The Alaska citizen., 1911-05-22
CRIME WHEEL OF
 CAM0RR|STS
THERE ARE MANY STOKES TO ITALY'S DREADED RED
 BAND.

NITERBO. Italy. April The most interesting revelations made by GennarO Abbatemaggio. the Camorrist infCrmer. at the trial of the mem bers of that organization for the murder of CuoCcolo and his wife had to do with the real nature of the
 CamOrra. the dreaded association which first found it's way from Arabia
 into Spain and from Spain into southern Italy, and how its adhe- rents are chosen
 The Camorra in the city of Naples as Abbatemaggio explained. is divided into fourteen bands. one for each re- zion of the city. Each band is com posed of twenty-four Camorrists and
 forty-eight piociotti trecruits). each one of the former having two of the
 recruits at his disposal Each picio-
 tti in turn is served by five or six
 giovani ororati honorable youths The latter are aspirants for mem bership in the society
 How Tribute is Gathered
 Thus in Naples alone there is a
 body of upward of 5000 men deter mined in character. reSolute and tried
 in astuteness and intelligence. This army. which has ramifieations in almost every class of society. is practically directed by two men. the
 capein testa or head of heads and the Contaiuolo or cashier. who takes the place of the head when neces- Sary Both of these officials are elected by a majority of voters The Contaiuolo is generally an old Ca
 morrist, clever in eXacting the gains from the members each day. or able to handle them roughly if they re 1 fuse to pay.
 The piCciotti are chosen from among the giovani onorati, and the instructed in their duties by the Ca morrists They are oblied to swear perfect obedience. after which the newly admitted member kisses every CamOrrist. beginning with the head of
 heads. in token of good faith When the ceremony of admission is about
 to be carried cut. the society meets
 at he request of one of the members after having posted the pioCiotti not 10 be taken by surprise
 Razor SIashes.
 The Camorrist who has called for the assembly submits the name of
 his candidate and offers 10 act as his padrinO tkind of godfather He enumerates the services which his candidate has rendered, entering as ardently as possible into the details
 of thefts. burglaries ad other impor- | tant crimes which the piOciOtti. who desires to be promoted to the es-
 tate of CamOrrist, has committed, not forgetting to call attention to
 the sfrego inflicted. which are the
 razor slashes across the cheeks of the persons who have had to be call i ed 10 order, which marks are very prominent on the faces of both Abbat- emaggio and Erricone. the latter the reputed leader of the society. Kind of Duel.
 As in a court of justice there is a Camorrist who is called the terZo
 cOntrario. who takes the part Of pub lie prosecutor and finds arguments to
 oppose the admission of the candi- f date. Even when these arguments
 are safely met. the candidate must. in the presence of the members. un- dertake the tirata, kind of duel the gravity of which varies accord ing to circumstances and individuals. Generally the tirata is perfunctory. in which case it is called of the muscles because the combatants are allowed to wound each other
 only in the muscles of the arm. which 1 they bare before engaging in the
 combat. If the candidate injures
 any other part of his opponent he is disqualified.