The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-07-22
The Career of a Bandit,

The Career of a Bandit
The steamer City of New Orleans ar
rived in New York on the morning of
July 18th, having on board Giuseppe
Esposto, alias Radazzo, q noted Italian
brigand, who escaped from his native
country some years ago, and has since
been living in New Orleans, where he
was recently captured at the instance of
the Italian Consul. lie is charged with
terrible catalogue of crimes He was
chief of band of robbers who infested
the island of Sicily and especially the
neighborhood of Palermo, robbing, mur-
dering and holding captured travel ers
for ransom. When the carriage passed
West street. such cries as "The Internal
bandit" See the murderer "IIe ought
to be hung without "A trial. came from
crowd of 'longshoremen who were
waiting for admission to begin unloading
the steamer. The prisoner was in the
custody of Detective James Mooney and
an assistant, who were sent to New Or
leans by the Italian Charge d Affares
to arrest Esposito. They had a warrant
for his apprehension from Secretary of
State Blaine. The brigand has dark,
piercing eye jet black curly hair, beard,
aud mous,ache. regular featu es, and
is what might be called handsome man.
His height is five rect seven inches and
weight one hundred and forty pounds.
He had on this morning pepper-and
salt colorrd suit well worn, n blue check
muslin shirt and II soied and broken
Panama hat. He looked like the aver
age street vender of fruit. There is moth
| ing in his appearance to indicate that he
is Il man of brutal passions, whose hands
have been dyed in human blood, and
who, as the leader of "A band of banditt,
created terror throughout large part of
Italy.
| a CAREER OF CRIME.
The accounts of Esposito's career as a
bandit are somewhat conflicting, but
they agree in the main facts For about
fifteen years preceding the year 1878 a
noted band of robbers infested the island
Of Sicily and especially the neighborhood
of Palermo, robbing, numbering and
holding captured travellers for ransom.
The band was for years known as Le-
ones, from the name of its chief. Leone
was finally, however, pursued so hotly by
the Italian authorities that he was forced
to take refuge in Al geria, where it is
said he was killed in drunken brawl
Esposito was born in Palermo, and at an
early age ran away and joined this band
Leone liked him and in time made him
his lieutenant. When Leone fled, Espo
sito became the head of the band, and in
little time gained almost as bad noto
riety as Leone himself. The charges
against Esposito are: First, with being
II member of an outlawed band; second
with having extorted by violence 25O, ,OOC
lire; third, extortion through violence OF
10000 lire; fourth, ,premeditated murder
fifth, extortion by violence of 5000 lire
sixth, second murder, with premedita
ton; seventh, another eXtOrtion with vi
olcnce of 10000 lire. In the latter cast
the victim died, after n release, through
his injuries. In the eighth place, Espo
sto is charged with the seizure and mu
tilaton of an English curate, the Rev
John Forester Rose. These are onl,
some of the charges, for Esposito's ca
reer was most daring one.
CUTTING ore A CLERG1NIAN's EARS.
When the clergyman was captured, III
was taken into the mountain fastness an'
EspositO in the meantime wrote lette
to his wife, who was in London, to tn,
effect that if she did not ransom him fo
the sum of $4,000 they would tortur'
him to death. Mrs. Rose consulted tn,
authorities and they advised her not t.
pay the money. Before she sent an an
swer the brigands wrote second lette
to the distracted wife, threatening that i
she did not forward the money by re
turn mail they would cut off one of he
husbands ears and send it to her. lie
friends tried to cheer her and laughed a
such threat She wrote, refusing Il
pay the ransom, when the brigands car
red ont the horrible threat, and the thirt
letter she received enclosed the right ca
of the unfortunate clergyman. The SAM
letter also contained threat that ii TIN
money was not now sent like package
would be sent to her containing her hus
bands left ear. Soon after the wife re
ceiyed her husbands left ear and lette
telling her that his nose would be sen
next and other parts OF his body wOult
follow. Upon receipt of this letter Mrs
Rose fell seriously i'll and her friends, b,
great efforts, at last raised the money
which was forwarded, whereupon tn
clergyman was released and returned l.
England, having suffered the loss of hi
ears only. When Mr.. Rose related hi
grievance to the home authorities, tn
English government at once took tn
matter up, assuming such a position tina
the Italian Government sent out stronI
military force and thoroughly searche
the mountain retreats OF the brigand'
In these raids, which were pursued wit
vigor, many of the bandits were kille
and large number captured. Anon
the prisoners was Esposito,
his FLIGHT TO AMERICA,
, But Esposito did not stay captured
On the way to prison the troops were a
tackled and fled and Esposito was fro
again. Areward of 25,000 lire was o
, fered for his head, but the bandit chi'
g managed to escape, and keeping clear {
5 the Italian authorities, he succeeded
r getting to this country, He was for
time lost to sight, but was finally rcco!
!, nized in New Orleans. He had come
y this city first, but fearing detection, ha
made his way to Orleans. There he ha
S purchased schooner with his ill-gotte
: gains and was engaged in the fru
trade along the Mississippi river. The
e being no doubt of the bandits identit
4 upon application of Count Marafochi,
4 the Italian Consulate in New York, M
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