Camorra

Camorra, the name of a secret society in the former kingdom of Naples, the members of which were called Camorristi, and which for many years plundered and terrorised the country, undertaking also the transport of smuggled goods, and contracting for the commission of serious crimes. It had a central rendezvous in every large provincial town, and twelve such in the city of Naples; and for each of these sections there was a chief, with powers of absolute command, and a treasurer with charge of the common fund. Their wide and secret organisation enabled them to extend their system of extortion to all trades and classes; they even imposed a regular tax on all articles of food entering Naples. Candidates for membership swore upon an iron crucifix a fearful oath of fidelity and secrecy; and only after periods of pupillage and probation did they receive the two knives of peculiar form, by which the Camorristi recognised one another. Under King Ferdinand II. the Camorra was tolerated for political reasons. The government of Francis II. endeavoured to put down the society, and the police received instructions to seize and transport all known members of it. Those who remained entered into alliance with the Garibaldian committee, and rendered essential service in the expulsion of the Bourbons. An attempt was now made to employ them in the police service, but completely failed; and the society, by its promotion of brigandage, for some years after gave great trouble to the new government. At one time they practically dominated the municipality of Naples.—See Monnier, La Camorra (1863); Umiltà, Camorra et Mafia (1878); Alongi, La Camorra (1890); also MAFIA, SECRET SOCIETIES.