The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-03-07
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her last, four gead aru,es, carrying lit
ter covered With u heavy cloak, entered
the Vsnos.a gate in the famous Corsicau
city OF Aiscoio. A large concourse of
people gathered about the officers, as it
was not diaicnlt TO see that the object
oo1cealed under the oloak was a human
hntIyin r,$Rnt the excitement Of the crowd
grew more intense when the gsn,i
told them that tho, man whose dead
bo5y they were carrying WAS the famous
Su1zonii the 'brfgand who for years had
been terror to the good people of
Corsica. After Watching him CLOSELY for
month, the gsnd 'arnses had succeeded
IN tracking him to cave in the Corsican
mountains which had hitherto remained
unknown 10 the inhabitants OF tho
island in general. and had there, after a
desperate struggle on his part. shot him
dead Eleven bullets had riddled the
body OF this extraordinary bandit, and
when ut the point OF death; with last
desperate effort, he had frantically Bit
ten tho hand Of one Of his slayers
Autoulo Suzzoni, whose fame among
hia countrymen will remain as green as
that Of the redoubtabIe Fra Diavolo did
among the Neapolitans, was born at
A1acclo, 10 the year 1882, only few
Napoleon Bonaparte first snw light.
Like his illnstrious oountryman, Suzzoni
displayed in his childhood remarkable
traits, and when he was twelve years old
he was looked upon by the people of his
native city as the hRndsomest aud
wickedest boy in Ajaccio. He was ar.
rested again and again during the next
few years for theft and deeds Of violence,
and. in 164S, for trying to set fire to the
orphan Asylum. sentenced to be severe
~ scourged and to be sent to the baeno
OF Toulon. He received the aogging ut
hrst with stoic courage, but finally, as
the Lash lacerated his back more and
more. he began to scream at tho top OF
his voice, and howled for mercy, which
was not extended to him. He was
almost dead when he was taken back to
his cell, and when he recovered from the
con eqnences of the castigation, although
hn was chained to the wall, managed to
effect his escape. He fled to the noun
tains, where he was Hospitality received
by one Of the numerous bands Of bri.
ganus that infest the highlands of Cor
sica. and graduated rapidly in the school
of crime. He was not yet twenty years
old when he had already committed a
number of murders, and reward of
1000 fraucs was offered for him, dead or
alive, tby Prefect Nj. Abbatucci. The
young scoundrel revenged himself upon
this official in truly hendishs manner.
He disguised himself as. M organ
grinder aud entered Ms Abbatucci's
house. in Aiaccio, where he was met by
the daughter OF the Prefecs When she
told the disguised visitor who sho was,
he threw some vitriol in her face, which
dis6gured her for life. Running hastily
toward the door. he shouted to her, az
she was screaming with agony, "TeIl
that dog of father Of yours that Suz.
zoni did iti''
The infamous outrage excited the
most intense excitement in Ajaooio.
The young men Of the city organized
AL expedition to hunt up the villainous
Suzzoni, and after securing the surround
ing country for several days, they caught
him sleeping in hay-staok, near the
village OF Bordone. His captors at first
intended to shoot him on the spot, but
more prudent counsels prevailed, and
after tying him 30 that lie was unable to
move. , and gagging him III order to stop
his defiant and blasphemous talk, they
conveyed him to Aiaccio. There he WAS
tried for the murders and other crimes
he had committed, and on the Goth Of
April, 1853, sentenced to death. Upon
hearing his doom he burst into derisive
laughter, and told his judges they had
better look out, as he would be suro to
got even with them. He was rs good MS
his word; for when he was takon to the
e. .fold, on the 18th of May, he was
rescued from the hands Of tho oxecu-
TONER by band Of disguised brigands,
who hurried him away before the inefIi-
cient authorities were able to prevent it.
A large and disastrous conHagration,
which happened short time afterward
at Ajaccio, was generally attributed to
Suzzoni.
The sight of the guillotine, however,
must have frightened the young bandit,
for we next find hm in the neighboring
island OF Sardinia. That island is popu-
lated by race which retains many Of
the semi.barbarous traits of its ancestors.
Brigandage is dourishing there to the
present day, and Suzzoni had splendid
time. In 1856, he was most handsome
young fellow, with cheeks as rosy as
those OF young maiden, small hands
and feet, email twinkling black eyes,
and wealth Of raven looks. He robbed
and killed, and OF tho same time became
IF hn 4, -, 1o.1