Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-04-27
..oLD NICK AT HEAD~
CammOrist Secrets Laid Bare by For
mer Members.

ist informer, at the trial of the mem
bers Of that organization for the MUIR
der of Cuoccolo and his wife had to /
do with the real nature of the Canon /
70, the association which first found I
its way from Arabia into Spain and /
from Spain into southern Italy, and /
how it's adherents are chosen.
The Camorra in Naples, as Abb
batemaggio explained is divided in
to IA bands, one for each section of
the city. Each is composed of "a
Cammorrists and as picciotti Gre
cruitsl, each of the former having
two of the recruits at his disposal
Each picciotti is served by five or
six glovannionorati (honored youths).
The latter are aspirants for mem
bership. Thus in Naples alone there
is a body of about 5000 men, de-
termined on character, resolute and
tried in astuteness and intelligence
This army, which has ramihcations
in almost every class of society, is
practically directed by two men, the
capointsata, or heads, and the con-
taiuolo, or casper, who takes the
place of the head when necessary.
Both officials are elected by majority
votes.
The contaiuolo is generally an old
Cammorrist, clever in exacting each
day the gains from the members, or
able to handle them roughly if they
refuse to pay.
The picciotti are chosen from
among the givoannionorati and are
instructed in tteir duties by the
Camorrist, beginning with the head
of heads, in token of good faith.
When the ceremony of admission
is about to be carried out, the So
ciety meets at the request of mem
Der after having posted the picciotti
so as not to be taken by surprise.
The Camorrist who has called for
the assembly submits the name OF
his candidate and offers to act as his
padrinto (kind of godfather). He
enumerates the services which his
candidate has rendered, entering as
ardently as possible into the details
of thefts, burglaries and other I'M
portant crimes which the picciotti
who desires to be promoted to the
estate of Cammorrist has committed
not forgetting to call attention tc
the sfregi infection which is the
razor slashes across the cheek of the
person who has had to be called tC
order.
The marks are very prominent OF
the faces of both Abbattemaggio an'
Erriconne, the latter the repute'
leader of the society.
AS in a court of justice, there il
Camorrist called the terso con
, trario. who takes the par of publi
: prosecutor and finds arguments t.
oppose the admission of the candi
date. Even when these arguments ar
satisfactorily met the candidate mus
in the presence of the members, un
dertake the tirata a kind of duel
l the gravity of which varies accordin
TO circumstances and individuals. ri
nally the tirata is perfunctory, j
: which cases it is called of the mus
= cles." because the combatants ar
allowed to wound each other only j
r muscles of the arm. which they bar
e before engaging in the combat. If tn
candidate Injuries any other part {
!, his opponents body he is disqual
e fed.
l. In basin placed in the center
: the meeting place. generally a taveri
e five knives are placed. Two of thes
e nave sharp points and keen doubl
edged blades. two have only I'll
. sharpened points, while the fifth
characterized by its great length. I'll
knives are covered with white ham
/ kerchief and over this a red handle
IS chief is thrown. The godfather of IL
IS candidate and a second chosen for h
II adversary take the knives with II
T. double edged blades, the head of I'll
:. Camorra takes the long knife. viii
d the candidate and his opponent graz
% the others.
le The duenists are then placed ba'
e to back with arms bare to above u
u elbows. and when the head erie
10 In the name of the saints. Cosn
d and Damian. one. two, three tn
y, turn and the combat begins
$, 1t continues until one or the OF
re err is stabbed in the arm. He who h
~ done the stabbing Immediately sue