Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-25
IBELLI DENIES ALL CHARGES
Camorrist Whose Release Was Secured
by Priest Takes Stand.
NFORMER RoUNDLY DENOUNCED
Defense Seeks TO show that He Is
Insane and that Accusations Are
Product OF DIsOrdered
Brain.


vITERBO. Italy. March 24-This was /
the day set for the interrogation OF Cen
marc Abbatemaggio, the Camorrist in
former. about whose confession the state /
has built up the evidence on which II is (
hoped TO rid the country of the criminal /
organization that for wears has exacted |
tribute from rich and poor. robbng and I
numbering with practical immunity.
In anticipation Of witnessing what NAV /
cost him his life great crowds gathered
early in the vicinity OF the court Of assizes
and when the session opened the room
was packed to its capacity.
The defense. so far as AbbatemagRio Is !
concerned. will be that the man is insane
a theory strengthened by his desperate
boidness. Prof OttolenEhi, an alienist from
the University of Rome. has been retained
to examine the informer and as the pro-
fessor was not in court during the morning
hours Abbatemaggio's interrogation was
deferred until the afternoon and President
Bianchi opened the proceedings with the
examination of Gennaro Ibelu, following
this with the questioning Of Luigi Arena
Identity of IbeIIi.
Ibelli is asserted to be the head OF that
branch of the Camorra which operates in
the Vesuvian villages. He was one Of the
party that dined with Enrico Alfano on the
night that Gennaro Cuoccolo and his wife
were murdered. He was arrested soon after
wards, but released on the false representa-
tons of Priest Giro Vitozzo. According to
Abbatemaggio. one Of the offenses OF
Cuoccolo was his defiance of Ibelli He is
charged with having been one Of those who
instigated the murders.
This he deuied today and he also denied
that he had dined with the other leaders
of the Camorra on the night in question.
| He said that he knew Alfano and Giuseppe
de Marinis. another of the chiefs only in
1 business way.
Luigi Arena was then called. Arena is
! the man who is charged with having called
on his brother Camorrists to kill CuOccolo
! in revenge for his own betrayal Abbate-
maggie says that Cuoccolo wished a portion
| of the spells of a robbery committed by
Arena and a few companions. This was
refused, whereupOn Cuoccolo denounced the
robbers to the police and they were impris>
oned. From his cell. Arena sent postal
card to one of the leaders asking for
| Cuoccolo's death as a traitor to the
! Camorra.
The GARDENERS claim TO have found this
post card and also Cuoccolo's ring, which
was to have been sent to Arena in proof
that vengeance had been done.
Arena Says All Charges Are False.
Replying to the president, Arena said:
This story Of Abbatemaggio is false. 1
am not a Camorist While in prison l was
a Camorist, It is true, for in prison all
men are Camorists. / challenge any one
| to produce a post card which l am said
TO have written to de Marinis Abbatemag-
Rio in support of his own romance related
to the police and made up this story OF
| the postcard and the pretended witness
who says it is a myth. am innocent of this
crime and Abbatemaggio's statements that
l asked for Cuoccolos death and was re-
sponsible for his murder is false"
| Abbstemaggio is fast becoming the most
conspicuous figure in the trial. He has
been openly threatened with death so many
times that he appears TO have nothing to
lose now whether he holds TO his confession
or repudiates it.
His very Indifference. however is being
used to bolster up the claim that he is men
tally irresponsible and has imagined the
! story which he tells. Should this defense
be established II would be Of great i'm
portance TO the prisoners and it's effect
ultimately on the case cannot be safely
predicted. However, the state claims 70
have gathered sufficient evidence to prove
the truth Of the mans assertions even
should his testimony be declared incompe.
tent.
IBfOrmer Falls Into Trap.
Abatemaggio was trapped into his revel-
atoms by the police spy. Marshal Copozzuti
OF the Legion Of GARDENERS ia Naples.
The latter gave the informer money with
which 10 get married and to set himself
mp IN business in return for information
which the marshal said he wished TO get
in order TO use II as a means OF securing
membership in the Camorra.
When Abbatemaggio learned that he had
been tricked he made the best Of II by
becoming a police SPY. The defense asserts
that the informer has never been right
mentally, that as an infant he was subject
to fits and that from his youth he has
been vicious person. They describe him
as having been an incorTigible child who
was in the habit OF striking his own
mother, an offense which they point out
, should make him an object Of contempt
and suspicion on the part OF every decent
man.
For himself, Abattemaggio said that he
had been an exemplary SON He had. he ad-
mitted, fallen into crime and became a
member OF the Camorra, but now his re-
peutence Is so sincere that he A. 49,