Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-07-20
CAMORRA TRIAL
RAN IS MONTHS
Minutes Covered $4,000 Pages
of Typewriter Matter.
700 WITNESSES TESTIFIED
Cost TO italy Was ,ooo--Flfty
Thousand Documents In Evidence.
Soldiers Constantly On Guard--sub.
stltute officials Attended Hearings.

In the remarkably long trial OF the
Camorfists at viterbo, Italy, which
stretched out. for almost year aud
half and came TO a close recently, tho
examination OF witnesses began March
IL. 1911. and was preceded by pre-:
liminary investigation OF five years.
The cause OF the trial was the murder
of Gennaro Cuocolo. a Camorrist. at
Tore del Greco. and OF his wife, Ma
ria Cutinelli. In Naples. Their killing
wns Camorrist execution. eA
During the long trial the following
prisoners died. Giro Alfano. who was
arrested on the day OF his marriage
and IL said to have died OF broken
heart; Pnsqua!e Gargiulo and Mattee
valcarcei. who died last June. and Giro
Viteili. who was present at the murder
but cvaded arrest and died OF cholera
last year. ~
Altogether over 700 Witnesses were
heard during the trial. bdt, notwIih-l
standing this, the prosecutions case
rested almost entirely on the testimQ,
ny Of Abbatcmaggio, former Cumor-
rist and an informer.
Among the defendants was Giro w
foxzi, Il Roman Catholic priest. concern
ing whose alleged double life many
sensational revelations were made. AM
other defendant was Erricone Alfunos
who was arrested IN New York. This
man was the lender OF the CnmorrIsts
and was also said to be the guiding
spirit Of the Black Hand gangs In the
Quilted States. IL
A Peculiar Circumstance.
Owing to lnck Of evidence and the
practical inipossibillty OF compelling
witnesses to dcnounce the Camorrlsts
the kings procmator had to withdraw
the charge OF murder against some Of
the defendants. Of whom there were
sixty. md to admit that the proof Of
the guilt OF some OF The others was in-
sufficient The charges OF criminal as
ISOLATION which were made against
number OF men and women among the
defendants we're also withdrawn. Out
OF the twenty-five Oamorrists who were
charged with such criminal associa..
ton. crime which cannot be punish
ed with more than Ave years iuiprlss
oninent. seventeen prisoners arrested
ave years ago served out their terms
before the trial and were released au-
tomatlcnlly.
Only two OF the camrrr!sty who were
Implicated In tho murder OF Cuocolo
and his wife or mistress succeeded In
evading arrest They were Giuseppe
opposite and Andrea Attanasio. who
fed and IRE supposed to be hiding In
America now. ErrIcone Alamo also
fed to this country, but he was ar
rested In New York by Detective Tel
trosino. whose murder In ltAiy was the
Camorrist answer. Giovanni RapI, who
f1ed to Paris, returned to Italy and wiIlT
ingIy surrendered himself TO tho pos
lice In order to prove his innocence.
The first ten months Of the trial were
taken up with formalities connected
with tho impanelIng. swearing apo
challenging Of the jurors and with the.
hearing OF evidence In order toi i1@
duce men to serve ON this jury q sRe-
cial law was passed by tho Italian par
lament fixing their pay on thfs one,
trial at $1.4Q day. The last SIX
months OF the trial we're taken up with
speeches for the prosecution and the
defense.
Originally over ffty lawyers appear
ed for the defense, but gradually. 81
Their because the Camorrists had not
the money to pay their fees or because
they pretended to be poor in order TO
excite the pity OF the Jury. the number
OF lawyers was reduced to eighteen.
The two Canorrists De Angels and
Amodco, who were conceded ito have
been falsely accused Of the murder BY
the society In orter to throw the p0-
lice on the track. were present at the
trial and were represented by lawyers
In order to claim damages In civil ac-
tions after the trial concluded.
infantry Guarded the Court.
Besides the speeches Of the lawyers,
there were others by experts and alien
lists appointed both by the court and
the prisoners to ascertain whether the
lnformer AbbatemaggIo. was insane.
During khe trial two companies Of In
fantry, 100 carabineers and atty detec-
tiycs were constantly on duty. The
Camorra trial cost the state more than
100000. This sum includes the .ex-
penditure for preliminary investigation.
the maintenance Of the prisoners, the.
cost OF their removal from Naples to
Viterbo and innumerable other items.
The minutes kept by the clerk OF the
court have covered 1900 pages of
typewriter matter. and the reports Of
the Investigating judges filed sixty vol
umes. More than 10000 Documents
were produced and read during the
trial
In order TO provide against the risk
OF interruption a substitute Judge.
substitute prosecutor and substitute
clerk were appointed. and they had
to attcnd all the hearings and be ready
to replace their colleagues at mo-
ment's notice. No other trial In Italy