The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-11-08
The Tyrant Of Rimini.

IA tall, somber-looking, middle-aged
man was haughtily walking down the
principal street of Rimini, in Eastern
Italy, at an early hour in the morning of
the 18th of, May, 1901. All pedestrians
fed as if dismayed at his approach, and
well they might, for he was no other
than Observation-Disclosures Malatesta, the
autocrat of Rimini, and one of the worst
tyrants of his terrible period
Malatesta was followed by an escort of
archers, and as he turned around corner
and directed his steps towards the court
house, an arrow, shot by an unknown
hand, fell at. his feet Malatesta picked
it up with a scornful smile. A parch-
ment slipwas fastened to the point of
the arrow. On this slip the following
terrible words were inscribed:
-" Accursed Malatesta, thy end is draw
ing nigh. 1t will be both horrible and
ignominious.
As Malatesta read these words he
turned slightly pale But he quickly
recovered his equanimity Casting Il
sidelong glance at the house from which
the arrow seemed to have come, he NUT
tered, with terrible smile;
"That house shall be torn down to-day,
and on its site will construct a gallery
of paintings and statuary. 1t shall be a
noble editice, and it will add to my fame
as one of the best patrons of the fine
arts. As for the inmates of the house
why, they shall be attended to this very
morning" .1
The procession entered the courthouse,
W hera Mo q octn IN, N, cd ia+alu 81
to the gloomy basement of the building.
In this basement were located the dun
geons where the prisoners Of state were
confined also the tortue chamber with
all its dread paraphernalia.
During the Infamous reign of Malatesta
these dungeons were always filled with
the victims of the tyrant's vindictive-
ness, and the torture chamber resounded
day after day with the heart-rending
screams and profound groans of the I'M
fortunate persons whom Malatesta's
hangman and his assistants tormented.
On the morning of the 18th of May,
1901, the torture-chamber was to be the
scene of truly revolving spectacle
When Malatesta entered the apartment,
over which two torches cast their lurid
light, he took his seat upon stone
estrada. A secretary took his seat at
Have the prisoners brought in"
ordered Malatesta.
The secretary rang bell. A minute
later side door opened. The sound of
clanking chains was heard. At last a
mournful procession, headed bv the
haRgman and his assistants entered
There were ten heavily-ironed prisoners
They were only half-clad in the coarsest
hempen garments. They looked pale
and lemaciated. Their eyes were hardly
able to bear the glare of the torchlights
Call their Names" said Malatesta.
a,Ihe secretary read off the following
names: -,<
Palvicino Aesiello, Enrico AesielIo,
Michaele Aesiello, Guglielmo Pallayicini,
Alfonso Stravera, Manfredo Bifionini,
Andrea Borania, Carlo Borania, Marco
Tristany, Antonio Montani
As soon as the name of prisoner was
read he was rudely pushed one side by
the executioner. When the reading of
the names had been completed, the
secretary said: -.-.a -.
They are all here, Principe"
Malatesta rose to his feet, and said, in
/" You are all accused of being traitors
to the State of Riminip'
We are not, J" firmly replied the pri-
soners. q We have tried to save the Re-
public of Rimini from your traitorous
Vaccinations, PaAdolfo Malatestaw
Ha! ha! har' laughed the tyrant.
'sWho elected you Prince of Riminip
crr-d, the elder Aesiello, venerable
man of seventy. ft
No onew said another prisoner.
He is usurper and a tyrant
Malatesta fairly foamed with rage
Maledettip' he roared.
"Yon are accused by everybody in
this city except by your minions and
henchmen" t.f III .'it Ll 4
You will speedily die the death of
dogp gravely said old Aesiello.
But first, you shall die; and the
ravens and hawks shall eat your rotting
carcasses, while 7, after my death, shall
be remembered as. the benefactor Of
Rimini-as he who adorned his city
with the most beautiful edifces and
Monuments f-ff. t...r
!" History does not liepo said old
Aesiello, solemnly.
n tIuCt 10 all tlllS nonsense. shouted
Malatesta. "Executioner, perform your
duty" The scene that ensued beggars
description. For three solid hours the
unfortunate prisoners were tormented
with all the deyilish ingenuity chara-
teristic of the cruel Italian tortures of
the Middle Ages. The object of this
torturing was to wrest from the sufferers
the confession that they were traitors to
theiState of Rimini. Eight of the pris-
oners remained firm Two of them,
unable to bear the dreadful agony, said
all that Malatesta wanted He was
delighted. II F
Carlo Borania and Antonio Montana"
he said, "are shrewd They will get off
with simple decapitation. As for the
rest OF you, this fate is in store for Won
you shall be knocked down with a
stone hammer and then your hearts
shall be cut out by the executioner.
You shall meet your death az noon to-
day on the market place"
He rose from his seat and hurried
back to his palace. There several dis
tinguished artists from Rome awaited
him-artists, painters, scalptors. The
artists OF Italy at that period, as gem
eral thing. were wretched, time-serving
fellows. What did they care whether
tbs hand that pstfoflsed them wa.