Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-02-27
THE scoyaan OF CORSICA

-. es---
TIE scoJRaE OF CORSICA
THE MOST REMARKABLE BANDIT or MOD
ERN TIMES-THE DEATH OF ANTONIO
SYNONYMOUS TIMES ON THE sCAF-
Fo'D-AN UNPARALLELED CAREER OF
CRIME. 4.
On the afternoon of the 4th of D,
cember last four gendarmes, carving a
litter covered with heavy cloak, enter
ed the Venosta gate in the famous Cor
sican city ofAjaccio. A large eoncourse
OF people gathered about the officers, as
it was not difficult to see that the object
concealed under the cloak was human
body. But the excitement of the crowd
grew more intense when the gendar
mes told them that the man whose dead
body they: were carrying was the ia
nous Suzzoni, the brigand who for
years had been terror to the good peo-
pie of Corsica. After watching him
closely for month the gendarmes had
succeeded in tracking him to a cave in
the Corsican mountains which had
hitherto remained unknown to the in
llabitants of the island in general, and
had there, after desperate struggle on
his part, shot him dead: Eleven bullets
had riddled the body ot'this ex;raordin-
airy bandit, and when at the point of
death, with a last desperate effort, be
had trantically bitten the hand of one of
bis slayers., ..,;,
Antonio Suzzoni, whose fame among
his countrymen will remain as green as
that Of the redoubtable Fra Diavolo did
among the Neapolitans, was born at
Ajaccio, in the year 1882, only few
doors from the historical spot where
Napoleon Bonaparte first saw light.
Like his llustrious countryman, SUI
zoni displayed in his childhood remark
able traits, and when he was twelve
years old he was looked upon by the
oeople of his native city as the hand
soonest and wickedest boy in Ajaccio.
He was arrested again and again du
ring the next few years for theft and
deeds of violence. and, in 184S for try
ing to set fire to the Orphan Asylum,
sentenced to be scourged and to be
sent to the Bagno of Toulon He, re-
ceived the fogging at first with stole
courage, but finally, as the lash lacera-
ted his back more and more, he began
to scream at the top of his, voice, and
howled for mercy, which was not ex-
tended to him. He was almost dead
when he was taken to his cell, and
when he recovered from the consequent
ces of the castigati n, a though he was
chained to the wal managed to effect
his escape. He fl d to the mountains,
We're he was hospi, bly, received by one
Of the numerous ban. y of brigands that
irfest the highland. of Corsica, and
graduated rapidly i the school of
crime. He was not y twenty years
old when he had alrea, committed
number Of murders, ano reward of
one thousand francs was o. red for him
dead or alive, by Project NJ. Abbatucci
The young scoundrel revenged him
self upon this official in truly fiendish
manner. lie disguised himself as an
grinder and entered NJ. Abbat-
ucci's house, in Ajaccio, were he was
met by the daughter Of the Project
When she told the disguised visitor
who she was, he threw some vitriol in
her face, which disfigured her for life
Running hastily toward the door, he
shouted to her, as she was screaming
with agony, '..Tell that dog of a father
of yours that Suzzoni did i'll"
The infamous outrage created the
most intense excitement in Ajaccio
The young men of the city organize an
expedition to hunt up the villianous
Suzzoni. and after securing the surround
ing country for several days they caught
him sleeping in haysta..k 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 so that he was unable
to move, and gagging him in order to
stop his defiant and blasphemous talk,
they conveyed him to Ajaccio. There
he was tried tor the murders and other
crimes he had committed, and on the
goth of Aprily 1858, sentenced to death.
Upon hearing, his doom he burst into
derisive laughter, and told his judges
to look out, as he would be sure to get
even with them. He was as good as
his word; for when he was ia
ken to his scaffold on: the 18th of May,
he was rescued from the':shands Of the
executioner by a band;..o of disguised
brigands, who hurried hipf away before
the efficient authorities we're able to
prevent it. A large and disastrous con
migration which Happened a short time
afterward at Ajaccio was generally at
tributed to Suzzoni.
I The sight Of the guillotine,! however,
must have frightened the young bandit,
for we next hear of him in the neigh
BORING island of Sardinia. That islano
is populated by a race which retains
many Of the semi-barbarous traits of its
Ancestorss. Brigandage is fourishins
there to the present day, and Suzzoni
mad a fine time. In 1856 he wasa mos.
handsome young fellow, with cheeks as
rosy AZ those OF a young maiden, small
hands and feet, small twinkling bl ok
eyes, and atweaith of raven locks: He
robbed and killed. and at the same time
| beean,es hbertine of the most suharfs
died sensuality. In 1887, bowever, Suz