BLACK HANDERS ON TRIAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13333, 23 March 1911, Page 6

BLACK HANDERS ON TRIAL.

DRAMATIC SCENES IN COURT. A Violent Prisoner. Objected to Being “Snapped." > ROME, March 20. Some dramatic incidents were witnessed to-day at the trial at Yiterbd of the 41 members of the Camorra, or Black Hand Society, for the murder of Signor CUdcolo , and .his..wife in 1906. The .Leading of the long indictment'by : the clerk, of the court was "punctuated by interruptions , from either the prisoners or Mothers .'outside the dock. .When the clerk read a passage in the indictment" which ra.ii, “Although never condemned, ■ Vitzzi is morally a criminal,” the' aged priest, Vitzzi,' became much affected, and raising'hik eyes murmured, “I offer my sufferings to relieve the souls in purgatory !” Similarly dramatic was the declaration of the prisoner Genearro, who. While the murder' of Signor and Signora Cuocolo was being described, placed his hand over his heart aiid, addressing Ids wife, who was among the spectators, exclaimed, “I swear to you I am innocent!” Two other prisoners, Deangells and Amodeo, who were implicated by a priest in an effort to save Erncone, one of the Camorra leaders, protested that although they , had already proved that the priest had testified falsely, they were being retained in custody. When the accused were being brought into court'this, morning Erricone spat in the face of a photographer' who had .taken a snapshot of him. ' The bandit chief was in a towering -.rage, and only the irons with which he was shackled prevented him giving effect to his threat to kick the luckless photographer into the next world. ~