The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-03-06
IDAHO WORLD.
mr. SOURCE OF CORSICA.
rzr MOST nraAaKABLE BANDIT OF MODERN TIMES

cember last. four gendarmes, carrying 9
litter covered with heavy cloak, en-
tered the Venosta gate in the famous
Corsican city of Ajaccio. A large con
course of people gathered about the
officers as they proceeded toward the
police prefecture, as it was not difncul'
TO see that the object concealed under
the cloak was human body. But the
excitement of the crowd grew most IN
tense when the gendarmes told them
that the man whose dead body they
were carrying was the famous Suzzon
the brigand who for years had been a
terror to the good people of Corsica
After watching him closely for month,
the gendarmes had succeeded IN track
inc him to a cave in the Corsican noun
tains. which had hitherto renamed un.
known to the inhabitants of the island
in general, and had there, after a des'
perate struggle on his part, shot him
dead. Eleven bullets had riddled the
BODY of this extraordinary bandit, and,
when at the point of death, with last
desperate effort, he had frantically bit
ten the hand of one of his 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
Aiaccio, in the year 1882, only few
doors from the historical spot where
Napoleon Bonaparte first saw the light.
Like his illustrious countryman, Suzzo-
nj displayed in his childhood remarka-
BILE traits, and when he was twelve
years old he was looked upon by the
people of his native city as the hand
soonest and wickedest boy in Ajaccio.
He was arrested again and again dur
ing the next few years for theft and
deeds of violence, and in lS4s, for try
ing to set fire to the Orphan Asylum,
sentenced to be severely scourged, and
to be sent to the Bagne of Toulon.
He received the flogging at first with
stole courage, but finally. as the lash
lacerated his back more and mere, he
began to scream at the top of his
voice and howled for mercy, which
was not extended to him. He was al
most dead when he was taken back TO
his CELL and when he recovered from
the consequences of the castigation, al
though be was chained to the wall,
managed to effect his escape. He fled
into the mountains, where he was hos
pitably received by one of the numer-
Gus bands of brigands that infest the
highlands Of Corsica, and graduated
rapidly in the school of crime He was
not yet twenty years old when he had
already committed a number Of muir
ders, and reward of 200 francs was
offered for him, dead or alive, by Pre-
feet N. Abbatucci The young scoun-
drel revenged himself on this official in
a truly fiendlsh manner He disguised
himself as an organ-grinder and entered
N. Abbatucci's house in Ajaccio, where
he was met by the daughter of the pre-
feet. When she told the disguised Wis
liant who she was, he threw some Wit
riol in her face, which disfgured 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 itm
The infamous outrage excited the
most intense Indignation in Ajaccio.
The young men of the city organized
an expedition to hunt up the villainous
Suzzoni, and after securing the sur
country for several DAYS they
caught him sleeping in haystack near
the village Of Bordonc. His captors at
first intended to shoot him on the spot,
but more prudent counsels prevailed
and after tying him SO that he was un. !
able to move, and gagging him in Or
DER to stop his defiant and blasphemous
talk, they conveyed him to Aiaccio.
There ne was tried for the murders and +,
other crimes he had committed, and on |
Inc goth of April, 1853 sentenced to {
1eath. Upon hearing his doom he burst !
INTO derisive laughter, and told his judg- j
9 they had better look out, as he would t
'e sure to get even with them. He was /
IS good as his word, for when he was i
AIKEN to the scafold, on the 18th of Nav, a
e was rescued from the hands of the Q
xecutioners by a band of disguised
who hurried him away before
ne inefficient authorities were able to !.
it. A large and disastrous con- y
aagration which happened short time : :
f !, at Ajaccio was generally at e