The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-03-13
Exploit Of a Roman handle.

a small Italian town has recently been
tho scene of an exploit almost incredible.
1t appears that on the 25th u fJanuary the
theatrical corps of Forlini PopoIi was
playing the Death ofCesar." Forlini-
Popoli is a small town Of about 1000 in.
habilants. incIosed by a high wall, erier
ed by iva gates, and scarcely three miles
from the town ui Foil, OF which il is a
kind of suburb BY eight in the evening
the hour when the theatres open in Italy,
all movement has disappeared from the
streets, the windows are CLOSED, and the
inhabitants have retired to their homes,
the coffee house or theatres. This ali
Seuce of activity in H. streets, which
every one remarks at Rome. is STILL more
complete in small towns, Ii may then be
understood how, ut Forlin, Pnpoli. and
particularly on the evening when The the
atre was open. the streets should be 80
deserted as to make possible the occur.
renee nov To be related.
The first act of the piece had termina
ted, and the curtain hodjust fallen, when
suddenly it rose aud Observation-Disclosures
of the actors, who had disappeared-ien
brigunds of the band of del PdSs0t0re,
who. armed with muskets aud carbines.
leveled them SO as to command the EN-
tire range of the pit and boxes. At the
same moment another party consisting of
thirty brigands, made their appearance
80, IA, n..,. - ,b., La,.a ia. ,.n.,e as
which we're guarded. a'd armed with sa
bres aud pistols, menaced the spectators.
A mumeut of stupor, during which no
one dare move, elapsed, whenl the chief i
the b%rigands advanced To the foot lights,
aud exhibiting the keys ofthe two gates
of the town. said: "Geutlrmen, yo0 see
by these that you are entirely in uur pow.
Ell; aud resistance on your part would lead
Ia disasters which | should be the fist tn
depiote, bur which it depends on yuu Ia
vert Listen then to what ! ho, ln say.
| am about to call out the names Of sew.
eral among you, as | pronounce a name,
lei him who bares it step forth from his
box and repair To his house, in company
with one ortwo of my friends, who will
assist him To bring hither all his hourds,
and that without d%efrauding us of a por
petto." This said, the orator displayed
a paper, aud commenced reading tine ia.
tai roll. Submission was inevitable, 4
dozen carbineers formed the sole police
of Forlini Popnli, Six of these were III
the theatre. aud had been gagged 10y he
brigands, The six others, surprised in
their guard house, had veutured a vain
resistance. The b%urgomaster was the
first victim.
Some time Of course was required fUr
this operation. which did not terminate
before a quartert To twelve. II was prub
ably TO shorten the agony ofthe pit and
boxes that two brgauds went fIom spec
tator to spectator, collecting hatsfulls oI
watches, purses. chains. rings and even
umbrellas, When the harvest was gather.
ed, and the booty had been heaped up IN
the stage, the brigands allowed the cur.
tain To fall, and quietly withdrew. carry
ing all with them. The money thus oh
tanned amounted to 1000 Roman pias,ers
or about 10000 francs, aud the bijoux
objects of art, &c , at double that sum.
The hex day an Austrian detachment
set out in pursuit ofthe band, which prob
ably had dispersed by that time in the
mountains, or passed the Tuscan frontier
Their number is supposed to have beer
about three or four hundred, tits prob
bile that they wereiu leogue with some o
the inhabitants. However this may be
private houses and public treasures have
been %plundered. with the exception o
the Monte de Pete the hslenings o
which resisted all the attempts made Il
break it.