The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-01-15
Seleet Sture.
THE TYRANT OF RlMINL


A 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 10Th of May, 1891. All pedestrians
fed as if disnayed at his approach, and
we'll they might, for he was none other
than siUismondo-P -Pandolfo- -Malatesta, the
autocrat of Rimini; and one Of the worst
tyrants of his terrible period.
Malatesta was followed by an escort of
srchers, and as he turned around a
corner and directed his steps toward the
court house, an arrow, shot by an un-
known hand, fell at his feet. Malatesta
picked it up with a scornful smile. A
parchment slip was fastened to the end
of the arrow. On.this slip the following
terrible words were inscribed:
"ACcursed Malstesta, thy end is draw
ing nigh, 1t will be both horrible and
ignominious."
As Malatesta read these words he
turned slightly palC. but he quickly re-
covered his equanimity, Casting a side
long glance at the house from which the
arrow seemed to have come, he mutter'
ed, with q terrible smile:
"That house shall be torn down today,
and on its site will construct gallery
of paintings and statuary. 1t shall be a
noble edi6Ce, and it will add to my fame
a. 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"
The procession entered the courthouse
where Malatesta Immediately descended
10 the gloomy basement Of the building
In this basement we're located the dun
geons where the prisoners Of state were
confined; also the torture chamber with
all its dread paraphernalia.
During the infamous reign of Malatesta
these dungeons were always filed with
the victims of the tyrant's vindiCtive.
ness, and the torture chamber reseunded
day after day with the heartrending
screams and profound groans of the un-
fortunate persons whom Malatestas
hangman and his assistants tormented,
On the morning of the 18th of May,
1901, the torture chamber was to be the
scene of a truly revolving spectacle
When Malatests entered the apartment,
over which two torches cast their lurid
light, he took his seat upon stone es.
trade. A secretary took his seat at his
feet.
"Have the prisoners brought in" or.
dered Malatesta.
The secretary rang bell. A minute
later side door opened. The sound Of
Clanking chains was heard. At last
mournful procession, headed by the
hangman and his assistants, entered.
There were ten heavily ironed prisoners
They were only half Clad in the cosrsest
hempen garments. They looked pale
and emacisted. Their eyes we're hardly
able to bear the glare Of the torchlights.
"Csll their names" /" said Malatesta.
The Secretary read off the following
names:
PAlviCino Aesiello, Enrico Aesiello,
Michael Aesiello, Guglielmo Pallayicni.
Alfonso Stravero, Manfredo Butfonini
Andrea Boranis, Carlo Borania, Marco
Trisiany, AntOnia Montani.
As soon as the name of prisoner was
read he wss rudely pushed one side by
the exeCutioner. When the reading OF
the names had been completed, the sec.
retsry said:
They are all here, Principe"
Malatests rose to his feet, and said in
a terrible voice:
"You are all accused of being traitors
to the State of Rimini."
"We are not" firmly replied the pris.
oners. "We have tried to save the Re.
public Of Rimini from your traitorous
Vaccinations, Pandolfo MaIatesta."
"Ha ha ha p laughed the tyrant.
Who elected you Prince of Rimini?"
cried the elder Aesiello,a venerable man
Of seventy years.
"No one," cried another'prisoner "He
Is usurper and tyrant."
Malatesta fairly rosred with rage,
"Maladetti " he cried.
"You are accused by everybody in this
city except by your minions and your
henchmen."
"You will speedily die the death of a
dog" gravely said old Aesiello.
"But first you shall die, and the ravens
and hawks shall eat your rotting carcases
while l, after my death, shall be remem.
bered as the benefactor Of Rimini-as he
who adorned his city with the most
beautiful editices and monuments"
"History does not he," said old Aesiel.
10 solemnly
"a truce to all this nonsense" shouted
Nslatesta, "Executioner, perform your
dutyl" The scene that ensued beggars
description. For three solid hours the
unfortunate prisoners we're tormented
With all the devilish ingenuity charac-
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
the State of Rimini. Eight Of the pris.
oners remained firm. Two of them, IN.
able to bear the dreadful agony, said all
that Malatesta wanted. He was de
lighted
"Carlo Borania and Antonio Montani,'
he said, ARE shrewd. They will get of
with simple deCapitation. As for the
rest Of you, this fate is in store for you
you shal be knocked down with stone
hammer, and then your hearts shall be
cut out by the executioner. You shall
meet your death at noon to-day on the
market place."
He rose from his seat and hurried back
to his palace. There several distinguish.
ed artists from Rome awaited him-artists
and painters and scuIpturors. The artists
OF Rome at that period, as general
thing, we're wrelched, time,serving fel
lows. What did they care whether the
hand that patronized them was stained
with hind Malafaataia In fo ,o;o. 80,