MAFIA. A word of uncertain origin, used to designate a spe cific form of criminality which arose on the great landed estates (latifundia) of Sicily as a result of bad government during a long period of the island's history, and more especially during the disorders consequent on the Napoleonic invasion of South Italy. Lawless conditions led the owners of large estates to place their lands in the charge of energetic ruffians who exercised almost des potic powers over a terrorized peasantry. The contiguity of the estates enabled these men to form an organization which gradu ally became very extensive and powerful, so much so that in time it turned against the land-owners themselves. The members of the organization were not very numerous, but, bound by close ties of fellowship and capable of any crime, they compelled the land-owners to employ persons of their choice, fixed the compen sation they claimed for their services, and the rents and price of the lands and of the crops entrusted to their protection. Their activities soon extended to the neighbouring towns, they made it practically impossible for lands or crops to be sold at open auc tion, and effectively hindered all efforts likely to interfere with their interests. On the other hand, fierce quarrels of all kinds arose among them leading to terrible acts of revenge; whence the formation of bands of outlaws, at feud among themselves, and all the crimes consequent on outlawry: robbery, rapine, extortion.
A complicated code of traditions regulated the mafia, based on so-called omerta (from Sicilian omu, man), the obligation never, under any circumstances, to apply for justice to the legally con stituted authorities, and never to assist in any way in the detec tion of crime committed against oneself or others. Absolute silence was required and enforced by ruthless reprisals, the right to avenge injuries being reserved to the victims or their families. Like the Camorra (q.v.), the Mafia was soon powerful in all classes, and even the commander of the royal troops acted in collusion with it. In Sept. 1892, about I so Mafiusi were arrested at Catania, but the only result was to drive some of the members abroad, with disastrous results to other countries. In Oct. 1890
David Hennessy, chief of police in New Orleans, was murdered. Subsequent legal inquiry proved the crime to be the work of the Mafia, which had been introduced into the United States 3o years before. In May 1890 a band of Italians living in New Orleans had ambushed another gang of their fellow countrymen belonging to a society called Stoppaghera. The severe police measures taken brought the vengeance of the society upon Hennessy. Eleven Ital ians were indicted on suspicion of being implicated in his murder; but the jury was terrorized and acquitted six. On March 14, 1891, a mob led by well-known New Orleans citizens broke into the gaol where 19 Italians were imprisoned and lynched II of them.
Since 1870 the Italian Government had endeavoured with vary ing and scant success to rid Sicily of the mafia, which continued however to be tolerated by local authorities as affording a ready means to unscrupulous candidates to secure a majority at the political or administrative elections. The abnormal conditions consequent on Italy's participation in the World War (1915-18) led to an alarming revival in these criminal activities. When the Fascist Government took office (Oct. 1922) it undertook to root out this evil, and used its exceptional powers to identify, capture and bring to trial the leaders and their accomplices. This lead, in 1927, to a series of trials at Termini Imerese (prow. of Palermo) and Palermo. The accused, in batches of as many as 15o at a time, were brought before the courts and their victims, reassured by the energetic police measures taken to ensure their safety, gave evidence against them. The leaders, found guilty of a long series of atrocious crimes, received life sentences, and exemplary punishment was meted out to their accomplices.
See Alongi, La Maffia (Turin, 1887) ; Le Faure, La Maffia (1892) ; C. W. Heckethorn, Secret Societies of all Ages (1897) ; W. Agnew Paton, Picturesque Sicily (1898) ; A. C. Train, Courts, Criminals and the Camorra (1912). (0. R. A.)