The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-12-18
THE STABBERs OF RAyENNA.
secret Murders of the italian vigil
Detection and Trial of tine
Assassfns.

The following Is translated for Apple
toms Journal from an Italian paper Of a
recent date:
This trial. which recently began at the
Eavenna assizes, Is not only destined 10
I constitute an epoch i'm the criminal his
tory OF Italy, butt casts light as instruc-
/ tive rs IL Is terrible upon the moral condi-
/ ton of the Romagnas.
These are the facts: Between the years
1865 and ISL thirteen persons, belonging
To all ranks of society from that of magis-
trate down TO the simple police agent, fell
in turn beneath the knives or bullets ofin-
dividuals who, during those six years,
evaded all efforts TO convict them.
In vain were several of these murders,
or attempts at murder, venturcd upon In
broad daylight In the public square. and
before the very faces of the sentinels; In
vain were arrests made, and the accused
parties kept for months in prison-it was
impossible for Justice 10 discover and TO
strike the guilty ones; for neither the
numerous witnesses of these bloody
scenes, nor the relatives and friends of the
victims, nor those OF the victims who sur
vived, could or would denounce them.
An equal degree of mystery existed
with regard TO the motives of the assassins.
Were they In pursuit Of personal VEN
geance? Were they, on the contrary, act
ing for other parties, and only on account
of gain? Were they mere fanatics. trying
To pave the way To some insurrectionary
movements Such were the. questions
which people had finally been compelled
to give up in despair. The only thing
which seemed clear was that they had no
part in this series of crime.
Ii was not till last year, and in most
unlooked-for manner, and after all hope of
.fptn frafn ~
these revolving murders must have been
abandoned. that certain individual. one
Giovanni Mesta by name, Unexpectedly
presented himself before the Judge din
stritcti0n of Pestoia, and revealed To him
both the names OF the miscreants. and the
secrets of the organization, rs also even
the slightest circumstances preceding.
during. and following each one OF their
attempts.
Now. who was this well-informed per-
sonage. and why did he come forward so
late-too late at all events for the later
among the victims whom he might have
savedy Disconnected accomplice, per-
haps; or one anxious TO gain immunity
by turning kings evidence, Not at all
but simply the brother of one of the muir
derers. the confederate of the greater num-
Der, and, stranger still, a man who, up 10
the last, had lived on the best terms with
the twenty-three culprits he was now
handing over TO the law with the sole
object of saving his only son from the
suspicion OF being the son of an assas-
SIM
The result of these communications and
what, according To the indictment. was
verified on the part of the prosecution. j.
the discovery that, nine years ago, there
was organized AT Ravenna-under the form
and beneath the shade OF a mutual-aid So
ciety-a group OF individuals which did not
originally exceed twelve in number, and
whose members, after holding regular de-
liberations, passed sentences OF death,
which were CARED out, at first timidly,
then with all the assurance of impunity,
by means of various responsibilities. pis-
tolls. and guns-but especially knives,
set of which were kept i'm cupboard
in the room where the meetings were
held. and which constituted their common
arsenal.
These implements were termed, in the
lingo of the sect. "writing-pens, and
whenever the bidHcani had TO convoke these
Judge Lynches, to decide on the fate of "A
fellow-creature. ii was called, "going TO as
semblc the masters"
We have termed the assassins of Ravenna
Judge Lynches. and not without reason.
Indeed, the greatcr,number of the murders
ordained and executed BY them have moth
ing In common with the crimes of this ma
tuIe committed in other places. Personal
interest had no part in them, and il was
for the well-being of society that these
men assumed 10 act. Thus, their earliest
victim. Chevalier Monghini, ex-director of
the National Bank, was stabbed one night
on his way home. ''that i'm him might be-
punished 1--WE quote the very words OF
the indctment) 1.-THE difficulties and losses
which his refusal to discount bills brought
upon the smaller tradesman, and by which
he had long since earnedt the titles of butch
er, wretch" etc.
Nor was DR.. Frescon Sebastiano con-
demned and put TO death for less general
reasons. They accused him-we are still
quoting-"of having said mt the time OF
the rise on breadstufis, that the great
landowners had rightto dispose of their
grain TO the best advantage and that the
people might suffer hunger even to the
extent of dcvouriag the very beds of their
cattle.r Others. such as the Attorney
General Cesare Cappa. were made away
with ITO avenge the insult put upon the
sect in having imprisoned and long held
captive several Of its brotherhood - while
others, like the brothers Sassinari Chem
selves members of this very society, lin
order to forestall any indiscretions on
their part. which their drunken habits
might well render them capable of, etc.
These knights of the blade-some of
them, at least-are far from being the low
est of mankind; they have hearts, pas
sionate love of their country, and. while
some of their number took part, non sine
gloria. in the 1yrolean campaign of 1866,
others, like Javalcoli Giovanni, flew to
arms at the war-cry of Garibaldi in 1867,
to fall gloriously at the taking of Monte
Rotondo.
Another characteristic feature of this ring
of malefactors. Is sort of publicity which