The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-23 00:00:00

POPULAR JUSTICE IN ITALY.

An Occasional Correspondent of The Times, writing from
Rome, the 10th inst , gives the following interesting particu-
lars of the trial and condemnation of a murderer
The Roman Court of AsFizes has passed sentence of
death upon a murderer, the verdict for once having
been unaccompanied by the recommendation of ex-
tenuating circumstances. In this case, however,
public opinion had been fully aroused to the henious
nature of the crime In fact, the system of intimi-
dation so commonly employed on behalf of the pri-
soner may be said to have been exercised against him, the
motive which influenced the people springing from a
sentimental feeling arising out of the peculiar circum-
stances of the case, rather than from a strict sense of
impartial justice.
On the morning of the trial, and notwistanding that
nearly five months have passed since the crime was
committed, a crowd assembled betimes at the door of
the prison. As the murderer was brought out the
mob saluted him with a storm of hisses, groans, and
imprecations, and accompanying the van, kept up the
same chorus along the entire route from the prison to
the court. As they rushed into the court-house when—
after the prisoner had been, placed in the dock and the
Court had entered—the doors were opened, they hurled
another storm of detestation upon him; when he
attempted to excuse the deed by seeking to cast an im-
putation on his yeung wife's character, the women in
the crowd shrieked out, " Amorte I Amorte 1" and
when his victim's mother, had given her evidence, she
strode along the estrade on which the witnesses sit to
be examined, and raising her hand aloft before the
President, cried out, " Voglio la sun testa;' avete
capito ? Voglio la sun testa." (" I want his head; do
you understand me? I want his head.")
Felomena Ricci—or, as she was called by those who
knew her "La bella granarola" was a Trasteverina
of great beauty, that type so well known through the
portraits of Raphael's "Fornarina." But Felomena
was not only a handsome, spirited girl; she is described
as having been to good as she was beautiful, and a 1
great favourite even with those among her companions
whose mothers held her up in the odious light of an '
example. But she had the misfortune of marrying a
vagabond, who possessed the idea that it was his wile's
duty to labour thatthe might live in idleness. The poor
girl did her best, bu the harder she worked the greater
became the requirements of his pleasures; then he began
to beat her, and finally endeavoured to insist that she
should give herself ud to a life of infamy to supply him
with money. This brought about a separation. Felo-
mena fled for protection to her mother's house, and,
after a short while, Vincenzo professed regret. He would
lead another life, he had not really intended what
she imagined, he only thought to try her, he would
do all he could to make her happy. The girl was only
too glad to believe his protestations, and, putting her
arm in his, they went off to celebrate their reconcilia-
tion by a country ramble and a merenda at one of the
wayside osterias outside the gates. Radiant with re-
turned happiness—a popolana told a friend of mine
that she had "such hair and such eyes as would
enamour the angels "—she was clinging lovingly to his
side, when, having reached a secluded part of the

road, the bate st.)pped, faced round upon her, and
told her to say her prayers on the spot, for there he
intended to kill her. For that purpose he had brought
her out. But, fortunately—though it proved to be
only a temporary respite—before he could accomplish
Lis purpose. same people came up, and the girl
escaped. "You've got the portrait of some protect-
ing saint upon you," he exclaimed, "but it will be
for another time." Again she took refuge with her
mother, and obtained work in a granary near the
Forum, where a number of other girls were employed
in sifting corn. On the morning of the 28th of May
she was busy among her fellows; when Vincenzo, all
amiability and smiles, makes his appearance among
them He sits down beside his wife, takes her hand,
begins to use words of love and affection, and Felo-
mena's companions, from a feeling of respect, move to
the ether sidle of the room to leave them the more in

) private. Fearing no danger there among her friends,
her eyes began to brighten with hope, but as they
' talked she stopped to pick up something, and then
. Vincenzo, with a sudden movement, taking her un-
awares, flung her full length upon the ground, put his
knee upon her, and before the others, paralyzed with
fright, could prevent him, plunged a long knife six
timesinto her body, killing her on the spot. His object
• accomplished, he brandished the bloody knife in the
faces of the girls, threatening them with death if they
attempted to follow him, and then dashed out of the
place. Some of the more courageous however, sprabg
after him, raised a hue and cry, and as he fled across
the Forum he came full in the face of two agents of
public security, who caught him red-handed.
Two days afterwards, poor Felomena was carried to
the grave, but the funeral procession—and a most
moving sight it was—was very different to what people
were accustomed to see some years ago. Then her body
would have been borne by some confraternity and ac-
companied by a long string of cowled monks, but uow
the friends take the pious duty upon themselves.
First, the girls of the Trastevere, her companions and
friends, determined to carry the bier themselves all
the long three miles to the Campo Verano. There
were numbers of the Trasteverini men ready to
perform the office, but the girls wished to pay
her remains this special homage, and at once
began to subscribe and collect money for the expenses.
The great features in the modern Roman funerals
are pitch torches and a band to play the Funeral
March. They had soon so much more than sufficient
to provide these that they were able to pay for a hand-
some hearse, for wreaths to decorate it—flowers are
not as cheap in Rome as they were—and for a hand-
some carriage for the curato. The intention of carry-
ing the remains was then abandoned; they were able
to render them what they considered still higher hon-
our, and also accompany them to the grave. The pro-
cession must have extended more than half a mile.
First came a number of the Traatevere men walk-
ing two and two, one towards each side of the road,
all carrying lighted torches; then the band playing
the Funeral March; then came the women and
girls, each with a lighted torch in the same manner,
in two long continuous lines, followed by the
hearse upon every available point of which wreaths
were hung • and around it in a body, and also carrying
lighted torches, walked the girls who were• Felomena's
intimate friends and companions, most of whom were
weeping bitterly. After the hearse foLowed the curato
in the carriage provided for him, and and lastly another
double file of men with torches. With the exception
of the prominent part the women took in the funeral,
and the number of persons who attended it, it may be
takela as an example of many now seen in the streets
of Rime; and I need scarcely say they are always at
nightfall.
The murderer during the trial showed great
cowardice. When he was brought in he drew out two
white pocket-handkerchiefs, and, burying his face in
one, began to shed tears, or made a pretence of doing
80. He tried to excuse his crime by casting imputa-
tions on his wife's virtue, an attempt the people who
knew all the circumstances of the case soon drowned
in execrations. Then be wept again, and began to
call his victim "La mkt povera iclomena," whom he
had always loved. When he saw there was no
longer any hope, he began to cry out that he re-
pented of his crime, and implored mercy, and, finally,
when sentence of death was pronounced upon him, he
threw himself down on the ground screa.mieg in an
agony of convulsive despair—a simulated agony one
must suppose, however, for he is reported to have
eaten a very hearty meal shortly after being removed
from the Courr. •
In the meantime the murderer has appealed, and it
remains to be seen how much of the sentence the
philanthropic sentiments of the Judges of the Court
of Cessation will lead them to annul.