The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-05-26
THE BRIGANDS OF ASC0LI.

I was sitting with brother officer
enjoying the delicious repose that one
feels after fatiguing days work, when
i was agreeably ordered to Ascoli. to
look after the brigands, who had there
been committing all sorts of atrocities.
We arrived at Ascoli in high spirits.
and proposed to make our first search
ON the morrow. At Ancona we were
warned of strategem which the bri-
gands were practicinE. Ten or q dozen
of th'm would disguise themselves. .as
persons mending the roads, wearing the
usual blouse and short knee breeches
of the professed road-mender, but un-
derneath their blouses they were armed
with pistols and knives.
I was glad to know this, because to
be forewarned is to be forearmed. !
only wished that we had arrived few
days sooner. fo' we might have saved
ayoung wife from being slain on her
wedding day. AS the facts are short,
this may be the first anecdote of our SER
vice.
Two young people, peasants, were to
be married on certain day, and it was
known that after the ceremony, leave
taking, etc., the husband would convey
his new wife to her future home, situ-
ated in a village some distance up the
mountain. The brigands-this very
troop who had assumed the disguise
became aware of the fact, as also OF the
time when the unsuspectlng victims
might be expected.
They came, and one Of the road
members coming up to the side of the
vehicle. said:
"a trihe. beautiful lady, for the love
ofthe Virgin"
The young wife in the generous i'm
pulse of her new joy, took out her purse,
never doubling the road-menders-for
as general thing they are honest-and
was in the act of giving the pretended
beggar her simple donation, when their
chaise was surrounded by these dis
guised brigands.
Her husband was stunned by blow
on the head, and she, the wife, was
lifted out of the chaise and held while
general search was made of both their
persons. The husband was Thought
dead, and was left on the road. When
he regained his senses the sight which
met lis gaze was too dreadful 70 de-
scribe.
On the ground, not many PAGES from
him, lay his wife; her pretty bridal
finery all dabbled in blood, her dress al
most torn into shreds, the earrings torn
from her ears. the finger whereon was
her wedding ring and the usual heavy
keeper cut of.
The horse and chaise had disappeared,
probably transporting the brigands
away from the scene of one Of The most
cruel murders which the annals Of
brigandage can furnish.
The husband was discovered by Il
priest and herdsman, and conveyed to
the nearest village; but, although he
seemed to be in state of almost hope
less idiocy, still, when the priest took
him by the hand to lead him away from
the pitiable scene, he would not move,
but, pointing to the body of his muir
dered wife, which the herdsman had ar
ranged with as much decency as pos
sible, he refused by the stoutest resist
ance to move without her.
They were, therefore, obliged to leave
him, and 60 and get assistance to re-
move the poor creature to the village.
They buried the poor murdered girl in
the churchyard of that tar-off Italian
village of the Apprentices, the husband
having been conveyed home to his
friends.
We took but one day at Ancona for
preparation and rest. and were astir be-
times the near morning. l took with
me some of my men, upon whose cool
ness and courage l could depend. and
we N ade our way toward part of the
mountain side where I had observed
hat the smoke curled up over the trees.
I found, as I expected, large and
prosperous-looking farmhouse, as to
size. The place bore the marks of re-
cent disturbance; for, while the house
itself, the pretty vine-covered windows
and door were in perfect order. the
out houses, stables, etc., were some de-
prived of their doors, and some hanging
by one hinge.
Our appearance seemed to make stir
in the farmhouse, and I observed, as l
walked up to the door, that tall young
man. son, suppose, of one of the
women by whom he was standing,
seemed agitated and whispered some
words to his mother, to which she
nodded her head several times.
l called together my men, and we
preceded to the shadows to a huge
overhanging piece of rock, which gave
shelter from the sun. Here we arranged
to take our noon-day refreshment and
siesta, under its welcome shade, which
was very pleasant after march under