Fighting The Camorra.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fighting The Camorra.

DRAMATIC ARREST. Another exciting episode' was added at Rome on June 18th, to the history of'the long and still -uncertain official stmggle against the supremacy of the Neapolitan Camorra.

Gennaro Abbatemaggio, whose betrayal of his fellow accomplices in the murder of the Oubcplo couple at Naples enabled'the Government to track down forty-two members of the Supreme Death Council, has since then been accorded his liberty. So sure was he that his friendship- with Marshal Capezut.ti, Captain Fahlwini and the leaders- of the Anti-Camorrisw campaign would guarantee his personal skfety that he had; ; settled down in a comfortable country?; villa at Camigliano, near Capita. " Threie sets of magistrates who wer.e entrusted, one after the other, with: the prosecution, of j the Cambrrists abandoned the ungrateful task through fear of assassination. Now a fresh magistrates called Lopes and a new procurator General Lucchtsipalli, have begun the whole -jxidicial prosecutionover again. Their first step was to obtain a OwaTrant. .for the arrest of Abbatemaggio. His capture was effected -under dramatic circumstances.. Gafabinieri and de-, tachments of mounted troops set out at dead ;of. night from.Caserta. and Capua, arid surrounded Abbatemaggio's residence, and summoned bini. to surrender. The famous . ex-Camiribrrist ':: barricaded his house and kept the troops at bay for nine hours, vowing they would never capture him aliye. His only revolver was, fortunately knocked from his grasp>by his wife and flung out of the window, while he was preparing .to blow out liis. brains. Finally, on the. .commander- of the Carabinieri agreeing to dismiss the mounted men, and allow Abbatemaggio to drive to Capua in his own carriage, the latter.emerged from the house; amidst/sympatheticcheers from the population., .■ • When: .the; prisoner, accompanied by the commander of r the Carrabinieii,:. got. well along . the; road, the; cavalry ..lyiiig in wait suddenly -swooped down and closed around the carriage,' Abbatemaggio "svas dragged forth, .botynd! in: chains Sand hurried between ; ,a horsed . escqrt; ; :to -.the nearest railw'ay'.:^ati6n;.-suid' ;i ;'theriqe.-it6 Naples. There he has ; been lodged in J the Palace of V Justice, the ' authorities' storing the traitor's : presentiaient* 'that ho would Be most certainly-, were v . transferred to tlie" eatombn prison.' of San Remo, where several -fatal encounters? -with knives have receiitly incurredamong the hordes of Cammorrist inmates.■■ "'.'•,• ' ■■..- "'■'/'■■