The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-14
WAR DELAYS TRIAL
OF CAMORRA CHIEFS
Eight Men Lay Convictions to
Perjury Of Seven Persons
in Naples.
WOMAN AMONG ACCUSED
Special Correspondence TO The SrS

ROME. April 20. - The clamorous
Camorra trial that ended over three
years ago at Viterbo with the convic-
ton OF eight Camorra chiefs. who were
sentenced to thirty years hard labor
each, has recently had n sequel which
almost passed unnoticed owing to the
war. The war has delayed the rehear-
Ing Of he Viterbo trial since an ac-
ton brought against seven principal
witnesses for perjury had to be post
poned until sixty days after the end Of
hostilities, according to n special law
providing that in case important wit
nesses are absent owing TO the war
they cannot be summoned to give evil
dence until two months after the war.
a few months after the conviction OF
the Camorra chiefs their lawyers de-
nounced az perjurers seven witnesses
whose evidence a provoked the con-
viction OF the prisoners, These wit
nesses include three Camorrists who
swore that they had seen two Camorra
chiefs leaving the house Of the Canon
rist Cuocolo OF the night when he and
his wife were murdered.
The other Camorrists have been de-
noVnCed for perjury for affirming that
they were present when the murdered
| woman's earrings were sold. A silver
smith is accused of engraving Cucolo's
| ltlltlstIS III n IlIk Nul'N was Pi'uhHNh
during the trial and declared to have
belonged to the murdered man. Finally
a woman is accused Of giving false evil
\ denCe in connection with "A banquet
held by the Camorrists after the Cuocolo
murders.
II is comparatively easy TO |dcnounce
a witness for perjury in Italy and more
so in Naples. especially II the witness
happens to be a camorrist and a
" 10 - -
| Hundreds OF witnesses were brought to
prove that the seven principal wit
nesses OF the Niterbo trial had commit
ted perjury and a so-called preliminary
investigation followed.
After three years the investigation.
naturally very lahorious. was concluded
and the seven witnesses were commit
ted for trial. OF course II was obvious
that II this trial ended with their con.
viction 1t would have followed that the
great Camorra trial a been based on
false evidence and its ~rehearins would
have been inevitable,
The eigh, Camorra chiefs. zach as
sisted 10y three or four lawyers, wer.
ready not only to attend this Trial as
victims. but were also prepared to claim
damages for being convicted on false
evidence. The trial opened at Niterho
In the same court where the grea,
tamorra trial had taken place.
As the Camorra chiefs took their
seats in the large cage three Of the
| prisoners indicted for perjury were
locked In a smaller cage beside them.
The presiding judge Informed the court
that the principal witnesses fOr tn,
case, Major Fabroni. Capezzuti and
Fairis, warrant officers oi tn. Carahi-
ucers, and several others We're absent,
owing 10 the war. and that the case
could not go on without their evidence
| The lawyers insisted that their evidence
could be read out and urged the Judg,
TO 30 on with the case.
An appeal was made to the Judge.
the chiefs proclaiming their innocence
and begging him TO continue the case.
which meant their release. Half a day
was spent in talk and after two hours
deliberation the Judge ruled for the post
ponement Of the trial uu,il sixty days
after the war.