The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-23 00:00:00

TIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVEMNG, FEBRUARY 23, 1869.

asked if the tin sheet bad been put in, and found that it
had been forgotten in the carriage. Peppe started in
chase, but did not succeed in catching it. It then became
necesssary to provide a substitute, and fresh lengths of
tow. The first was supplied by a long tile, of which a
quantity were lying about, and a fresh piece of tin tack
being prepared, Monti prepared for the last desperate act.
He became aware then, for the first time, that the same
four unknown men, carefully disguised, had taken up
their places at the chemist's shop on the Piazza, and were
evidently sent to spy his movements and avenge his
weakness. This decided him, and he started for the bar-
racks, which lie close behind the Piazza. He entered the
magazine, closed the door behind him, spread the powder,
and by the pale light of a single lucifer match, groped his,
way to the place where the barrels had been laid, attached
the linstock, weighting it with a stone that it might not
be blown away by the wind. He dragged the ammunition
stores into close proximity with the barrels, and then ap-
plied a light to the linstock and fired the train, rushing
from the building, and closing the door after him.
On reaching the Piazza Scosscavalli he paid each of the
men ten scudi, and, walking on by himself, he had only
reached the Borgo Vecchio when the awful explosion took
place. He looked at his watch, and it was exactly seven,
the train having taken five minutes before reaching the
powder.
He went back to Ansiglioni, but could not find him, and
went to seek him at his other house in the Rotonda, but
no one could give any account of him. About half-past
two Ansiglioni returned, pale and frightened, and asked
for wine. On being asked how matters were going, he
said, " Very well," but without specifying how, and he
went to bed, and slept soundly. In the morning he
called for Monti, and gave him ten scudi (k 2), at which
ridiculously small reward he complained bitterly. A
number of young Genoese, who had been engaged in con-
flicts with the military, began to arrive, and at a quarter
past ten Barzelli came in, and taking off his hat in a marked
and formal manner, addressed Ansiglioni, saying that the
General Francesco Cucchi desired him in his name to
present his compliments on the happy results of the
Serristori enterprise to him who had directed it, and him
who had executed it. Ansiglioni, on being asked who
had been the principal actor, replied that it was Monti,
on which Barzelli replied, "Bravo, Peppe ! you will have
a great reward for this !" Monti answered by shewing
the ten scudi Ansiglioni had given him, at which Barzelli
made a gesture of surprise and annoyance, and Ansiglioni
interposed, saying he would come to an understanding with
Cucchi as to the price, but that for the moment he was
short of money.
About half an hour after the house was filled with
strangers, all unknown to Monti, and belonging to all
countries—French, English, German, Italian, and
American—who succeeded each other in rapid interviews
with Ansiglioni the whole morning. Monti dined
with Ansiglioni, who told him he had seen Cucchi, and
that lie (Monti) had prepared a happy future for himself,
that he would never need to work, but might " live like a
gentlemen, and want for nothing." He then said that
Cucchi had directed the movement of the previous even-
ing pressed on by Garibaldi, but that the details of the
mines had originated with himself, and that the object was
to destroy, if possible, the foreign troops, and above all
the Zouaves, no idea of mining the barracks occupied by
the Italian troops existing. He said that if the revolt
succeeded, a Provisional Government would be proclaimed
until the arrival of the Royal troops, in order that Rome
might become the capital of Italy. The expenses of the
movement, Ansiglioni said, were furnished by Cucchi, the
Italian Government having, moreover, spent three millions
and a half of francs for the purpose of exciting an internal
revolt.

Monti was arrested on the 24th, and finding himself
betrayed and abandoned by the men who had caused his
ruin, confessed the entire affair, as did also Bassi. Their
evidence was amply confirmed by the numerous witnesses
and by the papers which were found a few days after in
the house of Ajani, in Trastemere, which after the dis-
covery of the conspiracy in Trebia Crescenzi became the
headquarters of Cucchi, and hence, on the attack of the
Pontifical troops, he succeeded in escaping with Silvestri,
Perfetti, and Ansiglioni.
Twenty-seven lives were sacrificed in the explosion.
Of these by far the greater number were Romans belonging
to the hand of the Zouaves. But for the numbers on
their uniforms they could not have been in most
cases identified, so terribly were they crushed and
mutilated. Ten others, most of whom died a few
days after, were rescuedalive, and carried to the hospital
of St. Spirito, and besides them a father, mother, and
child were crushed beneath the ruins, the woman alone
surviving to tell the tale.
The condemnation of Monti and Tognetti to death, of
the rest of their accomplices to the galleys for life and
lengthened periods, and the executions of the former are
incidents fresh in the memory of all. The originators of
the attempt have succeeded in evading justice, and
Cucchi still sits as deputy for Bergamo in the Italian Par
liament.

1111SCEL rANEOUS IVEIVS.