Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-02
Gasneroni. lhe Robber.

A letter to the Boston Advertiser from
a correspondent at Rome, gives the fol
lowing description of the noted robber
Gasperoni, whose release by the Italian
Government, after over forty years con-
finement, has already been mentioned.
1t says:
The latest excitement in Rome is the
arrival Of the old highway-robber and
cut throat Gasperoni, or Gasbaroni, as
the Roman Journals spell his name.
Garibaldi and Dumas contributed to give
this bad man a very fictitious and false
reputation. Gasbaroni was imprisoned
with his band forty-six years ago by the
Papal Government after having ravaged
like wild beasts the territory of Frosi-
none. They had their hiding-plaee in
the extensive marshes or thickets called
Faiola, and were the terror of the Roman
Campagna in the early part OF this CEN
tury Of the twenty-five brigands i'm
prisoned in 1925, only seven are living,
and these are old men, whose ages range
from seventy to eighty. Four of them
are threatened with blindness, and have
been placed for treatment at the hospital
called Trinita del Pellearini.
I Buchanan Read and some friends went
to see Gasbaroni the other morning at
an artists studio where the old man
was sitting for his portait. With him
was Pietro Masi the one that wrote
Gasbaroni's life, the only one of the
hand who knew how to write, and
w, 70 used to be called Gasbaroni's s
sacr stary. He has a horrible face,
o ond looks as if capable of any
crime The artist who was taking Gas
baronis n prtrait told the following hor-
rible story of Mast to us in the presence
of tLe two me u--told it in. Italan-and
neither one den ed it; on the contrary,
looked as if it was all right;
When Masi was 'oung Gasbaroni en-
tered his mothers cot tage one night ior !.
refuge and food. Mast asked the chief
to let him join his band
"Youl" said GasbarOni, sneerlnlgly.
"Why, you have not pluck cpougn 10
be brigand. arm
show you if | have" He seized nis
mother, stabbed her, cut her open, tore
out her heart, and-but cannot give
the conclusion. 1t is too horrible: And
these are the men sentimental sym
pathizers with human liberty have placed
on the list of the noble army OF martyrs
A day or so ago Gasbaroni visited the
various remarkable buildings aud piaz-
of Rome. He was followed by a
ga vd of "m0nelH," as the Romans call
.aUan .a0a 'uflins. lie wished to see the
rto.to and expressed surprise at ITS
ei.e; The poor Hebrews, to whom
ihs naS,a of GasbarOni has been a
,ne n Co. all that was bad. and used
y ~ ~ ~ % 81; Hren, were terribly alarm
y onnoa % rance among them. At
~ iho u p;a~sa n,s aPRS PRSavo, "a be said, Non ma
,Io sio.an 1I" I don't l;l,e tbisl, and added,
D:ace .utoi uU sn;Io MI "Tkere are no
tickets here, at which the "'g%s ge re,eebsJ 80
1 shout and a laugh. When Nc eJ rjssaoI saoI
he Pantheon piazza he STOP. SS ge,
1ff his hat and remained silent. nv
ne burst out in an energetic mannei
pressing his satisfaction, saying it ma.
aim feel young again, for the Pantheon
ooked Just as it did forty-sixyears agoi
The ugly little iron kiosques set up in
he square for the sale Of newspapers
caused him great surprise; whenever he
,aw one he went up to IL aud looked at
{ and its contents euriously. When he
vas told that Buchanan Read was an
american, he said to him;
II had an American with me once
le was one OF the best and bravest men
" my band.
But when he was questioned, am
.appy to say, it turned out that the man
ras a South American.
"Why not take me to American he
I'D to Read; +" should like to 90
b ere-I am a young man yet. e.
o. He drew himself up with quite an arr
n d added, II have been told have
reat many friends in America, "
His eyes have heavy, sha ggy brows;
hen he is excited his eyelids roll back
Ike th Ose Of an eagle, and there IS q
reat leal Of fire in them. Indeed, Gas
aroni looks like a bird Of prey, but
Iasi has the face Of a brute. Once in |
while Masi tries 20 control Gasbaroni, |
NJ viii little effect. Yesterday he said |
bout some appOintm ent Gasbaroni was
laking- -
" No, il is too late; we have no time.
What is it your b usiness, SignoreP
ried Gassbaroni, turr ing on him fercely
nd striking his stick on the ground, "
ay we havei"
Anna Dickinson says; &" am against