The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-22
Camorrists in Prisoners Cage
Create a Disturbance
ThatNecessitates the Suspension
of Proceedings.
THEY CURSE AND SOB.
Women Friends in the Audience
Scream and Faint.
Wife of One Defendant Is Seized
With Commissions.

V1terbo. Italy, March 22.-Angry
exchanges between opposing counsel
at today's session of the trial of the
Camorrists provoked a demonstration
from the prisoners cage Beyond the
control of the court officials, that ne
cessitated a suspension Of the pro-
ceedings. The accused men alternate
ly cursed and sobbed Historically,
while their women friends in the au-
dience screamed and tainted, the wife
of one OF the prisoners being seized
with convulsions.
The scene was enacted soon after
the resumption of the sitting, which
was adjourned at the close of the
morning session yesterday because Of
illness of juror. At that time
Giuseppe Salvi, one of those who is
alleged to have stabbed to death Cen
naro Cuoccolo and his wife, was being
interrogated by President Bianchi con-
cerning his career.
This morning Salvi was called for
cross examination 1t is charged that
he is the man who furnished the final
evidence of Cuoccolo's treachery in the
Camorra and so brought about his SEN
tence of death. In a letter written
from the prison, where he was con-
fined for robbery, he asserted that
Cuoccolo had betrayed him to the po-
lice because he had given a share of
his booty of the crime to another
than Cuoccolo. He called on his
brother Camorrists to avenge him.
1t is asserted that according to the
rules of the Camorra a ring was taken
from the hand of the murdered man
to be sent to Salvi in proof of the fact
that his wish for vengeanc, had been
observed
Caribineers claimed to have found
this ring in the mattress of bed at
the home of a woman known as the
companion of Salvi. Salvi protested
the ring was placed in the bed by the
CaribineerS for the purpose of manu-
featuring evidence.
AS the cross examination progressed
today, President Bianchi suddenly pro-
duced the ring and, holding so that
it could be seen by ALI in the court
room, said:
This is the ring found in the home
| of your woman associate
| Chorus of Protests.
The statement called forth chorus
of protests from the prisoners who
shouted mo. no.. it is not Cuoccolo's
ring; it is not his"
! The cries grew louder and were TAX
en- up by sympathizers in the audience.
Then Lawyer Liguori, president of the
board of attorneys of Naples, who is
defending the Informer Gennaro Alb
| batemaggio, pushed his way to the
space in front of the great steel cage
and staring into the eyes of the ac-
cused men, exclaimed:
'tYes: that is Cuoccolo's ring"
This interruption brought the scores
of lawyers for the defense into the
fray and as the execration of the
| prisoners grew louder threw the
whole court room into an uproar. In
the babel of tongues one could dis
tinguish these oft-repeated exclama-
tions:
"Who pays you the price of Abba
| temaggio' shame ?"
| You are paid from the secret funds
| of the government.
You are sent here under orders
from the carabineers."
This attack was encouraged by the
| prisoners who applauded as they ex-
claimed: Bravo, bravoi'
For a moment Giovanni Rapi, tho
alleged treasurer of the Camorri and
known as the proprietor of gambling
places in Naples, Rome and Paris,
| held the center of the stage when he
pressed his face against the bars of
the cage and cried:
"SoId to the Slaughter"
I'VE are innocent. we have been
betrayed, we have been sold like
lambs to the slaughter"
At this point Alfano, the, alleged
actual head of the Camorra cried
! dramatically:
i II call from the other world. the
soul OF my poor brother Giro who
died in prison. to witness that we are
flesh and blood sold by the carabineers
to the inquiring judges, who lent
themselves to this infamous market"
By this time both prisoners and
LAWYERS were pretty well exhausted
an dsudden1y the accused men as with,
one accord burst into tears. Tho
priest. Giro Vitozzi, looked as though
he had been stricken with apoplexy.
The wife of Mariana de Gennaro, one
of the alleged actual assassins, fell to
the floor in convulsions. The savage
invectives were continued for ten
minutes when the president, unable to
restore order, announced a temporary
adjournment.
When the sitting was resumed An
tonic Cerrsto was called for examina-
tion He is charged with being one
of the six who executed the sentence
of death upon the Cuoccolos. Cerrato
earnestly protested his innocence.