New-York tribune., 1911-01-08
TROOPS PREVENT
CAMORR|STS' RESCUE
italian CarabineerS and Heavily
Armed Police Hold Off Mob
Gathered to Save Outlaws.
MURDER CHARGED TO 80
Frenzied Men and Women Exc
crate Soldiers, Who Keep Pris-
oners Safe-Camorra May
Have Killed Petrosino.

viterbo. Italy. Jan. I.-Detachments OF
police heavily armed. and cara abineers
surrounded the station here to-day in
anticipation of the arrival of thirty-two
members Of the Camorra. who are TO
stand trial for the murder of James
Cuocolo, a leading member of the band.
who had incurred the vengeance of the
Camorrists for alleged acts Of treachery.
Cuooolos body was found on the sea
shore near Naples in June. 1906. and the
rnutilated body OF his wife was dis
covered shortly afterward in house
near by.
extraordinary precautions were taken
by the authorities to guard the prison
ers and to prevent any attempt at their
release They have been in close con-
fntment for more than three years. and
hundreds ot their friends and relatives
gathered at the station here to-day. Po-
lice detachments were stationed at va
rious points. and when the train arrived
from Naples there was scene Of riot
and disorder.
II was known that nothing would be
left undone to effect a rescue, and strin-
gent orders had been issued to the po-
lice and carabineers to put down any
such attempt b. whatever means neces-
sary.
The prisoners descended from the car
in groups Of FIVE chained together. They
corprised all varieties in the social
scale. from dandy To lazzarone. Cmet
among them was Enrico Alfano. better
known as Erricone, head of the Camorra,
who was arrested in New York in April
1907. by Detective Petroslno. He ap-
reared thinner and ghastlier than ever
He was wrapped up in heavy furs ana
seemed hardly able to stand.
Mob Charges Soldiers.
The mob. temporarily held in check by
a show Of authority. broke into CRIES
shrieks and execrations at sight OF the
prisoners. and attempted to break
through the lines TO get near them but
the carabinecrs pushed them back with
their guns. Intense excitement reighed'
and the surging mass Of people threat
ened ali attack uron the police
Tie prisoners shook their Inanacled
fists and raised their voices almost as
loudly ss their protesting friends and
relatives The wife % Mandriere known
elso as De Marinis. the most prominent
Camorrist after Erricone, struck ct the
Carabineers. shouting
MAY YOU all he killed, May you all
&c 10 the dssecting table Of the hos
yital"
Erricone protested earnestly, saying:
eve are murdered innocents. The
viterbo jury will take revenge on MS.
Thus Italy viii he disgraced before the
world"
The men were marched to prison sur-
rounded by heavy guards. and the
crowds dispersed. Caputo, the marshal
of the cara bineers. who has distn-
Euished himself in exposing the
Camorra. IS director Of the police ar
rsngements
The trial Of the men will begin shortly,
and Niterbo. which is fftytwo miles
from Rome. was selected for this pur-
pose in order that all concerned in the
prosecution would be removed from the
direct influence Of the association. which
has been a name OF terror TO all law
abiding Italians.
II is believed that evidence will be
brought out at the trial Of these men
which viii throw light upon the murder
Of Detective Petrosino at Palermo in
March 1909 whittier he was sent by the
New York Police Department TO secure
information regarding Italian Grim
finals
Scores of murders are charged against
the Camorrists now I'm the hands of the
police, although the coming trial will
have to do only with the assassination Of
Cuocolo and his wife This is the be-
ginning of far-sweeping movement
which the Italian government contem-
plates against the Camorra association.
which, according TO the Minister Of Jus
tice and other members Of the Cabinet,
must be rooted out.
The Camorra is a secret society that
played an importan. part in the affairs OF
TIE old kingdom of Naples and has -four
isfed in that part OF Italy ever since thl
Gsys Of the Bourbons. The members for
r.erly carried on extortion as A regular
business and exercised their perncious
functions in the market places, at fairs
End in all public gatherings. They were
often employed TO commit murders.
They worked 50 boldly at times that In
dividual Camorrists. cast into prison. ex-
torted money from their jailers The as
tociation extended itself all over Naples,
The Maha. which is often confused with
the Camorra. is a distinctly different af-
fair. Its origin was in Sicily, and its or
ganization is so secret that II has always
teen shrouded I'm mystery. though IN gen
eral II is supposed TO exist for the purpose
Of protecting its members against punish
n.ent for their crimes Many Italians, how
e,er. deny that any such formal organiza'
ton exists, insisting that "Ma1a' and
BLACK Hand" are merely terms for intor-
mai bands Of Italian desperahoes.