The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-10 00:00:00

ROMAN BANDITTI.

The following letter describes a most daring act :
ROME, JANOI.

I have to-day to relate a most sinmdar and almost incre-
dible fact, the authentieity of which, however, is established
by the most incontestable evidence, including that of oflicial

reports.
On the 25th of this month, the theatrical corp. of Forlini-
Popoli was playing the " Death of Cesar." korlini-Popoli
is a small town of about 4,000 inhahitauts, inclosed by a
high wall, entered by two gates, and seareelv three miles
from the town of Forli, of which it is a kind of suburb. Ily
eight in the evening, the hour when the theatres
open in Italy, all movement has disappeared from ,
the streets, windows are closed, and the inhabit-
ants
have retired to their bonus, the coffee houses,
or theatres. This absence of activity in the streets,
which every one remarks at Rome, is still more complete in
small towns. It may then be understood how, at Forlini-
Popoli, and particularly on an evening when the theatre
was open, the streets should he so deserted as to make pos-
sible the occurrence now to be related.
The first act of the piece had terminated, and the curtain
had juet fallen, when suddenly it rose and diselosed -in-
stead of the actors, who had disappeared—ten brigands of
the baud del I'l;Bst:tore, who, armed with muskets
and carbines, levelled them so as to tommand
the entire range of the pit and boxes. At the
same moment, another party, consisting of 30 brigands,
made their appearance on the floor of the house, the issues
of which were guarded, and, armed with sabre* and pistols,
menaced the spectators. A moment of stupor, during which
no one dared move, elapsed, when the chief of the brigands
advanced to the foot-lights, and, exhibiting the keys of the
two gates of the town, said :—" Gentlemen, you see by
these that you are entirely in our power : any resistance on
your part would lead to disasters which 1 should be the
first to deplore, but which it depends on you to avert.
Listen, then, to what I have to say. I am about
to call out the names of ' several among you us
I pronounce a name, let him who bears it step
forth from his box and repair to his house, in
company with one or two of my friends, who will assist
hint to bring hither all his boards, and that without defraud-
ing us of a porpetto." This said, the orator displayed a
paper, and commenced reading the fatal roll. Submission
was inevitable. A dozen earbineers formed the sole police
of Forlini-Popoli. Six of these were in the theatre and had
been gagged by the brigands. The six others, surprised
iu their guard-house, had ventured a vain resistance. The
burgomaster was the first victim.
Some time was of course required for this operation,
which did not terminate before a quarter to 12. It was
was probably to shorten the agony of the pit and boxes that
two brigands went from spectator Ito spectator, collecting
hatfuls of watches, purses, chains, rings, and even
umbrellas. When the harvest was gathered Lad the booty
had been heaped up on the stage, the brigands allowed the i
curtain to fall, and quietly withdrew, carrying all with
them. The money thus obtained amounted to 7,000 Roman
piastres, or about 40,000 francs, and the bijoux, objects of
' art, &c., at double that sum.
The next day an Austrian detachment set out in pursuit
of the band, which probably had dispersed by that time in
the mountains or passed the Tuscan frontier. Their num-
• her is supposed to have been about three or four hundred.
It is probable that they were in league with some of the in-
habitants. However this may he, private houses and public
treasuries all have been plundered with the exception of the
Monte de Piete, the fastening of which resisted all the at-
' tempts made to break it.