The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-05
A Broken Pledge observation-disclosures
Of q Famous italian Robber Chief
md His Band.

~ brOASN TlSOGc kScucOhASN ASSAo-"S
of q Famous Italian Robber Chief
and His Band.
Rome has scarcely recovered from the eX.
citement Of the late auspicious events when
new commotion Is created by the arrival
within its walls Of Antonio Gasparone, the
famous robber chief, with the remnants OF
his band, now again seeing the free light OF
day nfter forty.six years imprisonment.
Men Of the present generation may be for.
given if they plead Complete ignorance of
q pane only too well known during the
ponti1lcate Of Louis XII, q Pope who al
ready reckons three successors In the long
line Of reignng pontiffs. at the time that
Pope Deha Genga sat in st. Peters chair,
Gasparone and his bandits were the terror
of the frontier districts between Frosmone
and Terraclna, hevering on the hills that
skirt the Pontine Marshes, with their head.
quarters at Sonnino, the birthplace and
home of their chief.
AS all the measures of the Papal govern
ment against these formidable marauders
had proved unavailing, q good priest, Mon
signOr Pellegrini, Vicur-Generai of Seize,
now still living, though eighty-seven years
old, met the brigands in one of their noun.
tain haunts. and rendered them, in the
name Of the government, free pardon and
| liberal pensions If they would surrender to
| the public forces and to consent to quit the
Papal States under solemn engagement
never to return. The offer was accepted,
and the bargain struck. The band, twenty.
! two men strong, laid down their arms and
| were escorted to Civta Vecchia, where far
! from being allowed to get sail for some
/ land Of freedom, they were thrown into
| lj1u, with an intimatiOn that, instead OF
| the galows which they had richly de.
| served, their punishment would be lifelong
| Imprisonment. They were accordingly
immurcd in the State fortress Of Spoleto,
and later in that Of Ciyita CustellanG,
where, upon the arrival of the italian
troops, on their way to Rome, year ago,
| seven of the twenty-five still survived
Upon the news of Victor EmanucPs late
visit to his new capital reaching the prison,
Pietro Masi, the only man in the band who
could read or write, represented to the
! King that Gasparone and his followers had
never been tried, or even indicted, and
that, whatever might be their crimes-Gas-
parone himself is said to have at least fifty
murders, besides arsons and burglarieS, on
+! his conscieuce-thc law had lost its hold
upon them after more than thirty years
| prescription, and they were now entitled to
| a full and free release. The justice OF their
demand was admitted. The seven prison.
| ers are now at large, and if not pensioned,
are at least provided with means of susie.
nance ut q charitable institution for de.
| crepid old men.
| The report Of their arrival reawakened
in Rome the memories OF their former eX.
ploits, giving full scope TO that popular
love of the marvellous and the terrible
which draws such glowing pictures from
traditions dimmed and blurred by a long
lapse of time. The old cut-throat heroes
drove through the streets of new Rome as
the relics of that old Italy from which, it is
to be hoped, q whole age Of progress sepa.
rates the present. generation. GasparOne is
now scventy.seVcn years Of age, and his
youngest companion is only ten years his
Junior. The old miscreants made their ap.
pcarance in the Corso, in the Plaza Far.
nese, and the Campo del Fiori, in their
gala costume-conica hats, with flying rib
hons and peacock feathers, velvet jacket;
and sorts, crimson silk slsnes, and high
, guitcrs-thcir snowy locks and Boards
) which reached down to their shoulders and
breasts, enhancing the glance of their dark
eyes, their wild but fine features, and theil
firm and erect beariDg, indicative of {;
mauly strength which nearly half Il cen
tury's captivity had not wholly subducd
A curiosity. not unmiXed with certain ad
miraton, wrung cheers from the crowd
"Iicn pTcSscu GfClyN uCiS Ou IuctI pun
the Object OF the general interest being, o.
course, the chief, Gasparone Himself, who
boasts Of deeds of daring worthy Of sec
ond fra Diavolo.
Themselves a wonder to the world, those
CID ru1ians gaZed upon the world with
lwonder, the discoveries OF our age-aas
lights, steam engines, telegraph wires, pho
tographc apparatus, and especially reVolv-
ers-tillng them with as much surprise Us
il they were the "SeVen Sleepers" just
irouscd from half century's slumbers. All
that, however, would have passed through
their minds merely as matter Of specula
tion, for otherwise these aged pensioners
arc now not only perfectly harmless, but
even piOusly inclined.
In something less than forty.eight hours
they had already visited most of the Roman
churches and Gasparone-who, even,
when he imbued his hands and arms in
blood to the elbows, wore scapularies,
mumbcd his Ave MariaS, and never
worked" OH Saturday, being the day
consecrated TO the Firgin-is at present
wholly bent in making his soul )" and to
obtain leisure for the purpose has in the
meantime hired himself out as q model to
some French artists, who want his fine pa
triarchal head TO perSonate Moses in the
| Wilderness, or Joseph in Sacrd FdnnghG
| London Times, August u.