The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-12-26
The italian Brigands.

says: What is most talked of at present,
here in Naples, is the daring and success
of Manzi and his band of brigands.
Your readers, perhaps, remember that,
year or more ago, this desperate, having
been captured by the troops, was tried,
convicted of innumerable robberies,
brought under grave suspicion of several
murders, though not proved guilty of
them, and in consequence was sentenced
to confinement for long term. As is
not uncommon in Italy, his bribes prov
ing stronger than the bolts and bars of
justice, he soon broke prison and betook
himself to his old calling among the
mountains around Salerno, thirty miles
from Naples. Shortly after, partly to
wreak vengeance on one whose evidence
in court had helped to convict him, and
partly to refurnish his empty purse, he
descended to Salerno in broad daylight,
seized upon Signor Mancusi, rich
property owner of that place, and car
ried him of, almost from his own door
step, te the mountains. The next day
note was sent to his family demanding
an immense sum for his ramson. This
demand was refused and the protection
of the authorities invoked, but after
phCoC ltu DlOSSCuItu lOI iudhI WtthS I'LL
unsuccessful search for the victim and
his captors, the family, in despair, agreed
to pay the brigand the equivalent of
$24 900 for the safe return of Mancusi.
The affair, made public in the news
papers, led to such an outcry against the
ineficiency of the Government that the
latter, in self-justifcation, resolved to do
its best to capture the bold brigand
chief. A reward of $4,000 was put on
his head, the payment of the ranson for
hidden, company after company of reg
ular troops and militia was sent into the
mountains, and the whole of the district
in which Manzi's band was known to be
was so completely surrounded and guard
ed night and day that their escape SEEM
ed impossible. Manzi meanwhile found
means to communicate with Mancusi's
family, and threatened the immediate
death of his captive if the ramson was
not paid. They, anxious to save his life,
raised the money as fast as they could,
and sent it in small sums whenever they
could manage to elude the vigilance of
the troops. Manzi, hearing from trav-
eller of the reward offered for his head,
laughingly said that it was too little
that he spent that much every day in
bribing the peasants to protect him and
give HIM information. Once the troops
discovered that the brigands lay con-
cealed in certain cave in the mountains
of Prato, and had almost cut off all re-
treat, when some well-paid spy gave tie
signal of danger, and Manzi and his men
were soon out of reach. A few days
later they were placarding neighbor-
ing village with down with Victor
Emmanuel the usurper! Vipa Francesca,
IL n0stro re- p
The efforts of the Government grad
ually grew feebler, and finally, the other
night, the ransom having been paid to
the last farthing, Signor Maucusi was
conducted by the brigands to a place
called Acqua Albeta, near Eboli, and,
after six months captivity, was set at
liberty. During all this time the unhap-
Ply man had been given only the coarsest
of TODD and had slept on the bare ground,
thinking himself only too fortunate if
thick tree or the vault of cavern pro-
tected him from the open sky.
Despite its success, however, and its
apparent immunity from punishment,
this robber band has been much dimin-
ished of late by desertion. Four of the
men have within day or two volun-
tarily surrendered upon rather easy
terms. Two of them were not over
twenty years old, and brought with
them several rings and little money,
which they begged the authorities to re-
store to Manousi. TIE latest newspaper
report is that the Minister of the Inter
ior is treating with Manzi, trying to in
duce him to accept free passage to
America; but I suspect this is canard
invented to ridicule the weakness of the
Government.