THE CAMORRA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 16, 13 July 1911, Page 5

THE CAMORRA.

REMARKABLE REVELATIONS. A SYSTEM OF CRIME. BLACKMAIL MADE A FINE ART. By Cable. —Presß Association.—Copyright Received- 12, 10 p.m. Rome, July 12.

Remarkable revelations were made at the Camorra trials at Viterbo by Fabbroni, a young and distinguished officer, who is a Knight of the Crown of Italy. Fabbroni stated he had made enquiries as a captain of carabineers, and these showed that the corpses of Cuocolo and his wife were given the imprint df rerenge in order tq inspire fear. Erricone had invented a system, each branch of the Camorra having a figurehead, in addition to a real head'. ■Fabbroni's disclosures led to an uproar in the cage in which were the prisoners.

Fabbroni continued that the chief injunction of the Camorrist decalogue was never to confess, even if it would help accused. 'Betrayers were punished by beatings, razor slashes, and even murder. Abbatemaggio, he said, was already condemned to death, for it was impossible for him to escape if he left the prison. The Camorra's object was to despoil everyone within their clutches, from a prostitute or sneak thief to the highest official. Erricone, the late leader of the Camorra, was subsidised by the Naples Illumination Company in order to prevent the theft of wires and other implements. Other Neapolitan companies similarly secured immunity. system recalled the times -when landed proprietors supported brigandage in order to secure their own safety.

TERRIFIC TUMULT IN COURT. FREE FIGHT JUST AVERTED. A DAMNING INDICTMENT. Received 12, 11.5 p.m. Viterbo, July 2. 'abbroni ;»d the prisoners' influence over thieves and recalled the ease of a cabm-in who had overcharged Father Vitozzi. v. : bo sai.! the cabman would regret it. The same evening three Camorrists beat the cabman and compelled him to apologise and return the overcharge to Father Vitozzi. The society's chief usher was Danna Cobbler, who drove the youths to "light* women, who accompanied them to gambling hells, the usher completing their ruin. Erricone had ibeen tried for complicity in such cases.

Lawyer Bovio: Erricone was acquitted! Fabbroni: Yes; but the president of the court was a brother of the lawyer who is now defending Erricone!

There was a tumult in court at this. Erricone jumped about his cage howling like a hyena. Bovio protested that Neapolitan judges had been insulted fiy the observation. Fabbroni replied: You forged documents in Paris in connection with Rapi's defence! The carabineers with difficulty prevented a free fight between the lawyers and witnesses. Fabbroni traced the Camorra's power since 1860, when Garibaldi handed over the maintenance of public order to municipalities on the plea that society was best acquainted with local rascaldom.

FATAL FIGHT WITH POLICE. Rome, July 11. The police at Naples attempted to arrest Grandullo, the successor to Erricone, as head of the Camorrists. This led to a fierce conflict, in which a police inspector was killed and a policeman bludgeoned. The policeman's condition is critical.