The Washington times., 1912-07-08
CAMMOR|ST JURY
IS EXPECTED. TO
REPORT TONIGHT
Deliberations on Verdict
Which May Break Up AL
legged Criminal Society.

VITERBO, italy, July S.-The Jury
which will pass upon the guilt or in
nocence of the accused Cammorists re-
tired at 10 o'clock today to deliberate
on its verdict. 1t Is expected that IL
will report to Judge Bianchi late to-
night
OF the forty-one persons originally in
dicted, three were never captured, three
died during the trial, while twenty were
liberated during the trials progress,
owing to the fact that they had already
served the maximum time possible for
sentence in the event Of a conviction.
Attempt to Break Cammora.
Although the specific charge brought
against the forty-two originally arrested
for the crime was the murder Of Gem
naro Cuoccolo and his wife at Naples,
the real object Of the prosecution was
supreme attempt on the part of the
Italian government to break up two
great criminal organizations In Italy,
the Cammora, of Naples. and the Mafia,
of Sicily. The government had ex-
pected that II II secured convictions In
the present case the leaders of both or
ganizations would be frightened out of
the country.
The Cuoccolo murder was committed
one of the inner circle of the Commora,
but had falling out with its chieftain,
Enrico Alfano. and his death was de-
creed. II was alleged that he was de-
coyed to Tore del Greco, a suburb of
Naples. and there stabbed to death.
Wife Also Killed.
Immediately afterward his wife, who
was a most beautiful woman. was stab
bed to death by two men who had been
assigned to close her mouth. the band
fearing that, knowing her husband had
been slain she would reveal her knowl-
edge of the band to the police.
Members of the organization were I'M
mediately arrested charged with the
crime, but through the fundamentally
of Father Giro VittezzL. a Catholic
priest, were released, only to be later
rearrested.
Finally, after nearly Ave years OF
work, Maresciallo Capizzuti, a detec-
tive, secured a confession from Gennao
Abbatemaggio. one of the members OF
the band, and his story has been the
chief reliance of the prosecution for a
conviction.
Confined In Steel Cage.
The trial finally began on March II,
1911. at Viterbo. The prisoners. includ-
ing Father Vittezzi. were confined in a
large steel cage, which had been con-
structed in the court room. separate
cage had been constructed for the in
former. .Abbatemaggio. and the trial
moved very slowly.
Weeks were required to secure the
jury, owing to the fear of the Cammora
Then when the actual trial began there
were many sensational Interruptions.
Under the methods of the Italian court
procedure, the prisoners were allowed
to cross-examine witnesses, and this
repeatedly resulted in such wild out.
bursts of frenzy on the part Of the Gagged
prisoners that time after time II was
necessary TO adjourn court until they
| could be restored to a rational state
Of mind.
In addition to presenting evidence Of
the crime for which the men, and one
solitary woman were on trial, the police
| were allowed to enter on the records
| evidence Of scores of other alleged
crimes.
The purpose of this was to prove tha
there was a single criminal conspiracy
conducted by a single criminal organiza
| ton. Because of this more than LOO
witnesses were examined.