Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-05
Political by Cable and Correspondence from the Old Work
CAMOURA TRIAL ON AT ROME
Thirty-0ne Members of Italian So
ciety Before Court,
ACCUSED OF NUMEROUS MURDERS
One Hundred Lawyers Engaged on
the Prosecution and Defense and
the Case II Interesting the
Whole Nation.
BY CLEMENT BARRETT.

ROME. Feb. 4--(Special to The Bee)-
In tho trials OF thirty-one members OF the
fiendish combination known as the Cam
ORA" at vlterlio. The Camorra is one OF
the most dreaded and powerful secret So
cieties. The men are accused of murders
which took place five years ago, one of
them in Naples and the other outside the
city. For generations the Camorra has
terrorized. not only Italy. but Turkey and
other countries Its branches are every
where. and its members include from the
working men to the men of rank.
In June. 1896. members Of it assassinated
a most beautiful woman named sorrentina
Cuocol. A few hours later the womsn's
husband was found dead The latter was
affiliated with the organization, but was
suspected Of being a police spy because in
a number of instances plots of which he
knew had been toied by the police.
The head of the Camorra and three com
rades were arrested on suspicion, as they
had been seen lurking near the victims
house the night of the crime. After fifty
But one determined man kept after them
and finally learned that a Camorra court
had, condemned the couple to death Aided
by convict he CO used the arrest of thirty
one men who sat in the tribunal, including
the six men told off to do the murder.
One hundred lawyers have been engaged in
the case.
"PresipiO" Attracts Children.
One of the most characteristic and pic
turesque Christmas sights that remains is
the "Presipio" or model of the stable at
Bethlehem, which is yearly erected at the
ancient church of the Ara Coeli, on the
Capitoine hill. Tradition says that a
temple to Jupiter stood on this spot and
that the church was erected over the altar
OF Augustus, which commemorated the
Delphic oracle Toretelling the birth of the
Savior Here the triumphal professions
accorded by old Rome to successful gen
erals and emperors ended and the great
Caeser climbed the steps on his knees after
his first triumph, while halfway down a
/ statue marks the place where Rienzi, last
Of the Roman tribunes, was killed.
The ''Presipio" was first introduced by
| ST. Francis Of Assist, with that wonderful
intuition of what would find its way tC
| the hearts Of the people. 1t consists of q
Iife-sIzed model of the state at Bethlehem
the Virgin Mary with Joseph at her side
and the "santissimo Babino" the miracu
lous Baby image, for which the church
of the Ara Coen is celebrated, lying IL
her lap. Behind her are the OK and The
ass, while around kneel the kings in adora
ton. and in the clouds above an admirably
painted pastoral background God thu
Father is seen, surrounded by angels anC
cherubs The scene in the church is beau
tful and touching, and the enjoyment an'
affectionate interest of the genuine. Few
Roman girls and boys fail to visit tn
Presiplo, and during the afternoons be
tween Christmas and Epiphany numbers o
children recite poems, dialogues ant
speeches in explanation of the Sacred Mys
terry, to the great delight OF their relation
and the good Romans around who al
J adore children.
Foolish Franks Ends TragicalIy.
A foolish joke on the part of two girl
may cost two lives at Partinico. Anna an
. Antonina Polizzi, the latter being only
years old, took it into their heads to pla
Joke upon tenants of a house not ia
from their own. They dressed as brigand
and walked towards the neighboring dwel
ling
But they had disguised themselves $
we'll that they dLped a man named savar
inc, who was walking with gun, lookn
for game, which is plentiful there. II
asked the supposed brigands the reason @
their visit, but the young women continue
their walk After again calling upon theT
to stop. Savarino fired twice Antonin
was killed, while Anna was seriously in
jured.
savarino became distracted when h
learned that he had shot two innocent bu
F, foolish girls, and he disappeared.