East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-04-13
A MODERN BANDIT.


Among the prisoners in the Roman
prisons are no fewer than forty Nea-
politans, untried although not uncon-
demned; and at the head of these is
Phone, the famous Calabrose bandit,
who boasted of having had three hun
dred men under his orders and very
pIUuu nc 5cvInOu W NC VI iiis acnie'c-
ments. 1t may interest young ladies
who dream of brigands in sugar-loaf
hats and picturesque costumes to know
that Phone is tall, well-made man,
about forty years Of age, or it may be
little younger, and that in all the
transactions in which he has taken
part he has shown an admirable cour-
age, coolness and address
4" His audacity is matchless AT the
time wnen thousands Of scudi were Of
fered for him, dead or alive, he went
into Naples, leaving his band at the
foot Of Vesuvius, and took box at
the San Carlo, and between the acts
he got into conversation with the Cap
tain of the guard, who informed him
that he was under orders next morn
ing to command the corps which was
TO go in search of Phone. On leav-
ing the theatre, when the guard was
dismissed, Phone invited the officer to
Join htm at cafe on the road to We
suvius. After short time passed to-
gether, Phone took his leave, and ex-
changed cards with the Captain, whose
astonishment may be imagined when
he saw, written in large letters, the
name of the dreaded bandit. Hisad-
venture with the director Of the bank,
Signor Avitable, made great sensa-
ton at the time.
"This important functionary was
accustomed to drive daily by the sea-
side In broad daylight, one after
noon, while crowds were in the street,
Phone entered the town with one of
his most trustworthy followers. Sud
denly the Lieutenant called to tue
coachman to stop, and jumped on the
box. In moment, Phone let down
the steps, and was seated by NJ. Avit-
able. The coachman, under the
threat of having his brains blowcd
out, drove on towards Vesuvius. In
vain the poor director endeavored to
let down the window to call for assist
ance but he was held tight in Pi-
lone's iron grasp. Arrived at the
mountain they were met by detach-
ment of the band, the director placed
on horse, and in the face of the
whole population carried off to the
mountains. A large ransom was de-
manded, one half of which being paid,
Avitable was permitted to return to his
home but here comes the pith of tho
story:
"Pilone, seeing a statement in the
papers that he had received the full
amount of his ransom, which had
been repaid by the government, sent
a statement of the exact sum he had
received to the papers, and the direct
or stood charged with having pocketed
the difference. Another anecdoto be-
fore we leave this interesting hero of
the highway. On one occasion the
government made arrangements which
it was thought could not fail to seize
Phone. at timo when he was known
to visit Pompeii daily to meet young
lady to whom he was deeply attached.
As he was leaving the trysting placen
suddenly corps of gendarmcs sp-
peared, but before they could fire, Pi-
lone, armed with rifle and brace
Of revolvers, shot two of them, leaped
over a low wall, and was off like a
deer; but alas he ran into another
detachment sent round to meet him.
There he was greeted with volley
which missed him, for he seemed to
bear charmed life; here two more
oil his enemies fell, and, lcaping over
every obstacle, he made for the sea,
cutting away at his dress as he pro-
ceeded, so that when he arrived at the
shore he was in fit state for bath
In he jumped, and, being u strong
swimmer, he dived under the waves
when the volleys of musketry rang
around him. One shot hit him in tho
ankle, but was not sufficient to impede
his progress. After little time ho
was picked up by fishing-boat, and
at nightiall was again at the head of
his band"
GAME Laws OF MrcnreAS--Dy the