New-York tribune., 1910-12-28
BAD DAY FOR BLACK HAND.
Maria Kappa and S. Pattenza Go
to Prison for rs Years. 5
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT
Judge Fawcett Deplores His In
ability to Impose Death for
Child Stealing.

Deploring his inability to impose the deatf
| penalty, Judge FaWcett, OF the ktng'
/ County Court. yesterday morning SENTENCED
! Maria Kappa and Stansiao Fattenza u
| spend term of not less than twenty-five
years nor more than forty-nine years ane
/ ten months in prison for their part IN the
/ kidna PIPING of eIght-year-old. GiusepnE
Lougo Less than three weeks aso tnf
police had no proof of their connection VIII
the disappearance of the boys. The rape
work of the authorities attracted as mucf
attention as their success in securing the
convictions. Half dozen other members
Of the gang are at large but the poilce
know who they are. and expect TO catch
them in time.
The scene in court yesterday was .unusu-
ally dramatic The large room on the
ground floor of the County Courthouse was
jsmmed with humanity at $50 O CLOCK
There was a noticee bic absence of Italians
Many of the spectators were said to Dc
from Manhattan. Dozens of people who
could not crowd into the room hung about
the corridors and waited anxiously for the
sentence Interspersed throughout the crowd
were many plainclothes men with their
hands on their guns ready for anything
that might develop. 1t has been an open
secret from the first that the authorities
feared an attempt upon the judge or an
effort TO rescue the prisoners
Judge FaWcett entered the courtroom al
II o'clock. He was surrounded by court
officers. and Chief Clerk Charles s peVoy
took his stand near by. An intense hush
fell over the crowd. when the order came
Call Maria Rappa!''
Maria Kappa Enters
Half walking, half carried by two stall
wart court officers, the dirlinutive woman
appeared at the door of the prisoners pen
Her shawl was wrapped closely about her
thin shoulders and her great black eyes
sIaring with fear, turned excttediy from
side to side TIE fear OF the crowd rnore
than the fear OF justice seemed to ne upon
her she seemed 10 expect eulier 10
come crashing out from among the CROWD
to her left The officers hustled her qulckiy
before the judges bench.
Maria Kappa began the court, nave
you anything to say why sentence snouio
not be pronounced upon you?
What can I say she cried when the
interpreter explained the question to her-
s'They wanted TO convict me. and they
cid convict me-. I know nothing about II
Maria Kappa said the Judge, you
Sr2nd
Won were a member Of the Black Hand
gang that kidnapped Giuseppe Lonso and
Michael Rizzo. II is almost unoeheTaole
that you and your neighbor, Mrs. Castaila,
could have held these two crying, broken
hearted children knowing as you must
have known the terrible suffering of their
distracted parents.
You have given birth to children. Your
own children lived with you in the very
room where YOU kept Giuseppe LonEo
prisoner The part you have taken in this
crime shows thar you have not the spirit
or instinct OF a mother The God-made
mother love is better shown in beasts and
birds than in such as you \ good mother
Is the holiest thing alive but you gave no
evidence in any way OF having any of the
qualities of goodness Mother is synono-
nous with love- but your heart never re-
veaIed any love to the little III treated
Giuseppe. The unnatural part you took in
this crime stamps you as an undesirable
Of society.
When the prisoner heard the period
which she was condemned to spend at An
burn Prison she fell fainting into the arms
Of the officers, with a feeble scream IN
Italian Of:
oh Cod