New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-14
An Innocent Man Executed for q Horrible
Murder.

|
Mgr. Traietto, of patrician family of Naples. ;
prelate OF the most infamous character, was found
one morning in his bed barbarously murdered
| This crime, committed ON prelate, made Leo XI
trelnble with anger. 10 him it was perfectly per
mitted to do what he liked with his tonsured cattle
/ but to laymen the same permission could by nc
means be extended. The example might become
| epidemicai.
| Leo MI gave formidable orders that the guilty
| person should be discovered at all cost. The
| sbirri and the gems darmes were set into move.
ment; confessors, nuns, devotees, all on the
watch.
Mgr. Traietto had domestic, fine young man,
married to pretty Transteverne they had child
rem. This servant, after performing for his mas
ter all the necessary duties, went home in the
evening to his own house. The police entered the
dwelling of Ludovco for so was the servant
called-and found that he had got his masters
watch lnterrogated how it came into his possess
sion, he replied: My master gave it to me to
carry to the matchmaker the evening before he
was murdered.n
No article was missing in the house of the muir.
dered prelate neither money, jewels, nor linen
nor clothes, nor papers-absolutely nothing. Nei-,
ther was there anything to prove the culpabity of
Ludovico. Between him and his master there was
no dlscord, no anger, no rancor, visible reason
for vengeance. The tribunal, though composed of
ecclesiascs, thirsting to avenge the murder of an
ecclesiastc, were still not willing to condemn one
whom they did not deem guilty.
Leo MI, tor whom the crime was clear, being
need an example we need terrible expiation'n
The tribunal was compelled to condemn Ludovico,
But it could not help adding to the sentence which
the Pope forced it to pass, dudH0 Sanctssnlo--an
old formula of the CUri0 Ronland-which signifies
the votes are divided, and the Holy Father must
decide. The Holy Father voted for death.
The young wife and the children of Ludovico
knelt to the Vicar of Christ to implore pardon for
the husband and father, as the sovereign had yield
ed to the exigencies of justice, and voted for the
capital punishment. Leo XII gave the wife money
as if to purchase the life of her husband but re-
Jected the demand for pardon; and as he desired
that the penalty should be exemplary, a horrible
punishment was exhumed from the Middle A yes.
A lofty scaflold was erected in the Place du Peu-
pie; it was arrayed in black. Troops of the line
environed it. Strong patrols of carbineers police
and dragons trayersed the neignboring Streets
and slowly circulated in the midst of the people
who filled that fatal circus.
1t was beautiful day in April, the beginning of
Easter, and nine o'clock in the morning Monks,
peasants, young girls, priests, beggars old hays,
prelates mobiles, citizens, officers of the Govern
ment, comfortable proprietors-a crowd, gaudy,
strange most varied most contrastcd most hide
Gus, moved to and fro passed against each other,
smiled, joked, prayed made appointments bar
gained-Rome in its uttermost diversity was there.
Foreigners had remained for the sake of the spec
tacle. Women of highest rank and in highest toilet
were there; Russian pfincesses, ladies from Great
Britain, French countesses, disputed with each
other about every window whence a good view
could be obtained. Everybody grew impatient;
everybody expressed his Impotence to his neigh
Dor; everybody seemed really 10 hiss the execu-
toner and the officers of justice. There was
almost fear lest pardon granted to the criminal
should spoil the entertainment so loving is man to
his brother. At last the condemned person APP
peared.
He was standing in cart that was drawn bv
oxen; the cart was arrayed in red, the man him
self in black sackcloth. On his right was priest,
on his left the eXecutioner. Ludovco traversed
the crowd with slow steps, and cried without
ceaslng, IN a voice which God must have heard
and marked in his book of mercy q am innocent
am lnnocent" Helped, or rather, should say
dragged by the priest and eXecutioner, Ludovico
mounted the scafold. He was made to kneel that
IS TO say, the eXecutioner put his hand on his
shoulder and forced him to bend his knees. Ludo-
Vico obeyed he did not weep he scarcely prayed;
but he called, in choking voice on his wife and
children The priest kept jahbering Latin in the
ear OF man who scarcely knew the Roman patoiS;
then he went q little afront. The executioner,
Mastro rita remained standing beside the criminal.
The crowd scarcely breathed; the men could
nave counted each beating of the heart of the
young women beside them At last Mastro drew
from under his red cloak large stick, and shod
with lead. He played with this cudgel as drum
major plays with his long silyer-headed cane, as
mountebank plays with his juggling rods. Then
he took firm grasp of it, whired it twice round
his head and struck the criminal on the left temple.
A cry of horror burst from the crowd. The VIC
tim fell like OK and the body began to struggle
in its great agony. But the justice of the Vicar of
of Christ was not yet satisfied the punishment
was not yet complete.
MAESTRO Titta threw away his cudgel into the
midst OF the crowd, assailed his victim afresh drew
butchers knife, and cutLudoyicos throat. Then