New-York tribune., 1911-02-27
THE CAMORRA'S VICTIMS
Sensational Evidence Regarding
Careers of CuoCCOIo and Wife.
PRIESTS PERJURY HINTED
Murdered Man Said to Have
Acted as a Spy for the Police
Work of Detectives.

-WO OrK OF OeteCLlVCS.
Niterbo Italy Feb 1S.-The volumnous
documents with the aid of which the gov
erument hopes to convict Enrico Alfano
and forty OF his associates Of murder. and
thus rid Italy of the leading spirits in the
dreaded Camorra, reveal that Gennaro
Cuoccolo and his wife. "the beautiful sor-
rentino." the killing of whom led TO the
roundup OF their band. had romantic. but
far from worthy. careers.
\ part OF the story which will be laid
bare when the trial opens on March II
may now he told. The victims were about
OF an age. The husband at the time OF
his death was forty-two. They lived in the
Via Nardones. opening into the Piazza san
Ferdinando. in the centre Of the city, only
few steps from the Royal Palace. in a
pretty fourth floor apartment which might
have been furnished for a bride.
Here. after the discovery of Cuoccolo's s
body az Tore del Greco, the police found
the lifeless form of the wife 1t was
stretched on a bed in a charmingly fur
nished chamber. and the pink silk night
gown was perforated, indicating the posi-
ton % numerous wounds Among them
was the Characteristic dagger cut known
as the fregio, the wound given to one who
has broken an oath. If inflicted on an. hon
est woman or girl it is made by SLASH
on the cheek. but If given TO a woman OF
doubtful character il is always on the body.
Ir, ha Of avia 10
assassins left the mark Of an evil life.
Then began the police search for the rec
ords OF both victims Cuoccolo in his
youth. II developed, had been condemned for
theft. swindling. resisting the police and
other offences He was put under special
surveillance. For the ten or twelve years
before his death he had not been before the
authorities. and apparently had become re-
spectacle He was accustomed TO define his
situation by saying:
a Feud with Erricone
Even if ] have married a beautiful
woman of not illberal habits. am content.
as she Is a faithful wife and anyway. my
marriage was the result of vow. Al the
age Of thirty years ! was III Of a terrible
disease and vowed to san Gennaro. my
some unfortunate woman from sin and
make her my wife san Gennaro heard nv
prayer and / have maintained my word.
Since then ] have been tranquil and home
loving. and have only once risked compro-
missing myself when. in public. In the
Galleria Cmberto. ! boxed the ears Of En-
rico AlfanO-called Erricone"
Strangely enough, this boast Of Cuoccolo
save the first clew 70 the alleged instigator
~ his death. The oft-repeated story
reached tho ears Of clever detective
named Ippolito. and led him to investigate
whether the murders might not have been
due TO the hatred of Erricone and his
companions. IL seemed improbable that
the dangerous and violent head Of the
Camorra. having quarrelled with Cuoccolo
20 the point of having his ears boxed in
public should not have had his revenge
sooner or later II was established that
Erricone. who Is no coward, feared Cuoc-
colo and a vendetta with the man who had
given him reminder on the cheek that 1t
was not safe TO upset the plans Of a man
Of courage.
Clew to the Murderers.
Erricone denied that Cuoccolo had struck
him, and swore that he had not even known
the murdered man Nevertheless, the pO-
Ice worked on this clew. and developed
that instead Of mending his ways years be-
fore, Cuoccolo was in full active service in
the Camorra, limiting himself. however, 10
TWO departments OF crime. that of organiz-
ing thefts and taking the lions share Of
all operations. Both he and his wife had
fame among criminals as clever organizers
There are also papers in the police archives
which show that on various occasions they
acted as police spies. In fact. notes writ
ten in pencil have been found in which the
two denounced theftS and crimes arranged
by persons affiliated with the Camorra
These papers, which the police had thought
were kept absolutely secret were through
the cOnnivance Of certain persons, inspected
nv the Camorra, and were the cause of sus-
picion OF the Cuoccolos and of hatred
against them on the Iart of those who
were denounced and apprehcnded.
Having established the double dealings Of
CCoccolo as a brigand and a police spy.
through which he had earned the suspicion
Of the Camorra and the personal hatred OF
hSfcOne the police set about TO prove that
his death was at the hands of his criminal
associates. This was long and tedious
task. but inally Erricone and several
friends who dned with him at the Mimi
Mare on the night of the murders were ar
rested. Public opinion applauded the police,
and there was great astOnishment when.
soon afterward. all the prisoners were re-
leased. on the grounds that the evidence
against them was insufficient. Popular in
6isnation was intense The people said that
the Camorra had Won again. and that once
more the Judges had been afraid Of or cor
rupted by the CamOrrists who had strength
and political influence. The police were
openly accused Of unwillingness to strike
The Camorra, as they shared the profits OF
their crimes
The Testimony Of Priest
II now appears that the release Of Erri-
cone and his gang was due 10 the interven-
tion Of a priest. Father Giro Vi,tozzi. The
scene which this priest organized was dra-
matte and effective. Vittozzi is Erricones
godfather. lie went TO the Judge and sol
EMMY said Il swear in my sacerdotal
character that YOU are about TO condemn
those who are innocent / know the real
rdurderers. but cannot reveal their names,
as they came TO me under the seal of the
confessional"
The priest put the authorities in com.
munication with one Ascrttore. who was
alleged 10 have confessed TO the murders
This man denounced two others De Angels
and Amodeo. All three were criminals and
fugtives from justice. When found they
established aIibis but IN the mean time En-
ricono and his associates had been released
Later the priest was accused Of being a
member Of the Camorra, and the investiga-