The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-07-24
and when I" the tired wheels of mature stop
ped" we hope he 1" entered into rest"
GASPARONI, THE BANDIT.


|. In the month of September, 1922, a
wedding took place in village called
Valle-C -Corsa, situated, az its name implies
on the beautiful vale Of Corsa, between
an amiable and industrious young coup
le somewhat above the lower class, who
had that day taken possession of u small
farm, purchased by their hard earned saw
ings, and the assistance Of their parents.
While the guests were amusing themselves
with dancing, at an early hour in the eve-
ing, Casparoni made his appearance in the
room with few comrades, and inquired If
nothing good had been left from the we'd
ding dinner. Being answered that very
little had remained, from the concourse Of
visiters having been greater than they
had anticipated, they commenced search
Of the house, and unfortunately for the
young couple, discovered rather plenti-
ial though homely supper, which had been
prepared for the guests. The counte-
nance of the bandit Immediately changed.
What"-..said he" are Gasparoni and
his companions to be denied their supper
at wedding when there are sufficient
provisions in the house3 Enough! The
bride shall 60 with me- Then turning to
the youthful husband, he said" If you
are in want of partner, send me the day
after tomorrow, at least, six hundred scudi,
or you will never see her more.' Resist
ance was win; the guests were horror
struck, and the unfortunate girl was drag
ged from the arms of her distracted hus-
band, and carried to the mountains. On
the second day as the bandit had intimat-
ed, the unhappy husband had contrived,
with the assistance Of his:friends to collect
the sum named for ransom, which imme-
diately sent by one of his laborers, who
consigned it into the hands of Gasparoni.
You are come," said the bandit, "to
take your masters young bride home.
will keep my word-you shall take her." !"
With that he drew his bloody knife and
stabbed the innocent virgin to the heart.
Suc& was the strength and dexterfy with
which he used the diabolicaI instrument,
THAT the point came out at her back
"Return now" said he, "to your master;
tell him from me, to enjoy her and that l
hope he will become more hospitable to
his friends al his next nuptials." The af-
frighted countryman took the corpse ofthe
murdered girl on his shoulder, and bore it
to the anxious and expcctant lover. The
scene which followed may more easily be
imagined than described. Suffice it to
say that ia the moment of frenzy, he
snatched the ifeless body ofhis wife from
the bearer, and rushing into the house,
shot himself through the head, and expir-
ed on the corpse.
The police were now in hot pursuit for
Gasparoni-and the government, among
other edicts, offered premium Of four
thousand scudi foi his head, and free
pardon, besides this large sum of money, ,
to any one of his comrades who should
succeed in destroying him. The knowl-
edge Of this edict, and his having discov-
cred among his accomplices many daring
individuals who had entered his band with
the connivance Of government, and even
assisted him in his robbcries with the dcs-
perate resolution of gaining the golden
prize by his destruction, irritated him ex-
cecdngly, and obliged him to dismiss a
great number of his followers, and retire
with a chosen few on whom he could rely,
to the neighborhood Of Terracini.--Here
instead of coneealing himself, his daring
spirit conceized and executed the plan of
carrying to his retreat, in forest, two
miles from Terrscini, "a garrisoned town
a colonel of the Austrian troop. He de-
mandcd as his ransom, ten thousand scudl
(about 2,OOOl.) In this, however, he was
frustrated by the general in chief of the
Austrian army sending him word that il
the slightest insult was offered to the CO.
lionel, he would FIRE the village of Ciccia-
ra, and revenge himself on Gasparoni's
parents. This spirited answer alarmed
him for the safety Of his mother, TO whom
he was always very much attached, and
he Immediately gave the colonel his libcr-
y.
Gasparoni attributes his many miracu-
lous escapes from his own associates and
the police to the affection Of a boy to
whom he had stood us compare, or god
father.-This lad who partook the fcroc
ity Of his prcceptor but excclled him in his
cunning, and joined him when only seven
or eight years Of age would never leave
his side, and always watched while the
bandit slspt--standing or sitting as senti-