Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-03-21
The Stabbers of Ravenna.

Ravenna assizes, is not only destined to
constitute an epoch in the criminal history
Of Italy, but it casts light as instructive
as it is terrible upon the moral condition
of the Romagnas. az
These are the facts Between the years
1865 and 1871 thirteen persons, belonging
to all the ranks Of society from that Of
magistrate down to the simple police
bullets of individuals who, during those
six years, evaded all efforts to convict
them. r.t H.-...
In vain were several of these murders,
or attempts at murder, ventursd 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 to discover and to
strike the guilty ones; for neither the
numerous witnesses of these bloody scenes
nor the relatives and friends of the vic
tins, nor those of the victims that sur
vived, could or would denounce them.
An equal degree of mystery existed
with regard to the motives of the assas-
sins. Were they in pursuit of personal
vengeance7 Were they, on the contrary,
acting for other parties, and only on ac-
count Of gaini Were they mere fanatics
trying to pave the way to some insurrec-
tionary movement Such were the ques-
tions which people had finally been COM
PEELED to give up in despair. The only
thing which seemed clear was that they
had no part in this series of crimes.
1t was not till last year, and in a most
unlocked for manner, and after all hope
of selling the mysterious perpetrators of
these revolving murders must have been
abandoned, that certain individual, one
Giovanni Mesta by name, unexpectedly
presented himself before the JUICE din
struction Of Pestolia, and revealed to him
both the names Of the miscreants, and the
secret of their organization, as 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
savedl Discontinued accomplish, per-
haps; or one anxious to gain immunity
by turning kings evidence! Not at all {;
but simply the brother of one of the MUIR
dcrcrs, tho confederate of the greater num-
Der, and, stranger still, man who, up to
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 sus-
picion of being the son Of an assassin"
The result of these communications,
and what, according to the indictment,
was verified ON the part of the prosecu-
ton, is tho discovery that, nine years ago
there was organized at Ravenna-under
the form and beneath the shade of q mu-
tual-aid society-a group of individuals
which did not originally exceed twelve in
number, and whose members, after hold
ing regular deliberations, passed sentences
Of death. which were carried out, at first
timidly, then with all the assurance of
impunity, by means of various weapons
knives, pistols and guns-but especially
knives, set of which were kept in cup
board in 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 biancani had to convOke
ri these Judge Lynches, to decide on the
tate OF fcllow-creature, it was called,
'going to assemble the masters"
= We have termed tho assassins of Ra-
VIENNA Judge Lynches, and not without
reason. Indeed, the greater number Of
- purdavs oraatned 49, pxeoqesd u
th:m have nothssE Z so.ssc.s q os -
t.; -. 3 So a. - ..s,, s: ~ e e.
SssSix eoSlisse vie1im, Chevalier Aonghfni,
S4-d1rop6pr ~ ~ NationAl Bank, ~.
G2Sb6ed one niGht On hia way homo, "that
q him might be punished" I've quote the
very words Of the indictmenD s'the diff.
culties and losses which his refusal TO dis
count bills had brought upon the smaller
tradesEAen, and by which he had long
since earned tho titles Of butcher, wretch,
etc.
Nor was DIR. Fresconi Sebastiano con.
demned and put to death for less general
reasons. They accused him-we are still
quoting-"of having said at the time Of
the rise ON breadstuffs, that the great
laa6.nvwnnra haH rich< - Ns~,,~.o ~ ~, -;