The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-20
ITALIAN SLAVES.
Made Sightless by tho Beggar.
makers of Southern Europe.
New York Herald

Among the most familiar objects upon
the thoroughfares calculated to gain
public sympathy and loosen the by
passers purse-strings has been an old
blind man, who generally selected Fifth
avenue for his resort. With venerable
beard, skin wrinkled and drawn over the
bones like leather, and sightless eye-l alls,
which had that strange, chastity look
seen only in those waits of Southern
Europe whom a dreadful process has
prepared for life of mendicancy, this
old beggar has more frequently than
most of his class won the pity and the
pennies of those whom he encountered.
Around his neck was hung scroll with
the inscription, Ladies and gents, please
help the blind" and he was always led
along by little Italian boy, with bright
eyes, but pale, pinched face.
"Peter; Peter Velloni," he muttered, as
Officer Chiardi stated yesterday, "say
nothing, boy. Do not speak word.
Above all, say not who we are or where
we live. You hear me%'
The boy assented, but the mendicant
had already the listening officer with his
plan of action, and before producing his
prisoners in court yesterday Chiardi was
able to inform himself about them. The
developments furnished another revela-
ton of the horrors of padronism. The
beggar's name is Nicoli Vianelli. He is
now quite an old man, but during most
of his life has led the strange, roaming
existence of a professional beggar. He
came last from the town of Spinola, in
the province of Basilicata, Italy.
The pair have more than once
been hustled about by the
police, but recently the Society
for the prevention Of Cruelty to
Children had their attention called to
the case. On Wednesday evening Officer
Chiardi came upon the blind beggar and
his protege on Fifth avenue, near Four
teenth street. He told the boy to take
the old man home or he would be ar
rested. Seemingly frightened, they
started on their way but loitered along,
and, as he thought, waited for Chiardi
to get out of sight, until he lost all
patience with them. 1t had taken them
just an hour to 60 three blocks, when he
came up on the corner of Eleventh street
and had police officer arrest them. As
they started for the Station house the
old beggar fumbled about nervously and
called for the boy. The latter was
allowed to go along beside him, and
evidently in ignorance of Chiardi's
knowledge of Italian, he fell to directing
mis- guide how to act, using that language
for the purpose.
There, it was alleged, a contract hat
! been made with some one who held hin
as bondsman to transfer him to ont
: Giuseppi Luigi to beg on the streets O
! this city. His Italian bondsman had re
ceived quite consideration for his ser
vices, as Vianelli was very valuable
mendicant, and one on whom the dread
= full arts of the beggar-makers had beel
: exercised with great advantage. Th
. unfortunate old man is believed to hav
5 been fitted for his life by those strang
i processes of which stray rumors com
, from beyond the seas. His eyes are be
\ lieved to have been rendered sightles
d when he was young, not by nature, bu
J. by the passage of red-hot iron strip
5 across the ball so as 10 &orch and seal
IS but not disfigure it.
Thus, it is said, many children in Ital
k are prepared for the purposes of the ps
= drone, both here and in Europe. Oh
n Vianelli, would say nothing in court whe
!, brought before Judge Flammer, and h
! was sent to the Island. The boy, Pete
e Venom, has been here a year and undel
!. stands English fairly. He had been use
IS by the padrone to lead the old begga
r about since the latter came tothis city
's about two months ago.>-He said he ha
a a father and mother here, but neither {
:. them could be found when search afte
a them was made. Giuseppi Luigi had ais
It disappeared. In the Jefferson Markt
b Police Court yesterday the boy was ser
y to the Protectory.
n A gorilla about eighteen months old, i