New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-03
CAMORRA CURSE WITNESS
|nformer COnfronts Prisoner AC-
Cused Of Numbering CuoCCoIo.
GEO. B. MCCLELLAN AT TRIAL
Prisoners Shout to Ex- Mayor OF
New York, I'VE Are Innocent
Fear Trial in America.

Fear Trial in America.
| Niterbo. Italy. May 1.-Two features maze
the Camorrists' trial to-day OF more than
ordinary interest. These were the pres
ence Of George r. Mcclellan, former Mayor
| o. New York in whose term OF office Lieu
| tenant Petrosno arrested Enrico Aifano'
| the alleged head Of the Camorra. for which
Petrosino is believed to have paid the
peraty of his life. and the confronting OF
Atbatemaggio. the informer. by Corrada
Sortino. whom he accused OF being one Of
the actual assassins Of Cuoccolo.
The scenes Of disorder were even more
marked than usual. the prisoners In the
cage interrupting the witness incessantly'
| and shouting curses on his head. Through
all the sitting it continued. and Abhate-
maggie told again the story OF the CAM
ORA and details Of the crime.
| While Abbatemaggio repeated the details
! OF the murder OF Cuoccoo Sortino stood
before him, and at times 1t seemed as
though the two men were about 10 spring
! az each other Carabineers were placed as
a guard between them. and the two prison
ers. the one in the witness stand and the
| OtItE uflOls lit Ddl, were iO'NN' ~ ~@'-
| tent themselves with baneful glances and
the clinching OF fingers
Violent Scenes in Court.
Though the morning session was a stormy
one. that in the afternoon presented still
more disturbed conditions. Several times
violent scene was prevented only by the
Intervention Of the guards. Sortino de-
| NJ rotntpi OUT
contradictions and impossbilities in the
statement OF the informer. He ironlcaHy
called attention TO the fact that Aooate-
maggie. in his accusation, had declared
that those directly concerned In the mCrher
had changed their clothes, with the excep-
ton OF Sortino. although he was guilty %
two murders 1t was ridiculous TO say
! that he wore a false beard. because unti
| Nav. 1906. he had a natural one. and there
fore a false beard would not have rendered
him unacceptable TO the police
Abbatemaggio interrupted al this point
saving: Thirteen months later all the po-
lice who knew you had been changeo'
The Cuoccolo murder occurred in June
1861
All the prisoners took occasion 10 begin
demonstration. which the president OIL
the court had difficulty In quelling Sor-
tino shouted so loudly that Abbatemagglo
couId not be heard Then. when the dis
order was az an end. he turned In the d.
rection Of Mr.. Mcclellan, and said ironi-
cauv. "If we are acquitted here, we will
| 90 TO America, where you VIII accuse Ia
OF the murder OF Petrosino.
In answer TO questions by the attorneys
for the accused. Abbatemaggio denied tha'
no had ever been a police spy.
Secret, Of the Band Told.
Ahbateuaggio began with the statement
that the Can1orra existed in well-orgah'
ized form both outside and inside the
| rrisons Of Italy The first question pu'
IN q man sentenced TO imprisonment wheU
ba en,ers the prison was. he said, whether
! no was 4 Camorrist. and If so, whether AZ
WAS full-fedged Camorrist or Plccio'u
the latter being one who has not taken 'le
fral degree in the criminal society. EacH
Camorrist has under him forty-els'
! Picciottis. or recruits, who are on pro
| hation and who may become CamorrlSl'
proper only when they have proven thei'
| ahili,v TO commit crime without detecuoh
The witness said that the rank or ihs
missioner in the society was asked In order
thar the Camorrsts and the Plcclotu'
nigh, he grouped separately and communi-
carton between the older members ana me
asnir,ng candidates lie avoided
Ahhaten,aggio's story OF the murder OF
Gennaro Cuoccolo and his wife is already
known He claimed 10 have been one or
those chosen 70 commit the actual CRIME
and 10 have escaped this assignment by
feigning illness Long after the murders
he fell in with Capzzuti, TO whom he con-
fded his ambition 70 be married and tne
fact that poverty stood In his way. The
rolice spy thereupon told him that he would
Furnish the necessary funds II the other
would tell him enough Of the Cuoccolo muir
ders 70 permit him 70 become member
Of the Camorra through the use OF h 5
knowledge Abbatemaggio was tempted AMI
| foil and when II was too late TO retract
learned that his friend was an officer OF tho
law. After some persuasion he decided 20
make the best Of the situation by becoming
a witness for the state
or the prisoners the priest Giro Vitozzi.
alone maintained his composure during Ao-
hatemaegio's recital. Throughout the ex-
citing moments he read his breviary. CIV
inR the IMPRESSION IHdl tHe testimony ulu
not concern him.
Discussing his experience at the trial Mr.
| Mcclellan said:
Your court IL not confined 10 our rules
! Of evidence and is able 10 cut many legal
knots with speed which IS certainly ex-
trernely admirable. The most dramatic
| feature to-day was the confronting Of Abb
batemaggio with Sortino. the proceeding
having no parallel in Anglo-Saxon coun-
tries Abbstemaggio impressed me as abb
| normally clever He stood the regular
cross-eyaminatton by President Bianchi
and a half dozen lawyers without one slip
OF contradiction. The other prisoners. like
Abbatemagglo. are very Intelligent In ap-
pearance. looking like a body of fairly
| PROSPEROUS business men.
"I conversed with the priest. VtoZzi. and
never saw more expressive facial play or
gestures Alfano the alleged head OF the
| Cannorra. has as intelligent a face as
! bava ever seen. He sits in the front row
az the prisoners cage. dominating his as
soc,ates and handling them like a prompter
IN a theatrical performance. The trial in
tsrested me profoundly Its scope is more
evtended than the mere conviction OF the
rourdarers Of Cuocpo The Camorra it
self is on trial. and every true friend Of