The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26
TERRORIST BAND
ABOUT TO BE TRIED
Fifty-S Seven Members Of
d re a led Camorra
Will Be Judged.
HISTORY ONE or
BLOOL-S SHILLING
Italy Making Most Determined
Effort TO Kid Itself OF Band
Which Has Cost SO Much in
Human Lite-To Its Ven
gcancc Great Pctrosino
Was Victim.

49, e - $500 F'nIudTy I0.--- MS
historic town. called by ancient writ
ers the City uf handsome fountains
and beautiful women" has not been
centre OF such interest as now since
the thirteenth century, when tho CON
slave which resulted III tho election or
Theodore Nisconti Gregory X, met
in the episcopal palace here and
continued IN session tor two years anu
nine months during which time It was
the scene OF unendlng violence ana
b!ocdshed, among the victims being
the English Prince Henry s, ,h.:
present time II Is a criminal trial IN
stead or conciavc which attracts the
interest OF the whole world
Cpmorra on Trinl
The leaders OF tho dreaded Ncapoli-
tan Canorra are about TO be judged.
and the case may rival in duration The
ccnclavc OF 1911, with the difference
that while then the people removed
tho roof ~ tho episcopal palace 10
force the cardinals to come TO {. deci-
zion. there is now no way according
TO Italian legislation, 70 shorten pro-
cedurc OF the courts ]; Is expected
that the trial will occupy on. year.
Unless there is e postponement Il viii!
open on March y. Already ,hrongs OF
Interested ones are making arrange
ments FOR ncrommoda; In the town.
and tbs authorities are buoy perfect
Ing elaborate police and military pre-
cautions against !ntnrfercnrn on The
part or thousands OF friends OF the
forty-onc prisoners, r.any OF them
dcapcrnt. men. The testimony Of $50
Witnesses has been prepared by the
state. 80 one knows 10 what reveia
tons this testimony may lead or what
ramiica,ions in official life the ex-
posurc of the Carorru may lay bare.
IFiGy-Sc<cn prlsoncr,.
-. 4. ~ .yf. = "a
that great band of terrcr!ats marks
tho most determined cnort Italy ever
has made toward removing Il soc city
whose dcnrcia,icns criminal and po
lucai. have for generations spilled
the blood nnd threatened tho peace OF
her citizens Fer years the Camorra. Or
Black Hand Society, as 1t is better
known in this country, las been
recognized scourSc to the Italian 5ov
crnmcnt and TO wealthy italian cit!
ztns. set 50 strong IS the fratcrnal
sympathy among its members and so
swift and awful the revenge that has
oyertaken all who NEEDLE with IT'S
affairs, that Il has sci at naught all
attempts 10 bring 1t TO justice.
The crime for which these men are
being tried was pcrpetratcd nearly five
years ago. and the story OF those pa
tient years of investigation. fraught
at every step with death and ham
Black Handlers. is one that rivals the
history Of daring and diplomacy thu,
led 10 the disarmament OF the Molly
Maguircs, that famous band that so
long terrorized tho Pennsylvania min
Ing district.
For years Scnori,a La Sorrentina
was the reigning beauty Of ,h. under
world OF Naples. Her exploits and
amours were known Tar and wide. and
It was often whispered that persons
or high roputc looked with favora Bile
eyes upon the beautiful ltflian. On the 1
night OF juno 5. 1906 her house. which
was situated in tne central portion OF
the city. near one Of It's busiest thor
oughfarcs, was entered and She was
sla in while asleep When the crime
was discovered II aroused the entire
country. Suspicion centred OF her nus
band, Signor Cuocoio. who was
strangely absent at the time and posses
OF Italian police sought him every
where, Hardly had thcse emtssar ies
OF Justice started in their search when
the body oftho supposed murderer was
discovered by a peasant hidden in some
bushes mat fringcd lionel: road not
far from Naples
ClnmOr for Action.
This turn Of ihe case brought The
authorities face 10 face with a MUIR
der. mysterious ruthless and dclib-
crate, The populGcc was cIamorng for
action. Day after day passed without
tho shadow OF clue that would lead
to tho perpetrators Of the crime. and
1t was at last agrt d upon by, the au-
thorlties TO lay the mystery at the
door OF the society, whose history,
whether true or false, was studded
with such crimes, ana official an
ncunccment was made that suspicion |
led to the Camorra.
TO strengthen the charge an arrest
~ raj
society, including rs alleged leader |
Signor Erriconc. The populac. how
ever, refused to accept this action as |
bone tide attempt to clear up the nys- !
terry, and as the days went By and no
shred of evidence ppeared against the
accused men the clamor for an arrest !
gave way to a n equally strong pubic
demand that the accused be released. !
After fifty days OF Incarceration the
accusd Camorrist were allowed to
go free. and In short time the murder
Of the beautiful La Sorrentina and
her husband passed into history
Though Erriconc and his companions
were free to pursue their way unmo-
Tested. and two murders had apparent
~ Joined that long list of undetected
Italian crimes. secret forces were at
work to uncover the mystery The
authorities at Rome became interested, .
1t was found that the murder at Naples
bore many points Of similarity to other |,
crimes that had been perpetratcd in :
the past, An investigation was quietly
started, and soon enough evidence was
uncovered to warrant the suspicion
that some organized band OF criminals
was implicated. and Il sergeant OF tho
carabinicri. Signor Capezutto, was
chosen to run tho murdercrs TO earth. |
quietly, and with the utmost caution,
3lTi3 (Continucd on Scrond Do Co- 1850