Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-11-20
MONASTERY OF SANTA CHIARA;
OR, sIcILiAN BANDITTI.

IA ACn NChiS otbNC q VI boDbUIs
infested the envlrons of Catania, commit
ting with IMMUNITY every species Of drpra-
idaion and enormity. Encouraged BY long
success, they even vcntured to enter by
nigh into the town, which contains a pop
ulatiDn Of at least sixty thousand souls, reg
'nlarly making an undisturbed retreat the
next morning. Not content with break 9
into aud plundering The houses OF he un-
fortunate Gaia nese. their visits were often
attended by murder and violation. Hus-
bands and parents were bound hand and
foot, and constrained to witness the affronts
Offered to their wives and daughters
Strange as it may appear, these outrages
were continued for length of time, until
the present Marquis San c., a man of
spirit and courage, was elected captain di
Gaustizia.' Even he did not think it pru
den. to oppose his fellow citizens to thi.
banditti, but fitted for the purpose compa-
ny Of CaIabrese, who, though hated by The
Slci'ians from national rivalry, are never
theless exceedingly dreaded by them on
scc'lnt T their supposed ferocity. Be-
twen these and the robbers more than one
nocturnal engagement took place. The in
defatigable San C., always at the head
Of his company, defeated and drove them
from the town; but not before his assistant,
The capitano di N5tte, and three of the
Calabrese were left dead upon The ground
These miscreants, after this, continued
their depredations in the country, until
they were surprised and cut off by de-
tachment OF German legion, despatched
for that purpose from the garrison Of SYRIA
cuse. They defended themselves Tor some
time in house with great resolution, bus
we're at length obliged to yield to superior
numbers. Their captain, having been pa
raded on horseback through the streets of
Ca'ania, with the hangman behind him,
was executed with four of his companions !;
the rest were sent to the galies.
In Sicily, where under an absolute and
needy government, there are not so many
secure and convenient methods of laying
ont capital as In commercial countries,
wealthy persons, who are 10 possession OF
much ready money, for which they have
no immediate call, not to incur the risk of
robbery much more probable in their own
houses, are in the habit of depesiting it, as
| have elsewhere noticed, iu the monastries
as place of greater safety. A Catanese
nobleman, c., if recoIlect rightly,
sent large sum in silver in strong Iron
bound chest, altogether an enormous weight
requiring the efforts of many men to carry
1t, to the Monastry Of Santa Chiara. This
got abroad In the city, and soon reached
the ears nfthe worry fraternity, whose fea,s
we have described. They determined to
risk an attempt to possess themselves of so
lich prize. A vigilant watch was kepl
Tor convenient opportunity of executing
their purpose, tut it was long before on
'Acrnrreh length the supply Of fire.
wood heIng okla asIed, 1t was requisite to
replenIsh the magazine OF the convent with
that article which is usually done twice
year. Ut course great quantity is brought
in at time. The man charged with the de-
livery is generally person appointed by
the Bishop, or the vicario, who executes his
commission under the eye Of the zitelle, or
servants OF the convent, who, 1t Is to be
remarked, are not nuns, but merely domes-
tics kept for the service of the convent,
who remain or leave them as in ordinary
households.
Tho doors Of the magazine, which arc in
the convent garden, were accordingly o..
pened, and the carrier was unloading the
fuel, when porter volunteered his assist
ance for glass of wine; the zitelIa en-
ployed to superintend upon tho occasion,
Wishing 10 get through the work as soon as
possible, though strictly forbidden to en-
ploy strangers, thoughtlessIy consented.
When the delivery of the wood was termi-
mated, the girl ran to the convent for the
wine she had promised, but on her return
the porter had disappeared The carrier
dad not know what had become of him, and
said he thought he had gone away, being
tired OF waiting. The ziteIla had some
misgivings that all was not right; but Sec
Ing the wood and faggots as she had left
them, she at lonyih shut and locked the
door as usual and reconvsyed the key to
the abbess.
After supper, one of the nuns, locking
out Of the window, thought she saw the fiy-
afe Of man gliding through the 'rees.
The zlte!la we have mentioned, apprshea-
sive OF being punished for hsr neglect in
the morning, thought that, although per.
son might be in the garden, the thick walls
and .fea grated win ows rendered the con.
vent perfectly safe, and did not disclose
her suspicious. She resolved however. on
retiring to her cell to keen a look ont from