The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-06 00:00:00

THE POLICE AND THE BRIGANDS
IN ITALY.

The Speck' Conespoudeut of The nowt, writing from
Arum, Augost 27, mu.

The brigand band of Mauzi, which was for some
Cme the terror of the Province of Ave Dino. ha. been
complete'y deetroyed. Surrounded by superior forces
of Carabinterm and Bersaglieri, under the orders of the
Prefect of Avellino (Principato Ulteriore), the brigand
chief stood at by in a house between Flumeri and
Stuino, where he had fortified himself and was able to
keep up a brisk fire from the loopholes in the walls.
All the difficulty of the undertaking connoted in
getting the ruttion ont of his hiding places. For
several months he had not been heard of. Ile had
withdrawn into his mountain fastnesses, lived at
else, and even in luxury, upon the produce of his
former exploits, and relied on the allegiance of the
peasantry of the neighbourhood, several families of
whom he had attached to himself by his liberalities.
The Prefect, Casialio, a man known by the surname of
Cale tlio Niente Pours (Casalis Dreadnought ''),
hearing that the brigand was at large in his teritoriee,
had armed a few companies of mountaineers as
squadriglieri, or anti-brigand bands' in order that, by
their knowledge of the localities, they might serve as
1111XliA1100 to the regular armed force and police.
Under the disguiee of these loose vclunteero, Manzi
and his band were allowed to pass unmolested a de-
tachment of Bersoglieri, between Montelli and Pagnoli,
whose challenge they answered by the common watch-
word " and upon whom, as they were retiring
Into the bush, they fired, wounding their sentry, and
thus getting off unscathed. This treacherous trick put
the Prefect on his mettle, and, although a civilise, he
took the field personally, determined this exploit of
the brigand chief should be his last.

With a view to lure him out of his mountain haunt",
the Prefect bribed some of the manutengoli, or pm..
veyors of the brigands, and through them he persuaded
the chief theta rood job could be made by capturing
Baron Grella, a Deputy, and • wealthy landowner of
&urn°. The bait took Manzi put himself into com-
muuication with some of Baron's gamekeepers, who
artfully offered to deliver up their master, and the
brigand fell thus into the snare which had been laid
for his apprehension. Instead of meeting the friendly
gamekeepers. he found himself surrounded by the I
forces of the Prefect, who had been cleverly pouted at
every outlet of the woods, and he soon perceived that
he could hardly hope to eecape by fighting hie v.cy
through the thick of them. Yielding ground before
these enemies, the brigand fell back upon the bowie
in the woods of Fringento, which had often
ben him shelter, and there awaited the doom
'g ch no longer could be avoided. Ho was soon
put out of trouble. Casella Niente Panes came
up with hi. Carsbineers and a few Bersaglieri, and
ordered an immediate attack. The brigands were nine
in number, all armed with goof Lefacheux rifles.
I They fought behind the shelter of the home, and their
fight, Colley killed one of the Csrabineers, by name
I Caccia, and inflicted upui their captain, nett.% a
wound which was deemed mortal, but from which he
is now expected to recover. But the troops, animated
by the presence of the Prefect, who urged the men on
1 by his wet-cry of " Nleutu Pours," made a rush upon
, the door of the house, burst it open, And came up with
the brigands, six of whom in a few seconds were killed,
and the remaining three disabled by wounds. Before
the troops had effs cted their entrance, and while they
were huddled at the door, one of the ruffians had
thrust his hand, armed with a long revolver, out of a
loophole in the hall, but he had no time to accomplish
his purpose, as one of the tiuniptters of the Bersaglieri
seized the brigand's arm, and go crushed it against the
wall as to compel the man to drop his murderous
weapon.
• - - -

These particulars era given by the Cronarca
d'Areffino, end the report has seceived full official
confirmation. The Italian Preto is loudly exalting the
heroirm of the Prefect easel's, and of the gendarmes
and soldiers who acted under his guidance. Those
troops are detachmente from the Division with which
General Paßavi:lid undertook a few sears ago, and
has now almost accomplished, the extermination of the
Southern brigands. His forces hove been eminently
snocreasful of late, and, one after another, the Nea-
politan Provinces are recovering from the panic which
bad for so many years demoralized them. All the
exaggerated notions about the deeperate courage of
brigands yield before the experience of a hundred
fights, in none of which, in 'spite of all the advantages
of position, have the bravest of them ever been able to
hold their ground against their assailants.
It might be natural to infer from the act that six
out of nine were killed, and the remaining three
severely wounded, that the brigands of the Manzi band
fell only after an obstinate resistance, and asked or
accepted no quarter. But the question is whether
quarter was at all offered to them. It must be re-
membered that the Carebineers had been at great pains
to apprehend Manzi and his band on a former occasion;
that they hal succeeded in taking them after • san-
guinary contest and at the cost of the fives of ‘ome of
the most gallant among their own number. The brb
gands had been lodged in gaol; they had been brought
before • Court; they had been found guilty without
, "extenuating circumstancee," and condemned to
" death; but while the blast sword of Italian justice
was behsg sharpened, Manzi and three of his moat
notorious cut throats had been suffered to escape, and
It was these who, joined by five other runaways and
outlaws, were terrorizing the Provhioas of the ANumi.
It Is not easy to find fault with the Carabineers, if,
havingonce morebrought the criminals tobay, they went

to the assault determined to make short work with
them, instead of again allowing their captives to be dealt
with by temporizing magistrates, 'MU or cowardly
Juries, and negligent or unfaithful gaolers. Had
everybody in Italy done his duty as the Carabineers
did, M&DZi would long have been put out of the way
of doing further harm, and more valuable lives need
not have been sacrificed to bring him to his last
account.