New-York tribune., 1911-03-24
CAMORRISTS' FLAT DENIALS
Attempt to Discredit 1nformer
Makes Strong Impression.

Ni'eTbo, Italy. March 2S.--Maria STEM
dardo at whose home. tho state alleges,
the assassins washed their hands Of the
blood of the CuoCcolos. was examined by
President Bianchi at the trial Of the th'r-
ty-sx Camorrists to-day.
She is one Of tho most interesting char
actors I'm tho case and the only woman
among the prisoners. The charges against
her are completely in the murders and the
receiving Of stolen goods.
In the course of the Interrogation the
accusation was made that she had bribed
witnesses 10 testify falsely in aid of the
defendants. This she denied, asserting that.
on the contrary. the carabineers had Of
fered TO pay her sl2 FOR each witness whom
she secured to sign a statement prepared
by them.
Maria Stcndardo. whose defence was
general denial of the charges, is under
middle age and retains much of the beauty
that I'm youth resulted in many conquests
I'm the poorer class among whom she vas
horn and later made her woman ot
case and OF influence. both in the Ca
r,orra and in the official life of Naples.
Her home IS said 20 have been a resort OF
dosnerato criminals. while her friends n
tjr1ato friend Of Nicola Nora. one Of the
alleged actual murderers OF Cuoccoio ana
bie wife and II is charged that Nora and
! his companions went 10 the woman nome
! -ouou.inr tho murders. This Maria cu-
phaticallv denied insisting that it was an
other instance Of manufactured evid"nce
Terdinando DC MattcO. VINO is accused ~
having lured Cuccolo 10 his death, was
another prisoner. examined today. be M"'-
/ too who is advanced in years. once oad
/ fame as an athlete, and Is known as a
! rreouenter of questionable resorts. lie ~
ulitcrate and. according - IN" police p
,,c;ous character. The particular charge
srains, him is that he induced Cuccolo 10
visit A lonely spot on the outskirts o. l"rT'
del Greco on the pretext that they "ere 10
meet 20 organize burglary ~ tho nome
! of commentator Rossi Romano. Cuccolo
! fol- into the trap and found himself IN n
nlace where everything had been prepared
| for his death.
1-uder examination De Matteo denied par
! ,cina-ion in the crime and that he was
the head Of the Camorra in his distr"'.
lie said that he hated Nicola Mora ana
would never work with him in crime.
They had ouarrclled years ago. he said
over theft in which they were engaged
Another Of the accused. zar"leh at
tempted TO discrodit Abbatemaggio lie de-
c,arel that he had known the inform"f
! since childhood. AbbatcmaSSio, lie sald'
| suffered frequently from conyuis'ons AS
| child. when he had grown up he was II
tho habit Of heating his mother. frequently
| drawing blood.
The witness recounted several nHoen',
tending 20 show the criminal insuhc'S an
! rapacity OF Abbatemaggo. and 80 t"sh
| monv made a strong impression.
When the session had adjourned the IA"
,cre and correspondents approached ~
| i,atcmaccio. who appeared perfectly cam
Ho charged Zanelli with being an inStru
mert Of Tho Camorra. and declared that ~
ii,,eolf nd i,con an exemplary son. al
thouph criminal. His repentance nae
bron so sincere he said. that Ee was reeot
70 face everything for the triumph o.
truth and Justice.