_ betrayed him. He didn’t seem to mind being arrested, as his honor had been satisfied.

The - town of Gang! was like a place freed from an evil genius when these arrests had been made. These leaders of the Mafia had dominated there •■for more than thirty years. The oldest leader,, Gaetano Ferallo, was wanted

by the police, but had evaded arrest by I hiding in the vicinity, a mountainous region used by brigands of all genera- ! tions from the days of early peoplesThere wore caves and ravines where booty and guns could be stored, and where wanted men could live in peace. Law-abiding citizens were forced to pay a yearly tribute, with the understanding that-he would protect them from the. smaller leaders. Richer men were blackmailed in a very lucrative way. An instance can bo given of how they worked it., There was a landed proprietor called Di Gioia. He was seated in his stud}' one morning calmly reading tho newspaper when his trusted servant brought him in a letter, saying that a messenger was waiting for an answer. This letter read : “ Send by, the bearer 10,000 lire. (Signed) Gae- i tano Fcrrallo.” j Signor Di Gioia, much to the horror I of his servant, tore the letter in small 1 pieces. The Mafia leader was not to bo contented so easily. A few days later five masked men entered the storehouse of the estate and with two carts carried away corn and wheat and stores of all kinds, to tho value of far beyond the sum demanded. Besides this, they took two valuable horses. The following morning another letter was received, signed by the Mafia leader. It contained the message: “ Pay the sum wc ask, and you will receive your property back.” The amount was paid and the goods and stores, as well as the horses, were returned to tho farm in the same mysterious way. • A DEADLY FEUD. But a deadly feud broke out between tho people of the estate and the Mafia, causing many deaths on both sides. The proprietor was one of the leading witnesses against the prisoners. The signer of the letter is dead, as lie committed suicide soon after he was arrested. Ho was not ashamed of his crimes but could not bear the thought of being caught by the military police, whom ho despised. This case of di Gioia was one of many. All tho countryside was at their mercy. In some cases not two horses but thirty bullocks or a flock of sheep were taken without anyone discovering it until it was too late.

Jn a book found in Leader Andatora’s house there were accounts of all Ills brigandage enterprises, and hardly a day in the year passed that he was not busy either in theft or horse stealing, when it was not blackmail. In some eases, when the police were alert, the money was sent through mail and collected by a third party. Often it was for a paltry amount levied on a peasant or a sum in .the thousands from a rich proprietor. One proprietor refused to pay and they beat him within an inch of his life. Why they did not kill him was because they know that after the beating he would quickly send the money demanded. Whare they suspected treachery and had evidence that someone, whether friend or foe, had given evidence to the police, the suspected man or one of his family was quickly put out of the way. This was the case of Vincezo Franco, who lived in the town of Gangi. Ho knew his life was threatened, as ho had received repeated warnings. The last one was pinned to his door with a stiletto, so he knew he was either going to kill one of the Mafia or be killed himself Ho wrote a letter, which he handed to a friend to bo opened only in case of death. In it he stated that if he met a violent death his suppression would be due to Palazzolo and his fellow Mafioso, Nicolo Andalora, who had threatened his life.

He took rare about returning home by an indirect route, hut, walking close to the geranium hedge, a shot rang out, and he fell shot in the back. Police investigations resulted ‘in the discovery that Nicolo Andalora had ordered the murder, .a k this man was danuernus to his peace of mind. All these Mafia leaders, even though convicted of many crimes, still hoped that the old order had not changed arid that they would he freed, as non© would really have the courage to testify against-them. ‘ But the evidence was there, and they undoubtedly deserved to he condemned.