The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-04-07
DRAMATIC DENIAL *
FROM ERR|CONE ON
THE WITNESS STAND
MAN ACCUSED OF BEING. THE
HEAD OF BLACK HAND
ORDER.
WAS NEVER ITS LEADER
Declares That He is the Victim of Vel
low journalism and of the Caribi-
neers-he Poses AS a Martyr and
a Much Prosecuted Man.

! VITERBO, Italy, April 1.-EnricC
AlfanO, commonly known as Erricone
accused of being real head of the
Neapolitan Camera, perhaps the most
powerful and certainly the most fear.
ed man in Italy, was called for inter
rogation in the court of the Assizes
today.
The crimes laid at this mans door
are numberless and the Vaccinations
with which he is credited are almost
beyond belief
Under the grueling today, Erricone
maintained the insolent assurance,
which If not disarming suspicion, re-
peatedly saved him from arrest. At
his headquarters in the cafe Fortune,
where he received his agents, his
victims and the police, Erricone was
wont to smile blandly upon those
who mentioned the Camorra and said
DO you really believe there is such
a thing? Why, those are stories of
other times"
The prisoner was well prepared for
today's examination, which was a
thorough one He denied every ac-
cusation made against him and ridi-
culed the tradition of his power
Erricone began his business career
as an errand boy in a flower shop.
Early in life he had a place of his
own. Then he established grain
market and speculated in cattle. bar
gaining with the farmers who visited
the fairs. He grew wealthy and be-
came a .usurer, with an office in the
center of the city. He wore fine
clothes and his carriages and horses
attracted much attention as he drove
through the streets of Naples.
Some six years ago he surrendered
the highest place in the CamOrra, the
head OF the heads of the society,to
Luigi Zucei; but it is charged that
he continued in control of the organi-
cation. His nominal Office was head
of the Vicaria, the most populous and
troublesome district of Naples. He
was repeatedly charged with respon-
sibility for or completely in crimes of
burglary, the white slave traffic fraud
against the election laws and bust
ness corruption.
Several times arrested, he was in
variably discharged because of lack
of evidence, or at the worst receiced
light punishment. These escapes are
said to have been due to his influence
with the authorities, many of whom
owed their Offices to his control over
the votes Of the poorer classes, whom
he often helped.
Following the murder of Gennaro
Cuoccolo, Erricone was arrested and
charged with instigating the crime,
but way to his release was found
in the false testimony of his priest,
Giro vitozzi. Fleeing to America, Err
ricone was re-arrested in Brooklyn
by Police Litut. Petrosini and has ev-
er since been a free man.
Abbatemaggio, the informer, has
testified that ErricOne approved the
sentences of death imposed upon his
traitorous associates, Gennaro Cuoc-
colo and wife, and after the deeds
were done distributed sums of money
among the assassins. These allega-
tions, as well as that concerning his
position in the Camorra, Erricone
stoutly denied in reply to the ques-
lions of President Blanchi and the
crown prosecutor, Caviliere Sanford,
today.