Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-03-27
BRIGANDAGE IN SICILY.
4 Peep Into the Prison Of Esposito---
The Famous Robber at Home.
"What has become of Esposito?"

The Famous RODDer at Home.
''What has become of Esposito?'
We were in the pleasant rooms of the
American consul at Palermo. That
gentleman, being genial young Vir-
giniaD, chattY and full of information
we asked the above question about the
somewhat famous brigand that filled
the columns of newspapers two years
ago.
'Esposito?"
''He has been tried, sentenced, and
hung by this time, | conjecture?'
Not yet. You are in a country
where the mills of justice grind exceed
ingly slow"
But is not such a delay as this ex-
traordinary?"
Far from it; | know of cases in
which the parties, arrested four or five
years AGO, are still utter strangers to a
court room"
is this much talked-of brigand at
home to yisitors?"
doubtless he would be glad to see
any one from country where he had
such an ovation, but, strange to say,
you cannot even buy admission into an
Italian penitentiary. Policy makes
their regulations stringent"
@'When did they settle the question
of his identity-that which interfered
SO with his immediate extradition at
New York?'
80, when the steamer came, right
away the question settled itself Such
grand reception as he had from the
Jacobin rabble of Palermo is only
equalled when Garibaldi comes. "
~'All his old cronies were on the sea
wall to watch the steamer come in. 1t
is always such a beautiful sight from
the Piazza Marina"
There was an immense crowd of
sans c2t0tteS. A boat full of soldiers
pushed off from the steamer and pulled
for the mob at a point near the prison,
which YOU know is not far off from the
fort. The thron9 on the sea wall caught
glimpse of their old comrade in the
midst Of his guard, and made a rush
for the landing"
Did they attempt rescue?n
They hooted and jeered at the
guards, but used no force. With their
quondam friend they laughed and ioked
50 cordially that it clearly identified
Esposito.
Doubtless lie vas very popular with
she poorer classes?"
%, yes. The brigands are in per-
feet accord with the peasantry. Their
occupations often Interchange. A la
borer out of job knew we'll where to
get money to help along his family,
when opposite reigned in the noun
tains Ii he couldn't get it as a gift,
ne would turn brigand himself for
while. There is bond of fellowship
between them. In sickness or trouble
they are in each others arms"
In southern Italy the dwelling houses
are very tall. Experience has proved
TO the inhabitants that immunity from
the dreaded fever is best found high
above the ground. In the hotels the
most desirable rooms are on the high
doors. The consulate was perched in
one of these eyries, and we looked from
the windows down upon a handsome
carriage drive. 1t was late in the after
noon, and one snowy equipage after
another passed before us in sort of
review. The consul pointed out a gen.
tleman in an approaching barouche.
His yellow hair and rudy face declared
him Enthusiastically to be Briton.
There is an individual" said the
Virginian with smile, that the New
York courts decided was dead"
"Ciyilly, fguratively to this world,
or how?''
Actually. In the New York exam
ination for the purpose of extradition,
before opposite could be sent here,
they had to find him guilty in a sort of
way of numbering some one. Names
OF victims were immaterial, so it didn't
make much difference that it was this
Mr.. Forester whom you saw drive by
just now for whose death the great
brigand was sent home to the land of
his fathers"
In Sicily, we learned, there is dis
tinction between brigands proper and
mere highway robbers. With the latter
all is fish that come to their net. But
the former hunt for particular game.
A tourist from America was once
taking a stroll on an unfrequented road
near the city. He came to spot COW
cred with low bushes; it looked, he
said afterwards, like New England
BURBERRY pasture" Stunted trees and
the thick shrubbery formed the imme-
diate foreground. There were blue
mountains in the distance and an old
woman leading well-laden mule on
road quarter of mile away. They
were the only animated objects in the