New-York tribune., 1910-12-21
QUICK TRIAL C0NV|CTS
MARIA Kappa, K|DNAPPER
Little Giuseppe longo Tells His
Story in Court in Full
Detail.
PASSWORD USED AT DOOR
Prisoner Professed Not to Know
Her Own Lawyer@ury Out
Only Thirty five Minutes in
Reaching Verdict.
PASSWORD USED AT DOOR

Reaching Verdict.
After one of the quickest trials re-
corded in the annals of Brooklyn's GRIM
inal courts, Maria Kappa, of No. $50
East 63d street, Manhattan, was con-
victed yesterday of helping to kidnap
Giuseppe Longo, eight years old, of No.
mum penalty is twenty-five years. She
was placed on trial before Judge Faw-
cett, of the Kings County Court. in the
morning. and District Attorney John F.
Clarke. who conducted the prosecution in
person. made his opening speech to the
time court adjourned for lunch fully half
of the testimony of the people had been
presented.
Wrapped in a dark shawl, the prisoner
covered near her counsel, Forrest S.
Chiffon, and gazed tragicaily from side
to side. A handful of Italians in the
courtroom We're mostly the friends and
relatives of the Longo boy and of Michael
Rizzo, the seven-year-o lad, of No. 720
Fifth avenue, Brooklyn, supposed to
have been kidnapped by the same gang
that took young LongO.
The police, who had been observing the
people who lived at No. $50 East 63d
street, Manhattan, determined to find out
if the Longo boy was not being kept at
the Kappa apartment ON December s.
They took -year-old Nicholas
Rizzo with them and boosted him up to
the transom. Hs.saw the boy was there
and the door was broken down. Giuseppe
had been kidnapped on November ID be-
cause his father. Francisco Longo, an
Italian grocer, refused to meet Black
Hand threats to pay $4,000 After get
ting the boy the kidnappers demanded
$1,000 ransom. The Rizzo boy disap-
peared on November II The Black
Handlers wanted 5000 to return him.
He reappeared on December 8. the day
after the Longo boy had been found, and
ten men and women arrested as suspects
in his case.
Mr. Clarke Opens for People.
trict Attorney Clarke said the prisoner.
who had been indicted on December Is
for helping l5idnap the Longo boy, was a
cog in the wheel of a great criminal
enterprise, conducted by desperate Ital-
ian kidnappers."
City Surveyor Van Buskirk then iden-
titled several photographs of No. $50
East 63d street. One photograph showed
the fire escape behind the Kappa fiat. 1t
connected with the fiat next door, where
the police assert the Rizzo boy was kept
The boys father and Detective Corrao
next told of his disappearance and of his
rescue
Then little Giuseppe, Joe" as he is
called, took the stand or rather chair
near the stand, as he was too small to
be comfortable there. He did not seem
frightened at his audience. He told of
being taken to the fiat where Maria
Rappa lived with her husband and two
kids and recalled three visits by
StanisIao Pattenza. The first time he
came he raped at the door.
Maria's husband went to it and said.
shut upi' In response Pattenza said
Peep Then the was admitted
Pattenza was jointly indicted with the
Rappa woman. and his trial will follow
hers.
There were many mysterious con-
ferences between the couple and visitors
One man seemed TO have been much in
evidence. but the boy said, We didn't
catch him."
The boy was kept from the window
and Maria's husband cut his hair. He
cried a great deal and was very un-
happy, he said, but when he asked Maria
10 let him go home she refused The
front door was tied with a rope. and one
day when a policeman came. Joe" said.
hs cut the rope with a knife. He told
also OF mysterious visits which Maria
paid the family next door by way of the
fire escape.
The Prisoner on the Stand.
The chief interest of the afternoon
centred in the testimony of Maria Kappa
herself, who spoke with much gesticula-
ton. She said on coming home from
work one night she found the Longo boy
there. Her husband told her the
was the son of friend and
had come to visit them. Though she
the little visitor remained.
Mr.. Chiffon asked through the inter-
Continued on s~ccnd page.
XMAS GIFTS AT HUYIERS.
All the Huyier stores are showing a.
iarse assortment OF domestic and imported