Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-09
The Camorra Convictions.

On the 18th of March, 1911, thirty-two
persons We're placed on trial at Nlterbo,
Italy, charged with incitation to and par
ticipation in the murder of Genmaro Cue
colo and his wife. All of these people
were alleged to be members OF the
Camorra a secret band of blackmailers.
thieves and assassins, whose ramifica-
tons spread into practically all parts OF
Italy and are felt even in this country
For years the Italian government had
suffered the crimes committed by this
organization to go UNPUBLISHED. chiefly be-
cause it was thought to be hopeless to
try to obtain convictions. Every COM
munity was held in terror by the MEM
bers. who included officials, men of emf
hence in the professions and even, it was
afterward shown. priests. The killing of
the CucCDlos was typical murder
growing out Of another crime OF which
this man and his wife were. as members.
cognizant and perhaps in part guilty. 1t
has been a characteristic Of Camorra
stealings and. killings that guilty knowl-
edge, if not actual participation. has been
spread among large number. SO that it
has been hard to determine the exact
thief or slayer In the trial at Viterbo.
which is the longest on record In Italian
judicial history, the government has pro-
ceeded on the principle Of exhausting
every possibility to secure conviction Of
the real conspirators. Its case was
founded upon the confessions of an in
former named Abbatemaggio. a former
member Of the Canorra. who revealed
the inner workings of the organization
and has been at the trial virtually the
prosecuting witness. Through his revela-
tons clues were found to identify all Of
the accused with this criminal society.
and the verdict Of guilty which was yes
terday rendered has been thereby made
possible, leading, it is believed, to the
permanent eradication of this demoraliz-
ing form of secret lawlessness from the
Italian system.
The trial at Viterbo, thus closed with
success, has attracted tine attention of
the entire civilized world, not only be-
cause of its length. but owing to the pc
culiarities of the process, the outbSlsts
of anger and execration on the part of
the prisoners. the frantic Interruptions
Of witnesses and attorneys, the repeated
adjournments of the court because of the
bowls emanating from the great cage in
which all but three of the prisoners were
confined during the sessions. Abbate-
maggie, the informer, was protected from
attack in a separate cage, and the ea-
changes between him and the prisoners
were marked with a license of expression
that seemed extraordinary to American
observers. The Viterbo trial has become
a sort of joke in this country on account
Of the extreme protraction and the wild
conduct of the prisoners and at times
of the counsel. but it appears that the
time was well spent especially if this
verdict, followed by sentences of i'm
prisonment for all the accused results
in the complete stoppage Of Camorrisr
crimes in Italy. Many an American
trial, though more orderly and less pro-
longed. has been less surely just In it's
results. and however ridiculous the sit
tings may have seemed at times, the
Italian government is now to be con-
graduated upon it's ultimate triumph, out
Of which will probably come a new order
of things making for a higher standard
of citizenship.