Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-01
Ennico Alfano, Most Feared
Man in Italy, Insolent I'm
der Gruelling Examina-
ton Of Prosecutor.
LOVERS OF DRAMATIC
GIVEN THEIR FILL
Accused H ED Spectators
Spell Bound as He Ended
Wholesale Denials in an
Eloquent Peroration.

Wholesale Denials in an
Eloquent Peroration.
viterbo, italy, March 31.-The low
ers of the dramatic had their I'll at
today's session of the trial OF the
thirty-six camorrists for murder.
Enrico Alfano, generally called Erri-
cone the terror of italy, reputed to be
the actual head of the criminal organ
ization, was under interrogation and
held the spectators spell bound with
the eloquence of his denials.
The man Is innocent or consum-
mate actor. He hxed his gaze first
upon one and then, another while he
poured forth the most scathing array
of denial that has ever been heard IN
an Italian court Of Justice.
~ am a victim Of yellow journalism"
he said. 81 have been ruined by car
abineers who have made me appear
as an assassin" Erricone could not haye
done it better II he had rehearsed the
part for years. He began modestly
and calmly, gradually raising his voice
and displaying his emotions until ne
had his audience enthralled.
"The story that have even been
the head OF the ,camorra party, ne
said. "is false, was never it's head,
nor IT. tall
As the questioning proceeded Err.
cone showed signs Of irritation.
Fairly trembling with emotion.
Suddenly he abandoned all attempts
at composure and gave free rein to his
feelings In = peroration that was truly
eloquent.
Alfano IL represented as the most
powerful and certainly the most feared
man In Italy. The crimes laid at
this mans door are numberless ana
the machinations with which he ls
credited. almost beyond belief.
The court room was crowded to the
doors and the interest was intense.
Under the gruelling today Erricone
maintained the insolent assurance,
which, II not disarming suspicion, re-
peatedly saved him from arrest. AT
his headquarters In the Cafe Fortun-
ito whore he received his agents, his
victims and .accomplices he was wont
to smile blankly upon those. who. men.
toned the camorra and say:
"Do you really believe there is sucn
q thing? Why. those are stories OF
other tines"
The prisoner was we'll prepared for
today's examination, which was q
thorough one He denied every accus-
alton made against him and ridiculed
the tradition Of his power.
Errlcons's Career Of Crime.
Erricone began his business career
as an errand boy In q flower shop.
EARLY In life he had place Of his
own. Then he established grain
market and traded in cattle, bargain
ing with the farmers who visited the
fairs. He grew wealthy and became
An ugurer, with an once in the center
Of the city. He wore leather and his
carriages and horses attracted much
attention in Naples.
Six years ago he surrender the
highest place In the camorra, the head
OF heads Of the society to Luigi Zucci,
but 1t is charged that he continued IN
command Of the organization. His
nominal ONCE was head of the vicaria,
the most populous and troublesome
district Of Naples. He was repeated
" charged with responsibility for or
completely In crimes Of burlary, the
white slave tranic fraud against the
election laws and business corpora
tions. Several times arrested, he was
Invariably discharged because Of lack
of evidence, or at the most received
light punishment. These escapes are
safd to have been due to his influence
With the authorities, many OF whom
owed their ofices to his control over
the poorer classes, whom he often
helped.
Erricone Arrested In America.
Following the murder Of Gennaro
Cuoccolo, Erricone was arrested and
charged with instigating the crime but
way to his release was found in the
false testimony Of the priest Giro
Vitozzi Fleeing to America, Erricone
was rearrested In Brooklyn by Police
Lieutenant Petrosino and has never
since been free man.
Abbatemaggio, the informer, has
testified that Drricone approved the
sentence Of death imposed upon his
traitorous associates, Gennaro Cuoc-
colo and his wife, and after the deed
was done distributed sums OF money
among the assassins. These allega-
tions rs we'll AZ that concerning his
position in the camorra, Erricone
stoutly denied in reply to the ques-
tions Of President Bianchi and the
crown psssea,tor. Cavaliere Sanford,
today.