Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-05-23

The Vardarelli were surrounded on all sides
Perceiving a, once they were betrayed they spranp
upon their horses and drew their sabres: bu, n,
the same momen, the general took Off his hat.
which was the signal agreed upon the command
'Fnccia in terra, was heard and the spectators
throwing throwing themselves en- their faces. The
soldies fred over them, and nine Of the briQands
fell 10 the ground, dead or MORALLY wounded
Those who were unhur seeing they had no quar-.
ter 10 expect, dismounied and forming compac,
body, fought their way 10 an old castle, in which
they took refuge. Two only, trusting 10 the
speed Of their horses, charged the group of sold
iers tina, appeared the least numerous shot down
two of them, and succeeded in breaking through
life TO similar piece or daring, effected how
ever, on another point ofthe enemy's line She
broke through, and golloped of, after having dis.
charged both of her pistols with fatal effect.
The attention of all was now turned to the re-.
naming twenty Vardareli, who had taken refuge
in the ruined castle. The soldiers advanced against
them, encouraging one another, and expecting to
encounter an obstinate resistance, but their sur.
prise they reached the gate of the castle wi,hou:
shot being fred at them. the gate was soon beaten
n and the soldiers spread themselves through the
halls and galleries of the old building. But all
was silence and solitude and the bandits had dis.
appered
After an hour passed in rummaging ever ycor-
ner of the place, the assailants were going away
in despair, convinced that their prey had escaped
them, when soldier who was STOPPING down to
look through the arhole of a cellar, fell shot
through the body.
The Vardarelli were discovered; but still it
was no easy matter to get at them.
Instead of locsing men by direct attack the
soldiers blocked up the air hole with stones,
guard over it, and going round TO the door of the
cellar, which was barricaded on tn inner side
they heaped lighted faggols and combustibles
against it, so that the staircase was one immense
furnace. After time the door gave way, and the
fire poured torrent into the retreat Of the un-
fortunate bandits. Still profound silence reigned
in the vault. Presently two carbine shots were
fired two brothers, determined not to fall alive in
the hands of their enemies, had shot each other
in DEATH A moment afterwards an explosion wa
heard, bandit had thrown himself into the flames
and his cartridge box had blown up At last the
remainder of the unfortunate men being nearly
suoca,ed, and seeing their escape impossible, sur
rendered at discretion, were dragged through the
air-hoe, and Immediately bound hand and foot
and conveyed to prison.
As to the eight who had refused tocome to Foggia
and the two who had escaped, they were hunted
down like wild beasts, tracked from cavern to cav
ern and from forest to forest Some were shot
others betrayed by the poasantry, some gave them
selves up so that before the year was out all the
VANDERBILT were dead or prisoners. The woman
who had displayed much masculine courage, was
the only one who finally escaped She was never
heard OF afterwards.