Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-11
MURDEROus BAND
Of CAMORR|STS
IS FACING COURT
Famous Italian Thugs Who Are
Believed TO Have Killed
Petr0sinO.
TERRORIZED ITALY
FOR MANY YEARS
FOrty-one, Including Priest, in
Immense Cage in Court
Room.

VITERB0, Italy, March 1.-THE
trial of Ia forty-one members of the
Neapolitan Camorra, which has ter
rorized Italy for many years, was te-
gun today. a jury vas secured mere
readily thar had been anticipated, and
early in the afternoon "a lei 0
Bianchi, president of the court, chosen
by the ministry of justice to preside,
opened the interrogation of the ac-
c"sed. He limited his ql estions to an
inquiry into their personal records.
The prisoners are charged with the
assassination Of fellow members in he
Camorra, Gennaro Cuoccolo and his
wife, Maria Cutineli Cuoccolo, popu-
larry known as The Beautiful Sorren-
tina" Behind this charge, however.
are allegations of numberless murders
and robberies perpetrated by what is
perhaps the best organized and most
desperate criminal society of modern
times,
To Rid Country of Band.
The real purpose of the government
is to rid the country of this band. 1t
is believed that evidence Will be
brought out that will throw light upo
the assassination of the American de-
t~ective, Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino,
at Palermo, in March, 1909, after he
had been sent to Italy by the New
York police department to secure In
regarding italian criminals.
It was Petrosino who arrested Enrico
Alfano, better known as Erricone. the
actual head of the Camorra,
the latter had fled to New York
city. The American officer sent En-
ricone back to Europe and he was
taken into custody at Hayre. Petro-
sino's life is believed to have been the
price paid for running down the man
who for years had defied the authori-
ties of his WI country.
The murders of the Cuoccolos, fol-
by revelations mad by one of
the Camorrists, Gennaro Abbatenag-
gio, resulted in the present prosecution,
which was ordered by King Victor Eni-
manuel and pressed by Slgnor FAM,
the minister of justice.
Enormous Crowd at Court.
At daylight an enormous crowd gath
ared in the vicinity of the former
church of San Francisco, which has
been transformed into a court of the
Assizes.
When the doors of the court were
as many of h crowd as
could rushed in, occupying every avail
able place.
Infantry Maintaining Order.
The crowd in the square before the
building was so great that a
company of infantry was called 20
reinforce the carabineers and police III
maintaining order.
The prisoners appeared 10 be IN cool
with the exception of the priest,
Giro Vitozzi, who seemed to be Ill, and
Maria Stendardo, who limped as she
the place.
Erricone maintained his usual calm
demeanor. He is short and slender, in
and rather vulgar looking.
A long, ugly seal extends from an ear
to the mouth. His companions give the
of having been gathered to-
as an exhibit of ell types of de-
generacy.
The priest, who once secured Erri-
freedom by telling the author
that another man had confessed
to the murders under he seal of the
confessional, was allowed to sit put
side the prisoners cage. Abbatemag-
gio, who was in a cage by himself, was
permitted the distinction of being the
only one Of the prisoners to go from
to the court without handouts.
Jury Is Selected.
The court entered at 1915 O'clock
and the selection of the jury was be-
gun at once. Twenty-four men were
chosen, twelve for the jury proper n
tw elve as substitutes in cas- of the
illness or unexpected incapacity Of the
Jurors.
When the jury had been sworn, Pres
Bianchi questioned the prisoners
closely concerning their careers. This
examination concluded, a mass Of doc
uments was presented by Cavaliere
Sanford, Kings p~rocurator, who has
charge of the prosecution. These in
the testimony of more than 400
witnesses.
49, 800