THE CAMORRA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10763, 10 May 1911, Page 6

THE CAMORRA.

POLITICAL REFORMERS AND. BLACKMAILING CRIMINALS. -

The exact date of the formation of the Camorra is veiled in much obscurity, but, }ike most of the, .secret societies of its kind, its owes its development to oppression. Under the rule of the Bourbons the lot of the poorer classes in the Kingdom of Naples was in several respects worse than that of absolute who are able at least to enjoy the rough freedom of the wilderness. The poor were ground down in every way; tax-collectors fleeced them of their wages, and they were prevented from enjoying, even at their own expense, the outdoor sports which the Caesars provided freely as some recompense for their curtailed liberties. It was then that the ministers of the autocrat became alarmed hv the rise of a secret society, which termed itself the Camorra. This band of conspirators ranged the country after dark, and seized and enjoyed in a lawless manner many of those things which the law prevented them from obtaining in a better way. There was u wonderful bond, of fellowship between these night-riding conspirators, who were always prepared to assist one another and to meet resistance with deeds of violence. Many of their expeditions, indeed, were "undertaken simply for reveii"e, not only without any prospect of plunder, but with the certainty' of incurring heavy expenditure. The society was divided into a number ot centres, each with its own head, but all dominated by one central body, presided over by the chief of the society. The net proceeds of a-week's work were paid into a common fund, which again was evenly distributed at monthly intervals among the members, who spent it with a freedom that made the Camorrist probably the most popular visitors to the Neapolitan pleasure resorts. , . ~ The majority of the members of the Camorra were recruited from the-re-spectable portion of the poor working class population. Young members ot the society are first known as picciotto d'onoie (novice admitted on word ot honor). These members had first to remain on approbation for a year, sharing with the full members all the dangens and hardships of the various;expeditions, but enjoying none of the profits. So popular, however, was -the society that the privilege of membership was coveted even by aristocrats, sometimes from pure lo.ve of excitement, occasionally in hope, of obtaining revenge on an obnoxious government. The conditions of entry into the society, however, were by no means easy. There were several tests, .one of. these being that the aspirant had to kill or'disfigure someone nominated by the society or failing that he underwent. the. trial ot the tirata—that is, a .diiel with an established picciotto. These duels, .•however, ended as soon as blood was spilled on either side. Another test of their courage was made in the following manner: A small coin would be thrown. on to the ground, and the postulant would be invited to pick" it. up. In the meantime the Camorrfsts: stood round and threw their, knives'at his hand try r ing to transfix it to .the If, in spite of this painful embarrassment, he carried off the piece of money without flinching, he became a probationary member; but if he showed,feay'he was kicked ignominiously dpsjm'jtbve street. This ceremony, however,- has for some time been abandoned, and a much more picturesque and less dangerous one substituted." On the reception of a picciotto into the degree of Camornsta, the.Lectories. assemble around a table on which is placed a dagger, a loaded pistol, a glass of-.•.water ;or wine (which is supposed to be poisoned), and a lancet. 'The picciotto, .is introduced, accompanied by a Earber, who opens one of .we candidate's..veins... The picciotto then dips his hand, in, his own blood, and, extending it towards the Camorristi. swears forever to keep the secrets of the society, and to faithfully carryout, its .orders. He then takes hold of the dagger~and'plants it firmly in the table, cocks the -ipistoL, land brings the glass to.his mouth,; tgjndicate that he is ready at .a: sigH-from,' the master to kill himself. "Thtf iniaster, however, tells him to stop,. and ,places, his right hand on the head of the candidate, whilst with his left lie fires off the pistol into the air and shatters to the: ground the glass containing the supposed poisoned liquor. He then draws out the dagger' from the.table and presents it to the new companion arid embraces him, an example which is followed by all the other. Camprristi. ~ ~..., The 'Camorra reached ..the zenith of its power under the ■rule of Francis 11., when, it enjoyed the_ popularity of a political'reform -league. It is a wellknown .fact -that ; its..mejnbers occupied many of th'e nigh-placed positions in the municipal and political world of Naples, and even of Italy. When .Francis 11., in September, 1860, left .his capital exposed the ■ horrors and dangers of a social conflagration, and whilst the magistratesj deprived of . all authority and power-, felt themselves unable to cope with the anarchy reigning around, the Camorrist chiefs had influence enough to avert the danger. A society with such power, however, was obviously a, .serious, menace-to the nominally ruling powers, and one is not surprised, therefore; -to leaTii fiat, measures of the greatest severity were soon adopted to secure its suppression. But what banishment, imprisonment, and execution's galore failed'to secure, better government. did without difficulty by removing the" evils which the Camorra was originally formed to counteract. And it is from this time that the tone of the Camorra began to decline. At present it is, perhaps, the most pernicious association that has ever existed in Europe, a society composedof blacklegs, thieves, extortioners, rogues, and villains of all kinds. One caii sympathise with their earlier acts under the oppressive reign of the Bourbons, but with the present methods of blackmail, extortion, and even murder of honest citizens there, can ..be .no extenuating circumstances tliat-cari arouse one's sympathy; hence .it-"will surely, be the earnest, hope of all right-minded men that the present trial will be the death-brow to the power of this powerful criminal organisation.