The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-25
Trial of NeapOlitan CamOrra Is
About to Begin.
Opening for the Celebrated Case
Set for March IL.
PRISONERS NUMBER Al
Testimony of 45O Witnesses to
Be Placed i'm Evidence.
Thousands of the Defendants
Friends Will Be Present.

Viterbo, Italy, Feb. 25--This historic
town called by ancient writer's ''Ths
City of Handsome Fountains and
Beautiful Women" has not been a CEN
ter of such interest as now since tho
thirteenth century when the conclave
which resulted in the election of Theo-
dore Visconti as Gregory x met in the
Episcopal palace here and continued in
session for two years and nine months,
during which time it was the scene of
unel.ding violence and bloodshed,
among the murdered being the English
Prince Henry. At the present time it
is criminal trial instead of a con-
clave which attracts the interest oc
the whole world. The leaders of the
dread Neapolitan CamOrra are about
to be judged and the case may rival IN
duration the conclave of 1871 with the
difference that while then the people
removed the roof of the Episcopal pal
ace to force the cardinals to come to u
decision there is now no way, accord
ing to Italian legislation, to shorten
procedure of the courts.
The trial will occupy one year unless
there is a poStponement. 1t will open
on March IL. Already throngs of in
terested ones are making arrangements
for accommodations in the town and
the authorities are busy perfecting
elaborate police and military precau-
of thousands of friends of the Al pris-
oners, many of them desperate men.
The testimony of 450 witnesses has
been prepared by the state. No one
knows to what revelations this testi-
mony may lead or what ramifications
in official life the exposure of the
Camorra may lay bare. The volumin-
Gus documents in the case reveal n
story more engaging than romance. l.
is the result of four years of police
work. 1t shows that Gennaro Couc-
colo, upon whose murder the case was
built, was not only notorious crimi-
nal but rival in the Camorra of its
alleged head, Enrico Alfano, also
known as Erricono. His body, bearing
many stab wounds, was found at Tore
del Greco, a suburb of Naples, on June
Z, 1906. He appeared to have died in a
dancing pumps OF the handsome and
well dressed victim though the
Vesuvian ashes were knee deep about
the place. 1t was plain that the body
had been brought to the place and SO
murder was established. identification
failed until certain cavalier, Cuccolo.
recognized the body as that of his
brothers son.
HE was bound to finish like this"
the uncle exclaimed. Ever since his
boyhood he had given himself up to
light loves and bad companions and
was anything but an honor to his fam
fly. His father died of a broken heart.
Gennaro soon dissipated his fortune
and almost ruined his younger broth
er. He was interdicted and given three
hundred francs a month which should
have enabled him to live decently, but
he continued to follow his evil ways
to the point of marrying a woman of
doubtful character, Maria Cutinell.
who was a beauty of the people, called
the beautiful Sorrentino' as she came
from Sorrento. 1t must be she who
has involved him in some new infamy
in which he has lost his life"
The body, horribly mutilated, of the
beautiful Sorrentino," was found in
their pretty apartment few steps
from the royal palace. Then was be-
gun police inquiry that uncovered
the greatest criminal conspiracy or
modern times and which led unques-
tionably to the assassination of the
New York detective, Lieutenant Jo-
seph PetroSino.