Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-02-15
SlCILlAN BRlGANDS,

slCILlAN BRlGANDs.
An Interesting Story Of Capture and Esc.pe...A
Bloodhound Used by the Williams to Effect
Captures.
From Frazer's Magazine.l
Labedoyere was fond of wandering
among the mountains of Sicily, and
about three weeks after his arrival at
Taormina he made solitary excursion
to the marble quarries OF Monte Ziretto.
beyond the Fiumara. On his way back
he missed his way, and found himself at
nighttall skirting the rocky peak of
Lapa. Then he knew where he was. for
he could see Taormina not very far off.
He sat down to rest himself awhile and
to enjoy the still beauty of the scene be-
fore him. When he got up to pursue
his journey he was startled by the sound
Of shot fred close above him, while at
the same time a gruff voice cried:
".BOcc0 q terra" He had been in
Sicily long enough to know what those
words meant. They meant that he was
to throw himself on his face on the
ground and let the brigands seize him
on pain Of being instantly shot. Turn
ing himself in the direction from which
the shot and voice came, he saw against
the skyline the barrels of six guns
pointed at him at distance of some ten
yards. Labedoyere knew that the
slightest attempt to escape would in.
stantly draw the fire of those six guns
upon him. On the other hand, he be-
heved that he bore charmed life for
another month, and, without more ado,
he rushed down the mountain. To his
surprise, the brigands did not fire, and
he was beginning to congratulate him
self on his lucky star when he found
himself thrown violently to the ground
and a powerful bloodhound standing over
Linn. He was not hurt, for the brute was
we'll trained, and would not bite unless
resistance was offered. The brigands
were upon him before he recovered his
presence OF mind, and led him for some
hours blind-folded. When his eyes were
unbandaeed it was quite dark, and he
had no idea where he was. The brigands
we're very courteous, especially one of
them, whom Labedoyere soon discov-
cred to be the capobrigante. Toward
the following afternoon the band arrived
with their captive at a mountain cave
which was evidently their lair, and where
they had tolerably comfortably quarters.
They set food and wine before their pris-
oner, of which he partook with an appe-
tite shapened by his long fast and IA
tiguing walk. He was then requested to
send note to the marchese for a hand
some ransom, ON the receipt Of which by
the brigands he would be conducted in
safety to the neighborhood Of Taormina.
In was in vain that Labedoyere explained
that he had no claim whatever on the
generosity Of the marchese; equally in
vain that he defed them to shoot him.
The chief told him in the blandest tones
that they never shot captive. After
the ransom became due they sent piece
OF his body at intervals, while life lasted,
to quicken the zeal of his family and
friends. Labedoyere shuddered. He
could face death, but not by piecemeal
mutilation. He wrote the note to the
marchese, and awaited the issue with all
the stoicism at his command.
In the course of the day the band was
augmented by the arrival of four more
brigands who had been on an expedition
an unsuccessful one-in another direc-
ton. Labedoyere did not at first take
any particular notice of the new arrivals.
BY and by be became conscious that he
was apparently an object of curiosity or
interest to one of them, whose eyes he
found steadily fixed on him whenever he
looked in that direction. At last he re-
turned the mans gaze, and was at once
convinced that he had seen the face be-
fore. All at once it flashed on him that
the man was Genoese soldier who had
been badly wounded On the field of
oh h. l.
passing at the moment that the wounded
man was about to he thrown into pit
among number of dead bodies, and,
finding that his pulse was going, he had
him carried to his tent. The man re-
covered, thanks to Labedoyere's care,
and was set at liberty by Labedcyere's
.naence. In the course of the day he
managed to slip paper into Labedoy-
ere's hands on which he scrawled the
words: 'Ishall be one of your guard to-
night and will help you to escape. But
beware of the hound" And so it fell
out. In the afternoon the chief depart
ed with the band, leaving two of them,
of whom the Genoese was one, to guard
the prisoner. The guards orders were
that neither of them was to allow the
other to sleep. for a moment. That
night one of them-not the Genoese-
fell fast asleep. The Genoese proposed
to kill him; but Labedoyere would not
consent. He agreed, however, to the
proposal Of the Genoese, that they
should bind and gag the sleeping bri-
gand, and then make their escape, for
the Genoese had made up his mind to
flee with Labedoyere, since he would
certainly be put to death for conniving
at the prisoners escape; besides, he had
got Disguised with brigand life.
The sleeping brigand was soon over
their lives. It was lucky for Labedoy-
ere that he was not alone, for he had
not the least idea which way to turn on
leaving the cave. His companion, how
ever, knew the way to Taormina, and
they hurried on as fast as their feet could
carry them, in the hope of being be.
yond the reach of capture by daybreak
for the Genoese did not think it safe tc
pursue their journey after dawn, since
lie did not know what direction the band
had taken, and wished to avoid the risk
of meeting it. He took the further pre-
caution, whenever they cameto stream,
to wade through it for a considerable
distance and get his companion to do tn,
same, in order to throw the hound of
the scent in the event of their beins
pursued. Toward daybreak they founf
themselves following the course of
wide but shallow mountain stream
whose banks we're covered with brush
wood. By the advice of the Genoese
they walked into the stream and wadet
back through the midst of it for abou
a quarter OF mile, till they came to
pool and covered with long grass an.
deep jungle. To this rock they boil
swan, and then hid themselves, al