American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-12-26
Brigandage In Italy.

THE monster trial at PotenZa, the cap
ital of the largest province of the South
continues, and the enormities which the
evidence reveals are most Incredible.
\ ct one year only has elapsed since the
chief criminal was arrested. AS instances
of the savage acts committed in this
beautiful land, take the work of a single
day: Capt" Alamo and two only of
his band started on the I'd of July 1870,
to sequestrate rich proprietor called
Laracca, and, having taken him, went
OFT toward the mountains of ViaggianO-
one of those places, by the by, where the
musicians who have delighted the world
are trained from early youth. On the
road they met two women, whom they
ordered to follow. One of them, resist
ing their brutalities death ratherr'
were her worlds, was murdered on the
spot; the other, an older woman, lived to
give her evidence.
A day or two after the capture of Lar
acca twenty ducats and some articles of
food were sent by his wife as his ran
som; but the chief, being irritated by the
smallness of the sum, ordered his ear to
be cut off, and, supplying him with pen,
ink and paper, told him to write from his
dictation. The letter, which is said to
be stained with blood, may be translated
thus:
w
hands Of brigands. Send money soon rs you
can. that may not be murdered. If they would
little by little. Send $500 ducats. As a present
l send you my ear; by the next journey | will
send you my nose.
The letter awakened all the fears and
collected and dispatched, but, as the sum
was far below that demand, they MUIR
dered the unfortunate man and fled, as
the troops were upon them.
On the next day two other persons
were captured, and the father of one
came and tried to reduce the ransom.
His wife also presented herself and
begged permission to accompany her
husband, when the savage Alamo cut off
his ear and threw it into her bosom. Not,
however, to multiply such facts, it is as
Alamo and his companions committed
two barbarOus murders, sequestrated five
persons, extorted 5000 lire, and cut off
three ears and one head.
Two men were almost alone in this
neighborhood in endeavoring to check
the excuses of brigandage-L di
Noia and Vito Tardugno, of Palermo
and we shall hear how they suffered
for their courage and honesty. First, a
visit was paid to the house of Noia,
where only the wife was found, the sons
having escaped. The poor woman was
thrown on the ground and bayoneted-
pierced through and through repeatedly;
the sister, too, rushing to her assistance,
was murdered with a Ratchet. This was
not vengeance enough, SO, in October,
1870, Alamo returned to Palermo, broke
open the doors of Tardugno and found
him seated with all his family. With a
yell of joy the savages rushed in, dagger
in hand, and murdered, first Tardugno,
then his wife, who had child of three
years of age in her arms, which was also
murdered. Four other children who had
been witnesses of these scenes were then
attacked and left for dead. From the
house of Tardugno the brigands passed
to the house of Noia, where they found
and assassinated two of his sons, scarce
ly ten years old, and girl, the last of
the family. Thus was completed the
savage vengeance of these brutes on the
families of two of the very few who had
made an effort to thwart their excuses.
On the body of Tardugno was found the
following paper: My uncle has died
for having betrayed his brothers, and
am the Signor Capitano FREDERICK Ali
ano."-NdpLes Cor. London Times.