The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-16
VATICAN FIRM
IN ITS POSITION
Relative to the Struggle in the
Spanish Empire
EXCITEMENT OVER TRIAL
seventy-six Prisoners Are Afralgned
e. Aw~ H~vd Tn EANr-
EXCITEMENT OVER TRIAL
I'm Court and Are Held In an Enor-
nous Cage-Family Tragedy
at Palermo

Rome, August 15.-(Special There Is
no intention on the part of the vatican to
recede from the position it has taken in
Spain.
Cardinal Merry del Val is firmly con-
vinced that the great majority of the
Spanish people stand with the church in
the controversy. The Spanish clergy al
most without exception have so informed
him. He is therefore convinced that the
Canalejo government will be compelled to
recede or go out of office.
In the Judgment of some of the high
churchman if the King persists in up
holding his ministers in the crusade
against the church it is not at all improb-
able that the country will be plunged into
civil war with more than an even chance
that it's end will see Don Jaime on the
throne and Alfonso in exile.
While, of. course, the vatican will take
no action in Carlist uprising It Is not
regarded as at all likely that the church
will over-exert itself to prevent such a
movement.
Merry del Val realizes that his future
position in the church depends upon the
outcome OF this Spanish affair. If he
should win he would be all powerful in
the Curia with good chance Of succeed
ing to the Papacy in time.
An exciting Camorra trial has been pro-
ceeding for many days past at the
Lucera. An enormous iron cage. in APP
pearance something like chicken-run.
has been specially constructed in court
in order to stock 76 prisoners at once.
All of them are Camorrists belinging to
local secret criminal societies of San
Severe. They were defended by 10 law
years, and there were over 100 witnesses
Many of the charges could not be
proven owing to the intimidation of wit,
nesses, who. in cases Of this kind, are
always fearful Of ruffianly vendetta.
Nevertheless. the tribunal condemned
several ringleaders to 10 years. confine-
ment. Such scenes Of savagery broke
out among the condemned and their rela-
tives and following in the town after the
President had delivered sentence that
that three companies of soldiery and 100
carabinieri, who had been drafted into
the town for the occasion to reinforce the
local police, proved mono too many for
preserving order. Special measures were
also taken against q general outbreak
which had been plotted at the gaol.
A terrible tragedy has occurred at Pal
erma the home, Of a 1eweler named Eu-
genie Ricciardi. He was a married man
and his only child, young fellow of -.
was consumptive patient. who, during
the past few months has been confined
to his bed. The sjeweler is appears was
addicted to drink. and on several occa-
/ sions when Intoxicated would brutally
iil-treat his wife. beating her unmerci-
fully on his returning home after q pro-
llonged drinking bout.
1 Reaching his home one evening in .
state OF extreme intoxication Ricciarda.
lin a drunken passion, attacked his wife
with savage violence. The unhappy wom-
en- fled to the bedroom Of her invalid son.
and during the night drank a soothing
draught and fell Into Il deep sleep,
The son. Weakening up. believed his
mother to be, ser1ouely wounded in q quar-
rel with his father. and without attempt
ling to ascertain precisely what had trans
PRED. took up revolver ana went to
his fathers room, shooting tho man al
he lay in bed
Returning TO his own room, the young
fellow glanced at his mother, and, be-
lieving her to be dead, blew out his own
brains with the same. weapon which ne
HAD employed to murder his father.
Thus ended the tragic and sid end q
the Ricc1drN family. 4