Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-25
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THE TESTIMONY
OF |NF0RMER
Italian Court Room Packed
by Announcement That
Abbatemaggio w as to
Take Stand in Trial.

Viterbo, Italy, March 24.-This was
the day set for the Interrogation OF
Gennaro Abbatemaggio, the camor-
rist informer, about whose confession
the state has built up the evidence up
which 1t Is hoped to rid the country of
the criminal organization that for years
has collected tribute from rich and
poor, robbing and numbering with
practical immunity.
In anticipation of witnessing what
may cost him his life, great crowds
gathered early in the vicinity Of the
court of assizes and when the session
opened the room was packed to Its
capacity.
The defense, so far as Abbatemag ggio,
is concerned will be that the man Is
insane, theory strengthened by his
desperate boldness. Prof. Ottolenghl,
an alienist from the university OF
Rome has been retained to examine
the informer and as the professor was
not in court during the morning his
Interrogation was deferred until the
afternoon and President Biacni opened
the proceedings with the examination
of Gennaro Ibelia, followed by the
VI huIS5A AtCAo' .
Ibelia is asserted to be the head OF
that branch of the Camorra which
operated in the Vesuvius villages. He
was one of the party that d1ned with
Enrico Alfano on the night that Cen
naro Cuoccolo and his wife were muir
dered. He was arrested soon after
wards but released upon the false
representation of the priest, Giro Wit
ozzi. According to Abbatemagg1o one OF
the offenses of Cuoccolo was his de-
fiance of Ibelia. 4 He, Is charged with
having been one of these who insti-
gated the murders.
This he denied today end he alsn
denied that he had dined with the
other leaders OF the camorra on the
night in question. He said that ne
knew Alfano and Guissepe De Marinis.
another of the chiefs only in business
way.
Luigi Arena was then called Arena
is the man who is charged with having
called upon his brother camorrists to
kill Cuoccolo in revenge for his own
betrayal. Abbatemaggio said that
Cuoccolo wished portion OF the spolls
of robbery committed by Arena ana
few companions. This was refused,
whereupon Cuoccolo denounced the
robbery to the police and they were
From his cell Arena sent
a postal card to one of the leaders
asking for Cuoccolo's death as trail
tor to the camorra. The carabineers
claim to have found this postal card
and also Cuoccolo's ring which was
to have been sent to Arena in proof
that vengence had been done.
Informer's Story Denied.
Replying the prisoner said:
"This story of Abbatemaggio's rs
false and am not camorrist While
in prison I was a camorrist, 1t Is true.
for in prison all men are camorrfsts.
I challenge any one to prove the post
card which am said to have written
to De Marinis. Abbatemaggio in sup
port of his own romance related to the
police this story of the post card ana
pretended he saw it. am innocent OF
this crime and Abbatemaggio's state
ment that asked for Cuoccolo's
death and was responsible for his MUIR
der is false"
Abbatemaggio is fast becoming the
most conspicuous figure in the trials.
He has been threatened with death so
many times, that he appears to have
nothing to lose whether he holds to his
confession or repudiates it, His 1ndif-
ference. however, Is being used to boil
ster up the claim that he Is mentally
irresponsible and has signed the story
which he tells.