Occasionally they have been sent to jail; more often they have been convicted in their absence--condannati in contumacia--and dare not return to their native land.

Sometimes the offences have been serious, others have been merely technical.

At least one popular Italian banker in New York has been convicted of murder--but the matter was arranged at home so that he treats it in a humourous vein.

Two other bankers are fugitives from justice, and at least one editor.
To-day most of these men are really respectable citizens.

Of course some of them are a bad lot, but they are known and avoided.