The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-08 00:00:00

Yr. Moens among the Brigands.

Concerning what befell Mr. Moens some particu-
lars are given in a letter from M. Erdan, the clever
Neapolitan correspondent of the Temps, who heard
Them from the lips of the released captive :
" Mr. Moens, it appears, never heard any mention
of Francis 11. He saw very plainly that Manza and
his people had taken to brigandage for profit's sake.
Their idea, at the outset, was to make a round sum
and retire into private life, either in Rome or in
Spain. They very cynically avowed themselves
greedy of money, and did not even seek to palliate
their course by making themselves out victims of
injustice. I said to Mr. Moens They are warring
against society.' Against purses,' replied that cool
and matter-of-fact gentleman. Rifle balls have
now be come the more usual termination. Accord-
ing to Mr. Moens, the brigands feel this, and would
be glad to make an end of it. Our Englishman's
opinion is that the perspective of the punishment
inflicted when they give themselves up is still too
alarming. He would advise a sort of half amnesty.
By such means he thinks brigandage might be
stopped. Such is the opinion of matter-of-fact
men. He speaks of his brigands without bitter-
ness. Upon the whole he has no complaint to
make of their treatment of him during the three
months he remained in their hands. He speaks of
Alanzi, the chief, as a man of ability and decision.
He was witness to no amputation of ears. The
bandits did not appear to him more cruel than other
people. His feet having swelled, Manza placed
him in a cavern, guarded by five of his men. He
remained there a fortnight, and they sent him
everything he wanted. Manutengolismo (system of

agents and purveyors of the banditti) was perma-
. _ _ _ _

nent. All that Mr. Moens required was brought
to him next day from the neighbouring town or
village. There was only one interruption of five
days after the arrest of a number of gentlemen of
the town of Campagna who had organised an asso-
ciation for the carrying out of brigandage on a large
scale. During five days after that razzia nothing
came. They had to eat some animals of a very in-
different flavour, among others a sheep that had
died on the skirt of the wood. Then the supplies
recommenced. Mr. Moens refuses to reveal any-
thing that might lead to the detection of the manu-

engoli. Mr. Moens is by no means poor, and is
a photographer only for his private amusement. He
has at least 30,000 f. a year. It was the English con-
sul, Mr. Bonham, who from the very commencement
cleverly made him pass for poor, sending some small
assistance through the nianutengoli to his poor coun-
tryman. Mr. Moens had the courage to hold out
three months in defence of his fortuue, of which he
has given only a sixth, instead of one-half, as at
first demanded of him. He has paid, or others have
been supposed to pay for him, 30,000 ducats, about
120,0001 r. (i 4,800). The brigands have always
been convinced that the consul and the English at
Naples paid for him ; the trick has been very well
done, and skilful Albion has kept up her reputation.
The certainty that, if the worst came to the worst,
he was able to pay what was demanded, encouraged
Mr. Moens very much ; he affirms that he never for
a moment feared for his life ; he was playing a game,
that was all. He played to keep 25,0001 r. a year
instead of 15,000 fr. The most important part of
this gentleman's souvenirs, but perhaps the least re-
liable by reason of his ironical tendencies, is that
which concerns the repression of brigandage. Ac-
cording to Mr. Aloens, the means employed are very
feeble. He says that the Manza band, during the
whole time of his detention, was never more than
fives miles from the nearest military detachment
and might easily have been laid hold of. The patrols,
he says, never leave the beaten paths of the forest,
and do not beat the wood, and several times, when
surrounded by his captors, he saw the soldiers pass-
ing at a very short distance. In short he criticises
the Italian police and troops very unfavourably, but
his criticisms do not appear to me very demonstra-
tive. As to the patrols keeping to the paths and
not going in among the trees, it would be desirable
to hear military opinion. For my part, at Eboli,
in that same district, I have seen the Italian officers
and soldiers at work, and my impression is far from
resembling that of Mr. Moens. Moreover, I repeat
it, the gentleman is ironical, viewing things—even
those which are personal to him—as from an upper
window. One cannot well draw a conclusion from
what he says. Mr. Moens is anxious to repudiate
the excess of misplaced honour attributed to him by
the papers ; he had never the possibility of escaping,
of calling the troops. The attempt would probably
have cost him his life. At the moment of his de-
parture Manza gave him 400 f. for his journey, and
a ring as a keepsake, and said, I have let you off
30,000 ducats, but you must not let the other Eng-
lish suppose they would get off so easily.' "

PREPARATIONS OF STRYCHNINE.—Mr. C. J. Cart-
tar, coroner for West Kent, held an inquest yesterday on
the body of Frances Symonds, aged 68, a married woman,
who committed suicide by swallowing a quantity of pre-
pared powder usually sold for killing rats, and known as
"Battle's Vermin Killing Powder," the ingredients of
which contain a large portion of strychnine. The evidence
showed that the deceased, who was addicted to habits of
intemperance, left home on Sunday morning last and pur-
ch
chased a
3d, packet of the above powder at a neighbouring
emist's, and on returning home mixed it in some liquid
and drank it. The chemist at whose shop the poison was
supposed to have been purchased said it was generally sold
to persons who asked for it without any questions b3ing
put, and Dr. Cogan, who had been called to the deceased,
said that a 3d. packet of the poison would contain a grain
and a half of strychnine, and that the deceased must have
suffered excruciating agony, The Coroner said it could
never have been the intention of the Legislature that such
a compound should not come within the Sale of Poisons
" co=rlitteci suicide
'FUG lainuaing undo: temporary derogixout,,,