The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

A NEAPOLITAN BRIGAND.

Ifrom the Special. Cor.r..espondet?..t of
,The Times, under

date noise., Oct. Id )

The Neapolitan papers are just now full of details and in-
teresting particulars about the capture of the not lrious bri-
gand none, once the terror of the country surrounding
Mount Vesuvius, who was arrested and killed at Naples on
the 14th Inst. As everything which concerns the life and death
of this celebrated capo brigante. Is in the highest degree
charactertatlc of brigands and brigand life in Italy in
general, and this man in particular, I will just give you a
short resume of the eventful biography of this illustrious per-
sonage, now no more.
-

Antonio Cezzolino—this is the real name of Phone—mu
born at Resins in 1826, and followed the trade of a stone.
cutter until he attained the age of 21, when he we. called
upon to enter the Neapolitan army. He +amain serving in
the Royal Artillery et the time when General Fat3ti con-
ceived the unlucky idea of sending Frencesco 11.. disbanded
soldiers home On their being again called to service, Pilone,
and many others besides took flight and turned profeued
brigands. His superior energy and Intelligence very soon
gave him chief command over all the robbers Infeeting
the country, and he be. been nearly the only one among
thew who has Invariably succeeded during the last ten years
in escaping the march and eluding the pursuit of the Italian
army and police. He very often had the temerity to
venture even as far as the precincts of the capital
Itself. He it was who captured and detained u prisoner
the deputy Avitabsle, at that time director of the
Neapolitan Bunk, lie went, moreover, twice to Rome
once, It is said (hut of mune we are at liberty to believe
as much of this on.dit as we please), at the exprem com-
mand of Francesco 11., who is said to have bestowed on
him a decoration; the second time by order of the Pope,
who wished to imprison him, and kept him there for several
months He has been condemned to death no less than
three times, which is not too much when we learn that
among the Innumerable murders he has committed during his
lifetime, twelve at least have been Judicially brought home to
him. The most conspicuous among these crimes is, perhaps,
his asausination of the eergeant of the Carablnieri, De (Du-
per* who was courageous enough to attempt to arrest him
alone and unassisted.

What with the terror he 'wired, and the sympathy he
often succeeded in exciting—especially by his proverbial
generosity and notorious piety for, whether feigned or
genuine, he, at any rate, gave himself out for • fervent
devotee)—he has always found plenty of people ready to
conceal him, and even enjoyed the saintly appellation or
surname of Carollers Sant' Antonio. Nevertheless, since
the active administration of the new Prefect of Napier,
Marchese d'Afilitto, Mono had begun to feel leu at ease.
Almost all his accomplloes and manutengoli in the ordinary
theatre of his exploits had beim successively eaptured, and
people on whom even the vaguest suspicion of complicity or
friendship with him rented were liable to arrest. So he thought
it more prudent to draw near Naples and contrive to
make sore of some safe places of refuge both in the town
linen and In the immediate suburbs. Ile was the compare
(godfather) of halt the population between Oltafano and
hosconsals, and se the title of compare in far more respected
In that part of the world than that of father or brother, he
met with the most extraordinary discretion and fidelity
among ide allies, the Inhabitants of the villages round Naples,
and of the city limit Ile was frequently to be seen In town,
and upon one occasion a certain Merchese R , when walking
across the Plasm Reale observed a servant of his speaking
with an ill•favoured, repulsive-looking fellow, and on ques-
tioning him the men, trembling, confessed that It was the
notorious Mons.
---- - - -

-
The brigand, imagining hieneell now to be in perfect
safety, and finding himself moreover short of cash, tot to
oresnising a system of neetti, as they are called in Italy,
or forcing wealthy people to glee him large sums of money
by threatening letters ; and, as they had considerably more
fear for him than confidence in the police, they never dared
to denounce the man, who was meanwhile plundering them
in private at his ease.
Since Cavaliers Colmeyer, however, his been as the bud
of the police at Naples. Phone had enjoyed lees and lees
tranquility, revery severe eurveillanos having been established
uses the quasteee he was moot in the habit of frequent
jug, such as Fteio, Marotta, and the lower parts of the
atty.
kieeng the officers employed in tracking him was • certain
Petrillo, who reminds me forcibly of the 'orient do whoa
bent on taking Jean V &jean, in Victor lingo. Mioarobtos.
This man seems to have taken up him profession from voca-
tion, and to exercise it artistically. He possesses the feu
astre, the disinterestedneas, the indefatigable zeal of the
man who is determined upon accomplishing his end. Now,
Petrillo, It seems had made the capture of this famous bri.
pante the one aim of his life, and, alter numerous fruitless
attempts, finally succeeded on Friday last. According
to come, it was a friend of Caroline Scar Antonio,
SOM. treacherous accomplice of the briganto. or some
Intended benefactor of hie country, who gave information
to the police to the effect that l'ilone was expected on the
14th under the bridge of the Arenaccia, where he WPM to re-
care a rioatta he had imposed on • proprietor of Disco Ire
ctioA, living at Naples Others maintain that the victim
himself denounced to the authorities the Intended spolletion,
and was ordered, in consequence, to follow up the business.
However title may be, Mono was in town as soon as the
10th inst., and the policemen coming wrote him several
time, had ample opportunity to note his features and
dress, so as not to be liable to mistake his identity
on the appointed day. tio lent Friday when the man who
was to pay the rictitto allahtee from the omnibus near the
Orto BOlatliCo he found his brigand faithful to the rendez- ,
von.. He would hove been easy to recognize by a slight
limp of the left foot, even had he not been clothed in his
habitual costume—• white flat hail, violet cravat, black
velvet Jacket • black watstooat, and striped trousers. lie
carried a rough stick In his hand, wore blue swim:dee on
tic t)oFe bai cut off his beard, and ad) retained his bleak
rei,i4ets, strata) tinged with PUY.
While the en:grit/to was counting out the money Petrillo
pounced upon PllOOl and seized him, while several pollee
scents in clothes approached. its herculean strength
o this officer, however, was no match for the terribie hero of
the Vesavini, who succeeded In hiebighhneelf from the iron
grasp of his enemy, and almost knocked hini down with his
nick. Ile then threw himself between the legs of his ea
salmi, saying repeatedly, "Sono trodito, cone trodito r (I
am betrayed), unsheathed his dagger, dealing wounds rock-
lately on all sides with it, and distributed sundry klub with