Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-07
STORY OF THE cAMoRRA.
Circumstantial History of Remarkable
Trial Now In Progress In viterbo.

OF that great Danu or terrOrlStS, lne
Italian Camorra, marks the most de-
termined effort Italy has ever made
toward removing a society whose dep
relations. criminal and political.
have for generations. spilled the blood
and threatened the peace of her citi-
zens. For years, the Camorra, or
Black Hand society, as 1t Is better
known in this country, has been a
, recognized scourge to the Italian gov
ernment and to wealthy Italian citi-
zens; yet so strong is the fraternal
sympathy among it's members and so
swift and awful the revenge that has
overtaken all who meddle with its
affairs, that it has set at naught all
attempt to bring it to justice.
The crime for which these men are
being tried was perpetrated nearly
five years ago, and the story Of those
patient years Of investigation, fraught
at every step with death and hamper
ed by every vile known to the black
| handlers, is one that rivals the his
tory of daring and diplomacy, that
led to the dsbandment of the Molly
Maguires, that famous band that so
long terrorized the Pennsylvania min
ing district.
For years, Senorita La Sorrentina
was the reigning beauty Of the under
world of Naples. Her exploits and
amours were known far and wide, and
it was often whispered that persons
of high repute, looked with favorable
eyes upon the beautiful Italian. On
the night of June 5th, 1906, her house,
which was situated in the central por-
tion Of the city, near one Of its busi-
est thoroughfares, was. entered and
she was slain while asleep. When the
crime was discovered, ii aroused the
entire country. Suspicion centered on
her husband, Signor Cuocolo, who was
strangely absent at the time, and pos
ses of Italian police sought him ev-
erywhere. Hardly had the emissaries
of justice started in their search
when the body Of q supposed murderer
was discovered by a peasant, hidden
in some brushes that fringed a lonely
road not far from Naples.
This turn of the case brought the
| authorities face to face with a MUIR
der, mysterious, ruthless and delib-
crate. The populace was clamoring
for action. Day after day passed with
out the shadow Of a clue that would
lead to the perpetrators Of the crime,
and 1t was at last agreed upon by
the authorities. to lay the mystery
at the door of the society, whose his
tory, whether true or false, was stud
ded with such crimes, and an official
announcement was made that suspi-
cion lead to the Camorra.
To strengthen the charge. an ar
rest was made of several members of
the society, including its alleged lead
er, Signor Erricone. The populace,
however, refused to accept this ac-
| ton as a bona fide attempt to clear
up the mystery, and as days went
by, and no shred of evidence appear
ed against the accused men, the cla-
NOR for arrest gave way to an equal
| ly strong public sentiment that the
accused be released. After fifty days
OF incarceration, the accused Camor-
rists were allowed to go free, and in q
short time the murder Of the beauti-
full La Sorrentina and her husband
passed into history.
ions were free to pursue their way
unmolested and two murders had ap-
parently joined that long list Of un-
detected crimes, secret forces were at
work to uncover the mystery. The
authorities at Rome became interest
| ed 1t was found that the murder at
Naples bore many points of similarity
to other crimes that had been per-
petrated in the past. An investiga-
tion was quietly started and soon
enough evidence was uncovered to
warrant the suspicion that some or
ganized band Of criminals was impli-
Gated and sergeant Of the cara
bunieri, Signor Capezutto was chosen
to run the murderers to earth.
Quietly and with the utmost eau
ton. CapeZutto set about his task.
the trial led to the Camorra. Cape
zutto joined that party and was taken
into favor by its leaders. Bit by bit
he picked up threads Of evidence.
He learned that man named Abate-
maggie, formerly high in the counsels
of the Camorrists, had been expelled
by that society, and was supposed to
be familiar with the murder of Cuo-
colo and his wife. Abatemaggio, was
in Jail and there the detective Joined
him. Gradually he wormed himself
into the good graces of his fellow
prisoner and dragged from him the
history of the crime.
Cuocolo and his beautiful wife, he
learned were in close association with
the Camorra and would through
their doubtful social standing with
men of wealth learn the location of
treasure worthy of the band OF GRIM
inals whom they served. The mystic
rious arrival Of the police, however,
I. l., 81, I,, o.
ed in their robberies lead them to be-
lieve that the Cuocolos were playing
double game and were acting as
the spies of the police. A Camorra
tribunal was called, with Erricone at
it's head and it was decided that Cuo-
colo and his wife must die. Six OF
the most resolute ruffians being del
egated to execute this sentence.
Their plan was to murder Cuocolo
on a lonely road near Naples, steal
his keys and gain entrance to his
house in Naples, and slay his wife as
she slept.
These facts were communicated to
the authorities at Rome and I'm the
spring OF 1907, almost a year after
the crime had been committed, the
trap was sprung. The carbiniera sur
rounded the houses of the suspects
and seized every member of the Ca
mora who was present at the fateful
tribunal. When the prisoners were
taken to the Jail, it was found that
leader ErricOne, was not among them.
A diligent search revealed the fact
that he had in some unknown man
ner, learned of the intended coup and
made his escape. He was traced to
the port of New York and arrested
by Detective Petrosini head of the
Italian hureon of the New York no
lice department who later paid his
debt 10 the black hand for his activ-
ity i'm investigation of it's affairs, with
his life.
All this occurred four years ago and
since then authorities have been MAX
ing the case stronger every day with
fresh evidence. As the trial ap-
preached extraordinary precautions
were taken against an attempted jail
delivery on the part of the relatives
and friends of the imprisoned men.
The Jail guards were trebled. The lit
tie town of Viterbo. where the trial
is being held was filled with soldiers.