Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-03
INFORMER TAKES THE STAND
AbatemsggiO Tells of Organization of
the Camorra.
Two CLASSES OF MEMBERS
Recruits Must Demonstrate ABILITY tn
Commit Crimes without Detec-
tion Before Attaining Full
Membership.

ANITERBO, Italy, May Z-Gennaro h
Abbatemaggio, on whose revelations the
state has built It's case against the Cam
ORA, was called to the witness stand today
to verbally confirm the written confession
made for the carabineers after he had been
tricked into damaging admissions by the
police SPY. Marshal Capizzuu.
The informer stood the supreme test OF
his courage we'll repeating his story coolly
and at times eloquently. while he was
assailed with the curses OF the other priso-
ners in the great steel cage Every state
ment that he made was denied in chorus
and when he concluded. Enrico Alfano,
the alleged head Of the Camorra, rose
and shouted:
''Abbatemaggio deserves thirty years in
prison"
The inforner began with the statement
that the Camorra existed in a we'll organ
lied form both outside and inslde the pris-
ons of Italy. The first question put 10 =.
man sentenced to imprisonment when he
enters tins prison was, he said. whether he
was camorrist, and. II so whether he was
a full-1edged camorrfst or. .picciotu, the
latter being one who has not taken the final
degree in the criminal society. Each camor-
or recruits who are on probation and who
may become camorrists proper only when
cine without detection.
The witness said the rank Of the priso-
ners in the society was asked in order
that the camorrists and the picciottis might
be grouped separately and communication
| between the older members and incoming
candidate she avoided
| Ahbatemaggio's testimony was constantly
interrupted by protests from the prisoners
accompanied by ugly epithets and impreca-
tons
Mcclellan visits Court.
George B. Mcclellan, former mayor Of
New York, occupied a seat In the space
set apart for the lawyers, where the pris-
oners stared at him until the proceedings
| opened. Mr. Mcclellan has taken much
interest In the case, particularly as It was
during his tenure Of office that Lieutenant
! Petrosini arrested Aifanio in Brooklyn,
ana was subsequently slain when he visited
Italy.
Abbatemaggio's story of the murder Of
Gennaro Cuoccoio and his wife is already
known. He claimed 70 have been one OF
those chosen to commit the actual crime
and to have escaped this assignment by
feigning illness. Long after the murder he
| fell in with Capizzuu, to whom he con-
fided his ambition to be married and the
/ D.
| police spy thereupon told him that he
would furnish the necessary funds II the
other would tell him enough OF the Cuoc-
colo murders to permit him to become a
member of the Camorra through the use
Of his knowledge Abbatemaggio was
tempted and fell and when II was too late
TO retract learned that his friend was an
officer OF the law. After some persuasion
he decided to make the best of the situa.
ton by becoming a witness for the state
OF the prisoners the priest, Giro Vitozz
alone maintained his composure durinG
Abbatemaggio's recital.
Accuser COnfrOnts Accused.
The former. named Corrada Sortino a.
one Of the actual assailiants OF Cuoccolc
and Sortino. was summoned from the cage
20 confront bis aecuser. Standing hefor,
the bar. the carabineers between them, tn,
two men glared at each other for q
moment, when Abbatema9gio continued
He surprised all with his graphic descrip-
tion Of the murder and going into minute
details gave the day and hour OF each
event from its inception TO the commission
OF the crime. He declared that everything
that Sortino had said in his examination
was false. Occasionally when interrupted
he bowed with mock Difference to sortinC
and remarked:
but you know better than do. as 20,
were there"
At one point the tecnnicsiiues Of kilhnl
were involved in dispute. AbbatemaggiC
had taken a holder from the judges
bench and used 1t as a weapon 10 illus
trate the knife thurst that ended the If
OF Cuoccolo. when sOrtino interrupted:
1t 10 impossible to murder any MAJ
when holding knife as you are holding
that penholder."