Nebraska advertiser., 1858-10-28
Death Of E. Felix FOrestI.

Consul at Genoa, has Just died IN the lat
ter, city. Professor Foresti's history was
remarkable. He was a fellow-pffsoner
with Sylvio Pelico, and suffered severe
hardships for his devotion to the liberal
cause in Italy. An interesting autobio-
graphy, published two years since in the
Watchmdn and Crusader, entitled 'Twen-
ty years in the Dungeons of Austria,,' :.
gives narrative of the principal events
Of Professor Foresti's life. We copy;
"On the 4th of January, 1919, insti-
gated by the Austrian Government, the
Chief of Police of Venice, arrested many
youthful adherents of Carbonarism, For
esti was among the number. He says:
we were conducted to Venice some
were shut up in the prisons called The
Piombi and some in the Monastery of the
Island Of San Michel of Murano-seVere
Imprisonment, no correspondence, no ia
tercourse with our families. While pri-
soners there the revolutions of Piedmond
and Naples burst forth, as before said,
another cause of yexation and rigor to-
wards US. The investigations Of the Po-
lice were incessant, both by day and by
night. A solitary prison and bread and
water to those who refused to answer
"The Emperor appointed two special
Courts TO proceed against them, intrust-
ing the prosecution to their worst enemies.
The prosecution lasted more than year,
and it is impossible to describe the mise
ries and sufferings of the poor prosecuted
ones. Those in the prisons of Venice
had almost all lost their hair. The Judges
were adopts in the art of torture-the
iailors severe, rough, and infexible. Our
families could not console us, even for
one moment, by their presence. Among
the prosecuted some were weak and con-
fessed all; few were traitors; the great
er part remained firm, resisting and sill
ent. There was more courage and virtue
in the youths than in those of maturer
years-more strength of soul and loyalty
in those from the country than among
those from the great cities. The SEN
tence Of the commission was concealed
from'us for along time 7af
In November 1921 the final decision of
the Emperor arrived at Venice. Foresh
at that time was in the prison Of the
Piombi. One midnight he was led out
by six armed soldiers through the long
line of magnificent rooms of the Ducal
Palace to the Bridge OF Sighs, which con-
meets the criminal prisons with the palace,
to one Of the prisons of the State lnquisi-
ton. As soon as left alone, and feeling
that, as Judge and one of the first to
introduce Carbonarism into the Imperial
States, his punishment would be the most
cruel, he attempted to commit suicide
These are his words:
i had for a long time kept little pen
knife concealed IN the collar of the coat
that / wore in prison. Itook out this Gt-
tie weapon; uncovered my bosom, and
after an aspiration Of love, and a prayer
for forgiveness to my Creator, l plunged
tie knife with force into my bosom. The
blow was so powerful that the blade snap
ped in two, part only remained in the
flesh, and the wound did not prove NOR.
tai, although | have yet the scar of it re,
naming. The blood flowed; was in q
fury of anger and desperation; and still
wishing to put an end to my life, | hastily
broke the glass bottle which contained the
wine, and began swallowing the little
sharp pieces of it, and trying TO cut the
arteries in the arm. The immense los:
of bloop had exhausted my strength.
lay stretched as one dead upon my bed
The officers of the prison found him il
this condition, and the physicians pro
noGnced his wound dangerous, though no
mortal. Cavalier endeavored to Undue,
him to retract, promising him his life
though forfeited in the sentences of :hret
legitimate tribunals, but Foresti remain
ed immoVable. The Secretary therefore
reads his sentence:
: That all those accused of Carbonarisn
, by the process of Venice, of the grade o
Master and above it, were condemned t
death. That still His Majesty granted
life to all except the Judges Solera, Fo
resti, and Count Munarl, who should b,
executed, with all the rigor and formali
ties of the law, in the Public Square o
; Venice Then was read note unde
i the own hand of the Emperor, in whicl
1 he said that he would even give thei
, lives to Solera, "Foresti and Munari, j
they should make any spontaneous reve
: lation Of importance to the great politica
d views of His Majesty. 4 was sent bacI
d TO my prison; two guards were placed t
e watch over me day and night | was de
Z prived of the use of the knife and fork
: and obliged to eat with my hands. Th
doctor attended me with much kindness
| my wounds took favorable turn, and
!, was left there, condemned to death, an
: uncertain whether or not the seqtenc
: would be executed.
: 'On Christmas Eve, 1921, all the cor
demned were led, chained two by two, |
p a scaffold on the Square of st. Mark, i
!, Venice. 1t was about II at noon. tn
: square, the windows, the roofs were coz
t cred with people. The whole Austria
n garrison of Venice was under arms,
C bands, in the squares and streets. Tn
r cannons placed between the two column
S Todere and St. Mark, The Yicerol
k brother Of the Emperor, was on the gre;
2 balcony of the Imperial Palace. Ehbrc
e ken silence prevailed; one Of the Judge
a read in a loud voice the sentence Of COZ
i demnation; at the word death, there ws