CAMORRA SECRETS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 14, 1 September 1911, Page 6

CAMORRA SECRETS.

DISCLOSURES AT TRIAL OF ITALIAN SUSPECTS. ONE OF THE ACCUSED HOWLS LIKE A HYENA. There were weirdly exciting moments at the resumption of the long-drawn-out trial of Camorrists at Viterbo on Tuesday, July 11th, owing to the revealations made by Captain Fabbroni, who has been prominent in the prosecution of the alleged conspiracy. English papers by the latest mail give fuller accounts than those cabled at the time. Captain Fabbroni, a young and distinguished officer, speaking with great clearness and confidence, gave an interesting history of the Camorra. Ho had studied it, as he told the Court, not as a social psychologist, but as a captain of the Carabineers desiring to get to the bottom of criminal phenomena. He recounted the symptoms leading him to believe that Cuocolo was murdered by the Camorra, which did all it could to give the corpses of its victims the imprint of its revenge to serve as an example. Ho said Erricone was the real head of the Camorra, although nominally he never occupied that position, having invented the system of having a figure-head. He did the same in the different branches of the Camorra, each having a figure-head as its chief, but there being a “selected Camorrist” who was the real head. Captain Fabbroni added: “Some ot these are among the accused—for instance, Monichiello, Bartolozzi, and Delucia.” This statement caused an uproar in the cage, headed by Erricone, which was only stopped by the president threatening to expel the unruly pris- j oners. Captain Fabbroni went on to say that the decalogue of the Camorra included the injunction, “Never confess ; be a Camorrist, but never give evidence of the Camorra, even when might help an accused person. Therefore, let the accused go gaily to prison even when an admission of the Camorra might free them.” The supreme object of the Camorra, he averred, was the spoliation of everyone in their clutches. Whoever i betrayed them was punished, the punishment ranging from beating to murder, wounds, razor-slashes, etc. Captain Fabbroni solemnly affirmed: “Abbatemaggio (the informer, who has been so conspicuous in the case) is already condemned to death if he leaves prison, and it is almost impossible for him to escape.” CHIEF SUBSIDISED. Captain Fabbroni then proceeded to reveal the whole organisation at Naples which rendered possible the overwhelming power of the Camorra. Thus, he said, Erricone was subsidised by the Naples Illumination Company to prevent thefts of wires and other implements, which, since they wore entrusted to Elrriconc’s care, nobody dared to touch. Other Neapolitan companies and firms did likewise for the sake of immunity, and thus the Camorra, under this aspect, was actually doing police work. This assistance received by the Camorra made its criminal organisation difficult to uproot, just as when bringadage was supported by landed proprietors to ensure their own safety. The young Carabineer officer gave several examples of the methods employed by the Camorrists to obtain the support of prominent people. Commondatoro Petriccione, for example, former deputy and President of the Chamber of Commerce of Caserta, had his pocketbook with 25,000 lire stolon. The prisoner Do Matteo offered to find it, and did so within twenty-four hours. Signor Petriccione offered to. reward De Matteo, who declined the offer absolutely. This, Captain Fabbroni remarked, showed their ability. Do Matteo refused, not out of generosity, but because ho wanted to use Petric-

clone’s influence in more important circumstances.

Wishing to illustrate the deeds of the Camorra, Captain Fabbroni said Father Yitozzi once took a cab for which he wanted to pay three lire. The cabman insisted on having six.' Father Yitozzi, paid, saying, “I will remember your pretension to have six lire.” The same evening the cabman was attacked by three Camorrists, beaten, and ordered to go to Father Yitozzi, drive him, and return the six lire. The cabman obeyed. Father Yitozzi declined the money, but said, “Remember who Father Yitozzi is.” PRACTICE OF USURY. The Camorra, witness continued, especially excelled in usury. All'Naples knew the typical usurer of the Camorrist, Danna, who was a vulgar cobbler, gathered 800,000 lire from “special Camorrists” to drive, youths into the arms of light women, who took them to gambling hells, where they were ruined, and then the usurer completed the work. Captain Fabbroni added that Erricone had been tried for such a case. The lawyer Bovio (interrupting): But lie was acquitted! Captain Fabbroni: Everybody knows what acquittals means in cases in which the Camorra is concerned. Besides, the lawyer defending Erricone was a' brother of the President .of the Court who gave the sentence. ' ’This statement was'’tire ’.Vi gnaPto r a terrific tumult. Erricone jumped about inside the cage like a hyena, howling with such an inhuman voice that it was impossible to understand what he said. The advocates, especially Bovio, protested against what they considered an insult to Neapolitan judges and lawyers. Bovio addressed the witness, accusing Jam of vulgar insinuations and unqualifiable conduct. v

Captain Fabbroni, who had faced the hurricane magnificently, leapt up as though ho had a spring inside him, and moved towards Bovio, saying, in an awful voice, “Alter the documents you had forged in Paris, I don't lower myself to your level.” It was an awful moment. . The police and Carabineers rushed between Captain I abbroni and the lawyers, and a free fight seemed imminent. Eventually,.peace was patched up. There was another demonstration on the part of Erricone on Wednesday. Ho shook the bars of his cage like a lunatic, yelling at Fabbroni, “Murderer! Murderer! You made my brother die in prison.” Erricone’s excitement was so great that one of his companions seized him and put his hand over his mouth, but Erricone shook him off, and boxed his ears.