Newspaper Page Text
ill sorts
OF STORIES.
KEPT BUSY INVEST¬
rumors IN' DURRANT CASE.
I >G
madam does not stick to
THE
> veracity.
Her Stories Are Flatly Contra
An
dieted When Silted Down.
Southern Associated Press.
nv Sept. 9.—The last few
Francisco, prolific of
dais have been rumors in
connection with the Durrant case, per
toys more so than any corresponding
oeriod since the bodies of Minnie Wil
Lms and Blanche church, Lamont and Durrant were found
ta Emanuel murder. All was
arrested for their sorts
of stories, emanating from the most
vague sources, have been circulated and
Uen published’ only to be flatly contradicted
traced to the fountain of the in¬
formation. Such tales as the ones, Clar¬
ence Wolf would testify to Durrant’s
having told him of his intention to be¬
tray Blanche Lamont; that Mayor Sutro
was supplying the funds to conduct the
defence; that the defence would under
jajjg in the Minnie Williams case to
abow that the girl was not murdered
on the night when she is supposed to
bare lost her life, but on the following
morning, and that she was not in Dur¬
rant’s company that fatal night, but in
the company of an aged suitor; these
were only a few of the stories that have
been given publicity and have been pro¬
nounced false by persons most inter
ested.
The latest of these startling stories
is that wired from Los Angeles, Satur
jay, to the effect that Miss Ida M.
Clayton, a teacher in the Redding pri
mary school, is either the person, or
knows who was the one, that Durrant
is supposed to have frightened in the
church by a sudden appearance he made
before her one day. Capt Blake took up
the work of investigating the story, but
up to last evening he had failed to find
the whereabouts of Miss Clayton, who
had gone out of tbe city over Sunday.
He was compelled to give up last even¬
ing without having satisfied himself as
to the truth of the report.
John T. Dare, prosecuting attorney
in Police Court 2, will be one of the
State's witnesses Wednesday. His son,
Starr Dare, has already testified to find¬
ing the wearing apparel of Blanche
Lamont stowed away in the rafters
and under the floor in the belfry. But
Starr Dare did not notice the two blocks
under the head of the body, as it lay
with its arms folded on the floor. So
far only one of the people’s witnesses,
Detective Gibson, has been able to testl
fy concerning these blocks, though sev¬
eral other witnesses who saw’ the body
in the belfry before it was removed by
Deputy Coroners Smith and Hallett
km, been examined. Detective Gibson
noticed these blocks and went there a
few days later and secured them. Now
these blocks, if properly identified and
proved, are of considerable importance
in the case, for they tend to show that
whoever it was that placed the body
of the murdered girl where it was found
had knowledge of the customs in vogue
in the dissecting room. The head rested
on these blocks just as the head of a
corpse in a dissecting room would have
done. Durrant is a medical student.
True, there is nothing direct about the
evidence, but it is considered a good
link in the long chain of circumstantial
evidence upon which the State expects
, to make out its case against Durrant.
Attorney Dare saw those blocks under
the head of the body. He was in the
belfry before the body was removed.
His evidence is valued highly by the
people. Heretofore Dickinson (of coun¬
sel for the defence) has questioned each
witness who was in the belfry about
these blocks, with the result that no one
else besides Detective Gibson seems to
have noticed them.
There is a good deal of preliminary
testimony yet to be adduced before the
■witnesses who connect Durrant with the
case can be put upon the stand.
Are We Deserted?
Washington, D. C., Sept. 6—At the
close of business today the officially
stated gold balance was $101,103,299.
Prom this the gold withdrawals of to¬
day, $1,600,0000, as officially reported,
were to be deducted, leaving the true
gold balance $98,213,529. Up to the close
of business no telegram announcing a
deposit by the Belmont-Morgan syndi¬
cate had been received.
A Dual Celebration.
Harrisburg, Pa., Sept. 6.—It has been
decided to make a dual celebration of tbe
Pennsylvania days at the Atlanta Exposi¬
tion and on the Chickamauga battlefield.
Arrangements will be made to have both
occasions occur in the same week of No¬
vember. Governor Hastings and staff
have concluded their arrangements to at¬
tend the celebration at Chickamauga Mili¬
tary Park, Sept. 19 and 20.
Hon. B, F. Power Drops Dead.
Power, Zanesville, O., Sept. 8.—Hon. B. F.
a prominent attorney and leader
of the anti-Brice forces in this section,
dropped dead in his carriage this even¬
ing while out driving with his wife.
In Great Britain on January 1, 1895,
there were 94,081 persons registered as
of unsound mind in the various insti¬
tutions of England and Wales. As
compared with the registered lunatics
°n January 1, 1894, there is an in¬
crease of 2,014.
SOCIETY OF
THE MAFIA
CURIOUS WORKINGS IN SICILY OF
THE ASSASSINS’ SOCIETY.
ORIGINALLY ENFORCED THE LAWS
500 YEARS AGO.
A Weed ol Foreign Origin Easily
Takes Root in This Soil.
s the a ble fia OME society, dark people was 500 organized days by of YEARS the some of the Island by called Middle the AGIO of La reputa¬ Sicily. Ages, IN Ma¬
It was a crude form of the vigi¬
lance committees which maintained or¬
der in the early mining days of the
West. When civilization was in its in¬
fancy La Mafia vigorously enforced the
common laws of humanity. With civil¬
ization perfected to its present end-of
the-century degree, La Mafia is a won¬
derful organization for vile assassina¬
tion.
The country districts about New Or¬
leans have just been treated to some
typical samples of the Mafia’s work.
Twelve men, women .and children were
mysteriously yet boldly shot down. The
murderers have not been caught and
probably never will be. The Mafia takes
good care of its own.
New Orleans has long suffered from
the yoke of the Mafia. But since March
14, 1891, when the citizens broke down
tbe gates of the Parish prison and shot
to death a dozen vile wtretches the scum
of Calabria and Sicily, the Mafia has
not attempted to carry on its trade, ex¬
cept among its own people. It has left
the American citizen severely alone.
The Mafia, when its members riddled
with bullets David C. Hennessy, Su¬
perintendent of New Orleans Police,
on October 15, 1890, saw that its work
against an American would be a failure.
The murder was too costly. A dozen
lives for one, was more than the ranks
of the Mafia could stand.
In view of the operations of the Ma¬
fia in Louisiana it becomes interesting
to study the society on its native soil
in Sicily. A comparison shows that
Louisiana is almost as much a sufferer
as Southern Italy. The reason is this.
Of late years a large percentage of the
criminals discharged from tbe prisons
of Southern Italy have emigrated to
the Southern States, fully 90 per cent,
of them settling in Louisiana. The cli¬
mate there suits them and the great
Italian population of tbe place makes
them feel at home. The Italian authori¬
ties do nothing to stem this current of
scum to the shores of America. In fact,
Italy is glad to get rid of its criminals
and aid them to come here. They are
posted about the questions which will
be put to them by the immigration au¬
thorities here, and easily conceal thp
information which would prohibit their
landing. Louisiana has members of the
Mafia and of the Camorra, a kindred
society, which originated at Naples.
The Camorra is not as deadly as the
Mafia, its members being given more to
dpi under than murder.
Death Its Only Penalty.
v m
w„nMm mm
fflrnm w
A Sicilian Type.
In Sicily Mafia today knows no
degree of punishment for offenses
against its members. Death is the only
penalty. A man who has injured one
of the Mafia had his hand cut off; one
who overheard the secrets of the so¬
ciety had his ears cut off; one who had
seen too much had the skin of his fore
head flayed and turned down over his
eyes. They were all killed first. The
mutilations were done after death mere
ly as intimations to friends of the vic
tims of the offenses which had been
committed. New Orleans and New
The police of
York which have had extensive deal
ings with the Mafia have wondered at
the extraordinary reticence of the
friends and even of the family of a vic
tim. Although they know the murderers
the police are never given the Informa¬
tion. The family of the victim do every
thing in their power to defeat the law
in its hunt for the murderer,
hunt for the murderer.
There are many reasons for this. Since
the annexation of Sicily by Italy, a re
volt against the law and government
has been part of the Sicilian nature.
Law and its enforcers, are dreaded
things to the ignorant Sicilian mind. No
faith is placed in them. Some phases
of Italian law, particularly the cruel
ties and tortures of the Italian prisons
of years ago gave a solid foundation for
this belief.
The Mafia’s Morality.
Another thing which defeats the work
of the nolice is the accepted morality
of the Mafia which is covered by the
word “omerati.” A liberal translation
of omerati is; “The first duty of a
man is that of doing justice with his
own hands for all injuries received, and
stamps with infamy and holds up to
public execration and vengeance who¬
ever has recourse to the law.”
On this account even the honest peo¬
ple consider it a good work to hide an
assassin from justice and refuse evi¬
dence against him. Those vho had
the temerity to aid the police in the
slightest way would bring down the
speedy vengeance of the society upon
their heads.
An Italian writer, skilled in the lore
of the Mafia, describes it as “a union of
persons of every class, of every profes
sion, of every description, who, without
having any regular and continuous tie
are always agreed in promoting their
mutual interests without any considera
tion of law, justice or public order. It
is the medieval sentiment of one who
considers himself able to provide foi
the protection and safety of himself
and his interests by his own powers,
to the authorities or the laws.
Every section of Italy has its band
of Mafiosi. Certain crimes are adopted
and personal influence, without regard
by each hand and the wlork is restrict
gulated by statutes and absolute obe¬
dience to their chiefs. They recognize
each other by forms of speech and a
peculiar slang.
Its Work In the Cl tie*.
In the cities the Mafia is so conduct¬
ed that its members can live well with¬
out working. It has developed black¬
mailing almost to the degree of an art.
It draws a profit from every trade in
which a Sicilian is interested. At an
auction sale even the intending purchas¬
er is informed by a signfieant looking
man that some one else wants the prop¬
erty, but that if he will pay a certain
price in the interest of “the poor” he
can have it. He must buy off the Mafia.
In elections the candidate of tile Mafia
is quite sure to win. His supporters
“advise” people not to vote against him.
Public work contracts are watched and
the contractor pays the Mafia for not
interfering. The law is so ineffective
against the operations of the society
that the people dare not trust them
selves to its protection, but suffer in
silence, no matter how heavy the bur¬
den may be that is thrust upon them
Should a Mafia member commit a
murder and be arrested for it it is the
duty of the society to prove an alibi,
bribe the jury or overawe it into finding
a favorable verdict. A witness who
testifies against the criminal suffers the
loss of his cattle which are killed 0”
his house is burned. If he be a trades¬
man he is boycotted and if this is deem¬
ed insufficient he is assassinated. The
terror and powei of the Mafia is thus
upheld.
The Manutengoll.
In the cities a large percentage of the
members constitute the Manutengoli.
These hide and feed the criminal and
see him safely through if he be caught.
They examine the jury list and decide
who must be called or rejected. The
jurors selected are significantly inform¬
ed that the prisoner is innocent. Wit
nesses are told that if they testify
against the prisoner they will have to
answer to the Mafia. Few men are bold
enough to express an honest opinion In
the face of these threats. There are
cases on record where honest jurors
and witnesses have been shot down in
the streets in broad daylight a few
hours after the close of the trial. The
vengeance of the Mafia is swift.
In the country districts, the melan
drino is the chief inspector of the Ma¬
fia. He is apparently a prosperous
tradesman or merchant in the small
town. He never takes part in the ac¬
tual crimes, but watches for the oppor¬
tunity and gives the necessary infor¬
mation. He receives the booty and sells
it. Italian law regard him as the worst
criminal in the society.
The Society of Long Ago.
Hundreds of years ago the Mafia was
composed largely of the wealthy people.
During its slow transition from a hu¬
mane to an inhuman society the bulk
of these men deserted its ranks giving
the lower classes a stronger bold upon
its affairs. Wealthy people were kid¬
napped and if the ransom asked for
was not paid the victim was killed.
Many wealthy people saw the desir¬
ability of continuing in the Mafia, par¬
ticularly those of evil inclinations. It
afforded protection to their estates and
cattle and gave them the means of
wreaking vengeance upon personal ene¬
mies. The high Mafia orders, and the
low Mafia executes. The poor join be¬
cause of envy and want. The honest
peasant is insulted, half fed and given
tbe poorest work by the head man of
an estate who usually belongs to the
order. But if this peasant commits a
small crime he is suddenly respected
and feared. No one insults him; he is
given good work and finds himself ele¬
vated financially and socially. No one
dares ill-treat him, for he has the vast
power of the Mafia at his back.
Its Worst Evil.
One of the worst evils of the Mafia
system is the opportunity it offers for
private murder. A man who wishes to
put an enemy out of the way appeals
to the local chief and upon payment of
a sum varying from 50 to 500 francs
the matter is taken in hand.
The common method of procedure in
a case of this kind is this. The chief
victim, who, of . ab¬
tries the course, is
sent and is found guilty of the offence.
Lots are drawn for the executioner
or the matter is placed in the hands of
novice to try his courage and obe
dience. He is attended by a score or
more of the band. When the victim
comes along a shotgun is passed into
his hands. He kills the man, passes
the gun back to the man who gave it
and in turn it is swiftly passed into a
dozen other hands finally fading away
as if by enchantment. The murderer
has by this time disappeared through
the by streets but soon reappears run
m & i) L
La Mafia’s Favorite Weapon.
ning towards the scene of the murder
like the other spectators.
Tbe Mafia’s Weapon.
The weapon Invariably used in these
assassinations is a shotgun the barrels
of which have been sawed off within
six inches of the hammers. The stock
has also been sawed off so that tht
weapon can be as easily concealed as a
large pistol. This style of weapon is
used because the assassin rarely misses
when he tires. It is usually loaded with
three bullets tbe size of the 32-caliber
pistol. If a group of people are to bt
fired upon half a dozen bullets are placed
in each barrel, also a quantity of large
size shot. The assassin always shoots
at short range. Such a weapon was
found by the police of Brooklyn on the
scene of an Italian shooting on May
15. 1893.
One Italian writer who took a com¬
paratively mild view r of the secret so¬
cieties of Southern Italy, speaks of La
Mafia as “La Fratellauza.” He says
“ ‘La Fratellauza,’ ntither wishes to
rob for greed, nor rise against property,
nor attack the form of government. To
bathe in the blood of an enemy or in
suiter, with avidity, savagely, undis¬
turbed—this was Us ideal. Its maxim
was ‘sw'eet is wine, but sweeter still
the blood of Christians.’ ”
Of the Mafia the great Alongi sounds
an alarm when he says this: “Once the
first nucleus of the brotherhood is con¬
stituted, it spreads rapidly, recruiting
adherents among the criminals and evil
livers of every kind. This force of ex¬
pansion given the anthropological and
historical circumstances of Sicily is
frghtful.”
VAN HEST WINS.
Bested “Turkey” Georure Smith In
Twenty-fifth Round Bout.
Baltimore, Sept. 2.—Johnny Van
Hest, of Wisconsin, won the twenty
five round fight from “Turkey”
George Smith tonight before the
Eureka Atheltic Club. They weighed
in at 128 pounds. Not much fighting
was done until In the fourth round,
when Van Hest landed a left swing on
Smith’s jaw, knocking him through
the ropes. He made a game rally In
the next round, and both men were
weak at the end.
Johnny Ward, of Newark, N. J., won
from Connie Sullivan, of New York,
In the preliminary ten round bout.
The referee ordered an extra round,
which Sullivan refused to fight.
THE ERTHRUAKE.
Seismic Barometers at Washington
Give No Evidence of It.
By Southern Associated Press.
Washington, Sept. 2.—Considerable
sup-rise is expressed here that no de¬
velopments in regard to the recent
earthquake oscillations so plainly per¬
ceived in other localities, have yet
been announced from any of the scienti¬
fic bureaus in Washington which six
years ago almost to a day of the great
Charleston, S. C., earthquake occurred,
a distinguished scientist of the Smith¬
sonian Institution delivered an address
in which he demonstrated that there
was a volcanic belt extending across
the United States of which Washing¬
ton City was the very centre. Ela¬
borate precautions, it is understood,
were thereafter taken at the Naval
Observatory and other points to reg¬
ister any future seismic disturbances,
but without result. It is said, how¬
ever. that when the photographic plate
of the Washington monument, under¬
stood to have been automatically taken
at the Naval Observatory yesterday
morning, is developed tomorrow, some
indications as to whether that great
column, 550 high, departed from the
line of perpendicular during the period
of the earthquake shock may be ap
parent.
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
A Father and Son Meet Death in the
Water.
By Southern Associated Press.
Stamford, Con. Sept. 2.—John W.
Howell took a sail in his cat boat Sa¬
turday evening with Samuel A. Searl,
the latter’s son, Samuel, aged 9, and
Willie and Edward Burrett, aged 5
and 12. They went bathing on Green¬
wich Point Beach and subsequently
went in theb oat, letting It drift 400
feet from the shore. The vessel was
capsized in a squall at six p. m., but
the party were not alarmed, but clung
to the side of the boat. Soon Searl
proposed going ashore to get another
boat and right their craft. He started
to swim, taking his youngest child on
his back, with his arms clasped about
his father’s neck. The others saw
them start, then a vivid flash of light¬
ning came and when they turned around
to look again the man and boy were
not visible. Howell swam ashore and
saw the body of Searl and his son
floating near the beach. Doctors and
men on shore tried all night to resusci¬
tate them, but without avail.
THE DEFENDER
AND VALKYRIE.
THE MEASUREMENTS WERE GONE
OVER YESTERDAY.
THE GREATEST MYSTERY OBSERV
ED BY ALL CONCERNED.
The Measurements Were Made at the
Request ol Lord Duurnven.
By Southern Associated Press.
New York, Sept. 8.—The two con¬
testing yachts, Defender and Valkyrie
III., are at anchor off Bay Ridge this
evening, where they were tow ted last
night. It came out today that their visit
to the waters of the upper bay had
more significance than was supposed.
It was for no other purpose than to
be re-measured, and it was said at the
request of Lord Dunraven.
Shortly after 10 o’clock this morning
both boats were towed to the still
water of Erie Basin. Official Measurer
Hysop, of the New York Yacht Club,
was there and the Lord dunraven party
followed on the Valkyrie’s tender, City
of Bridgeport, while Mr. Iselin and
party were on Mr. Iseliu’s steam yacht
Neckan. Mr. Hyslop took the water
line again of each yacht, Designers
Watson and Herreshoff each keeping an
eagle eye ou the proceedings in behalf
respectively of the two yachts. Before
2 o’clock both of the yachts were tow¬
ed back to Bay Ridge, yaclitdom in
blissful ignorance of the object of the
visit to Erie Basin. It was stated that
the measurement showed Valkyrie to be
a quarter of an inch longer than the
original measurement, while Defender
was an inch less on the water line.
The correctness of these figures could
not be learned aboard the yachts. Mr.
Iselin preceded at once to New Rochelle
on the Nackan.
When a United Tress reporter went
alongside Defender in a launch during
the afternoon Capt. Haff was busy
packing his grip for a Hying trip to
his home at Islip, L. 1. He was muta
as an oyster when spoken to of the re
measurement of the yachts. He con¬
sented to say that all hands were in
good condition after yesterday’s tussle
with a lumpy sea and needless to say
in good spirits. Mr. Leeds, who sails
on the Defender, wlas equally reticent.
On the City of Bridgeport, Lord Dem¬
raven and Mr. Glennie were taking a
siesta. Mr. Ratzey was hailed and ask¬
ed the cause for the re-measurement.
He replied; “Because the committee de¬
sired it.” Then he lapsed Into silence.
A visit to the yacht followed, and
aboard there was found Mr. Watson,
Mr. Herreshoff, two English captains
and Measurer Hyslop, who was engaged
in the work of getting tbe spar length,
Mr. Herreshoff was present as repre¬
sentative of the American syndicate.
“Will you say,” he was asked, “why
you are re-measuring the boats?”
“The committee desired it.”
Next Mr. Watson was hailed and
gave the same reply to the same ques¬
tion. The reporter told him that it was
understood Lord Dunraven had asked
it.
“Well,” he said, “Lord Dunraven did
want to have Defender’s line marked
just as you see our line is forward.”
and he called attention to a little red
mark at the forefront of the water line,
and then added, “Mr. Iselin also want¬
ed our spar measurements cheeked.”
“Was it true that the first measure¬
ments were inaccurate?”
“Ob, no; but Mr. Iselin was not pres¬
ent when Valkyrie's measurements were
taken aloft.”
This evening the following was post¬
ed at the New York Yacht Club:
“At the request of the Earl of Dun¬
raven, and with the acquiescence of
Mr. Iselin, the measurer of the New
Yory Yacht Club marked the yachts,
Valkyrie and Defender, at each end of
the load water line. When this was
done at the Erie Basin today, the
measurer, at the request of the Ameri
ca’s cup committee, verified the meas¬
urements taken Friday, which were con¬
firmed by the measurements taken to
day.”
The Next Race.
New York, Sept. 8.—The next race
will be on Tuesday at 11 a. m. under
the same conditions as yesterday’s
race except that the course will be a
triangular one of 30 miles with ten
miles to a leg. The excitement aroused
by the first race will undoubtedly at¬
tract another big crowd of boats and
people down the bay. The race commit¬
tee wil try and devise some scheme
by which the attendant fleet can be
kept at a respectful distance.
ULTRA-RUARANTINE.
A Man SnlTerlng Smallpox Pest Shot
Down.
By Southern Assosiated Press.
Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 6.—Caleb Nor¬
man was shot and killed yesterday at
Walls, Miss., by House Turner, a quar¬
antine officer. Norman had been run
out of Arkansas and was shot twice
by officers. He was driven away irom
Cow Island on account of small pox.
The Mississippi authorities refused to
let him in that State and he could re¬
turn neither to Cow Island nor Ar¬
kansas. He attempted to run the gaunt¬
let and was shot and killed.
