The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-29 00:00:00

THE

BRITISH PRESS.

ADVEXTURES and DEATH of the NEAPOLITAN
CAPTAIN, PATITAHL

ENTRACT IRON A LETTNII., DATED NATLES, NOV. 17.
The Neapolitan Captain Francois Patitati,. a native of
Lecce, in the kingdom of Naples, served in the year Joel
at Messina, in Sicily, in a regiment of infantry under the
command of General Rosearol. On the second attempt at
a revolution, made by this General, Patitari was ordered by
him to endeavour to draw into their party the tuivn of Me-
Imo, in Sicily.
In order to execute the plan drawn by the General, it•
was necessary to effect a limiting at Reggio, in Calabria,
and its esvirems, so that they might act in concert with the
Calabrians, and thus defeat the precautions of the Royal
troops, already supported by the arrival of the Austrians in
Naples.
Captain Masi, Commander of the maritime forces, took
charge of embarking and handing the troops of General
ilca s :rot. Every thing seemed thus to promise success to
the enterprise, when the rising edifies of liberty was at once
overthrown by the treachery of this individual.
Captain Patitari, who was at Milano. conscious of the
danger which threatened him, evolved to hasten to Mes-
sina, and there join General Rossarol. On his arrival in
this town, the populace, enraged at the determination of
their leader, turned their fury against him. Notwith-
standing, however, the crowd which surrounded him, he
had succeeded in extricating himself from their hands,
when his horse fell, and in his fall Captain Pathan had
his thigh broken.
Convinced of the hopelessness of his situation, lie claimed
the treatment to which his misfortune entitled him. But
the people were obdurate, and their first resolution was to
drag him through the streets of the city, and thus end the
life which he had consecrated. tothe liberty of his country.
The greater. pan, howcvee, esposet.l this bacharoue
tion : and Patitari, after doring- dreadful sufferings, was
carried to an hospital, which became to him a pilaw's.. The
pains which were taken to restore him to health were only
intended as means to prolong his misery ; and as soon as he
bad recovered, he was thrown intoone of the most wretched
dungeons of the citadel of Messina.
In the mean time, the Austrians arrived at Messina had
established a military commission to sit in judgment over
those who were secured of rebellion against the Govern-
ment.

So great was the number of persons brought before this
odious tribunal, that Patitari waited nearly a twelvemonth
before it became his turn to stand for trial. The effects of
the dreadful abode into which he bad been thrown began
to appear, and when he was first brought out to be inter-
rogated, the sudden appearance of light, to which he had
been so long unaccustomed, almost deprived him of sight.
His hair had become grey, awl the dampness of the cell
had so affected and weakened his whole frame, that he was
unable to stand even for the shortest space of time. The
evil soon extended from the body to the mind, and the
noble spirit which had for years supported him through
every trial forsook him, and the unhappy Patitari became a
maniac.
The sight of such a man in such a state inspired some
with the laudable but dangerous wish of endeavouring to
relieve in some degree his extreme misery, and their efforts
were not all in vain. Love did not forsake him in the
hour of adversity, and the Marchioness F. Messinoise, who
had known and loved him in happier days, asked and ob-
tained of the Austrian Magistracy that her unhappy friend
might have the liberty of breathing the pure air, and
taking exercise for a short time every day in the court of
the citadel. This indulgence soon restored him to health,
and no sooner did his mind begin to recover its wonted
vigour, than it again wished for liberty, and Patitari deter-
mined to attempt his escape. One side of the citadel was
surrounded by a river, which, from its breadth and the
rapidity of its current, had been considered a sufficient
protection against the evasion of the prisoners; this offered
the only possibility of escape, and of this Patitari determined
to avail himself. After two or three days' consideration,
he carried his purpose into execution ; and, notwith-
standing the rapidity of the stream, he swain to the op-
posite batik, near to St. Francois de Paula, about two
miles and a half distant from the citadel. Although in a
very exhauskal state, he immediately took a boat, and went
at once into Calabria.
Arrived there, his friends, sympathising in his mis-
fortunes, offered him an asylum against the persecutions
'llld The regßittlltt-WrGbatirwriVertt 'He accepted their
proffered kindness, and although regretting the failure of
all his endeavours to obtain libel ty, he enjoyed considerable
happiness, or, at least, tranquillity, relying on the ho-
nour of the alabrians, whom he thought incapable of be-
traying him.
Whilst he was thus situated, the Tribunal ordered him
to be brought to trial, and, in his absence, condemned him
to capital punishment.
In August, 1e25, the researches of Government be-
came more active, and Patitari fearing every instant to
fall into the hands of his enemies, determined, in the
month of September, to pass law a foreign land, and
thus escape the death decreed against him by the Military
Commission, as guilty of treason against the State.
He set off, wtthout passport or any other paper, and with
nothing but the good wishes of his friends for his success
and safety, and embarked at Stills on board a merchant's
vessel, with the intention or landing at Corfu, or in some
other place whence he might easily pass into Greece. He
was near doing so, and began to hope all his miseries were
about to terminate, when an unfavourable wind forced the
Captain to touch at Otranto, in the kingdom of Naples, and
near the native land of the unhappy Patitari. His good
fortune now forsook him, he was discovered, and once more
fell into the hands of his enemies. He underwent a most
severe examination, in the hope that be would discover
those who had assisted him in Ins flight, but Patitari was
too noble-minded to betray them.
The former proceedings against him were examined, the
sentence or death already pronounced against him was
repeated, and, having received the Royal sanction, he was
shot in the latter part of October, 1823. Ile met his fate
like a brave man ; and, by dying like a hero, showed that,
had an opportunity been allowed him, he would have lived
and fought like one.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

PIGEON SHOOTING.

The second great match, at eleven birds each, was shot on Tues-
day for 100 sovereigns a side, by eleven members of the New Bats,
and eleven of the Ileston Club, on the same ground where the Ash-
ton and Illidghom Clubs and eleven of All England shot on the
preceding day. on the same terms, the winners of which killed 94.
The shunting in the present match was as follows :
NEW DATA. KILLED. HESTON.
Bullock . . 11 Aston .
10 Fordham
10 Cobham
N Uroom .
81 Blenkup .

Jasper .
Biliinghurst
Phenix ,
Howard

KILLED.
. . . 10

. . . 10
ti

9

Swinton .

11njot

. . . 0

Frampton
Ward .

Windus .

Flowers .
Newton .

I;
I;

. . .
. . . 7

- .
Messrs. Bullock and Jasper a
Fordham, for 2O sovereigns • side,
KILLED.

Apton .
Fordham