THE CAMORRA

Southland Times, Issue 16785, 13 July 1911, Page 5

THE CAMORRA

REMARKABLE REVELATIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright.) ROAIE, July 12. Received July 9.20 p.m. Remarkable revelations have been made at Viterbo. Fabbro.nl revived Interest in the trial. Fabbroni is a young and distinguished officer, who is a Knight of the Crown of Italy. He had made enquiries as captain of the Carabiners and he gave his evidence with great clearness and confidence. He shewed that the corpses of Cuocolo and his wife -were given the imprint of revenge in order to inspire fear. Erricone had Invented a system by which each branch of the Camorra had a figurehead additional to the real head. The disclosures led to uproar in the prisoners’ cage. Fabbroni continued that the chief injunction of the Cammorrist decalogue was,never to confess, even if it would help an accused Camorrist. Betrayers were punished by methods ranging from beatings and razor slashes to murder. Abbatemaggio was already condemned to death, and it would he impossible for him to escape if he left prison. The Camorra’s object was to despoil everyone within its clutches, from the prostitute or sneak thief to the highest official. Erricone was subsidised by the Naples Illumination Company in order to prevent theft of withes and other implements. Other Neopolitan companies had similarly secured Immunity. The system recalled times when landed proprietors supported brigandage in order to secure their own safety. REMARKABLE SCENES. Received July 11, 11.5 p.m. Fabbroni instanced the' prisoner’s influence over thieves. He recalled the case of a cabman who overcharged the father of Vitozzi, who said that the cabman would regret it. The same evening three Camorrlsts beat the cabman, compelled him to apologise and return the overcharge to Vltozzi. The Society’s chief usher was Danna, a cobbler, who drove youths to light women who accompanied gambling hells, the usher completing their ruin. Erricone had been tried for complicity in such cases. A lawyer, Bovio, interrupted tiiat Erricone was acquitted. Fabbroni; “Yes; but the President of the Court was a brother of the lawyer who is now defending Erricone.” At this there was terrific tumult. Erricone jumped about the cage howling like a hyena. Bovio protested that Neopolitan judges had been Insulted. Fabbroni returned; “You forged documents in Paris in connection with Rapis’ defence.” Carabineers with difficulty prevented a free fight between lawyers and witnesses. Fabbroni traced the history of the Camorra’s power from 1860, when Garibaldi handed to them the maintenance of public order on the plea that the Society was best acquainted with local rascaldom. ROAIE, July 11. The police at Naples attempted to arrest Grandullo, successor to Erricone as head of the Camorrists. This led to a fierce conflict. An inspector was killed and a policeman was critically bludgeoned.