Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-26
BOLD BRIGANDS.
They Love Luxury, Ruffisns ~ ley Are
Bulgarian Briganas and Fra Dia-
volo"-History Of Bfigandaa.
nondnn rsieersnn-i

| SAID 10 ne all out entTciy ueluct IN
Spain and the Italian peninsula, wkch is
only beard OF now aud again in febly
spasmodic outbursts in Sicily. whicl has
10 t much OF its former virulence IL the
Kingdom aof the Hellenes proper, and
which, thanks to railways and the min
tenance of something approaching stable
government, is fading even out OF Moi-
co, seems by al accounts to be fourth
ing in the fullest luxuriance in Eastrn
Roumelia- The energy and impudefce
OF the gang Of bandits who recently cp-
tured two Austrian subjects, NM. LAM
Ter and Binder, at BeIlova, and are e.
handing no less sum than 1900 Tux
ish pounds for their ransom, are nlmot
OF nature to vie with the late NJ. FL
mund About's delightfully."- picturesque
but slightly imaginative narrative OF tie
achievements of the Greek "Klepl"
Hsdji Stavros, Kingo the Mountain"
While the hope must be universal tlat
the two captives will be delivered sfe
and sound from the clutches Of the lei
Iowa brigands, IL cannot be denied TAT
there is
SLIGHT TOUCH OF HUM0B
in the proceedings OF these rufinly
outlaws, and that they have contrivei to
cast a new light on the domestic ectno-
my of brigand life. There has leen
hitherto & tolorably general consensus
among travellers that the modern bri-
gsnd in Roumclia and on the Tuco-
Greek frontier is, as rule, deplor,ble
ragamuffin, usually ne'er-do-Sell
peasant or an insolent horse-couper,
who is in league with the dram shop
keeper, and sometimes with the prizes: oil
The village round about which he provls.
His innermost garment is more FIRE.
qucntly q goat-skin than shirt Of
textile fabric he rarely washes
his ideas touching combs are indis
tinct, and be never heard of tooth
brush. AS for his diet, it was one in
which salt fish and sausages largely prs-
dominate over butchers meat and ran
cid oil over both, and. as regards stim1-
lants, he will drink as much as he can
get OF the commonest red VINE, the most
fiery corn-brandy, and the most NAL
odorous mastic or "raki." OF course he
smokes, but usually his tobacco has been
the vilest Russian mahorka" and his
pipe q rude chibouck of cherry wood.
Tho Bellova brigands seem, however, to
have souls far above such primitive garb
and such simple viands as We have
glanced at.
THE RoGUEs ARE PERFECT sYBARTTEs
and. in letter addressed to a rich mer.
chaat Of Tartar Bazardiik. they have de-
manded that there should be forthwith
sent to them six Martini rifles OF the pat
tern furnished to the Eastern Roumelian
gendarmes, together with large supply
of ball cartridge thirty-f spair OF
shoes as many shirts, ornamented with
the finest Russian embroidery thirty
five pair OF stockings of the best
quality thirty-five cakes of scented
soap an equal quantity OF ivory
combs three dozen less one of ivory
cigarette-bolders ;ea large quantity Of
tobacco and cigarettes and neatly
assorted stock OF cognac, vermouth, bit
tiers, cheese, and other creature comforts.
1t is only to be wondered at that these
dandy brigands did not add few dozen
boxes of sardines, Paris kid gloves, hand
mirrors, birth day cards, and TASKS OF
eau de Cologne to their list Their altar
of roses they probably prepare for them
selves, the odoriferous manufacture being
indigenous to the region they adorn with
their presence.
About the only tenable hypothesis that
can be formed to account for the elegant
luxury in which the Bulgarian brigands
have taken to living may be that they
have been reading translation of the
llbretto Of Scribe's Fra Diavolo, and that
they have resolved to "live up to 1t. "
The real
FRA DIAyOL0,
whose name was Michele Pezza, was the
most repulsive of highway robbers. He
had been a stocking-kni,ter in a small
way of business in the Kingdom Of Ma
pies, and, going bankrupt, took natu-
rally TO the road. He became the
scourge and terror OF the two Calabrias
and a price was set on bis head, but when
in 1875 Cardinal Ruffo undertook to
force the French to evacuate the Nea-
politnn territory he pardoned Fra
Diavolo, and even gave him a
commission as Northumberland Of
volunteers. For eight years this in-
conceivable blackguard Yaged guerrilla
warfare on the Gallo invaders, robbing
and numbering his own countrymen
when there were no foreigners TO fight /;
but in 1906 he was captured. shot. and
gibbeted, the officer who ordered his
execution being, odly enough, a
gallant French general, the father of
the great master of the romantic school
in France, Victor Hugo. There was, in
reality, nothing more romantic about
Fra Diavolo than there was about our
Anglo French highwayman,
CLAUDE DUvAL,
who was simply on Ascending proHigate
feotman of the Duchess OF Portsmouth /;
but in the early days Of French roman
ticism every incident and every person
age that could be perverted to pictu-
rescue uses were eagerly seized upon by
the novelists aud the plsywrights. They
turned to Spain, and especially to Italy ;
and while Victor Hugo fabricated a
wholly unhistorlcal Lucrezia Borgia as
the heroine of tragedy, Alexander
Dumas manufactured an equally unvera-
cious Fra Disvolo as tho hero of q
novel. Tho ready witted scribe at
once availed himself OF the latter
amusing but delusive creation. and,
with the collaboration of the composer
Auber, he produced the always charm
ing comic opera of Fra Davolo. There
can be little doubt that, while the lyric
art benefited largely by tho popularity
of Auber's sparkling and harmonious
numbers, an appreciate amount OF So
cial harm WIS done by the highly pic
turesouc and histrionic presentment
given by the Scribe of the sham Fra
Diavolo and his gang OF murderous des-
peradoes. Society began to believe in
tho existence OF marsuder elegantly and
extensively attired in plum vel
vet, with gilt sugar-loaf buttons to his
Jacket, his lower limbs swathed with
crlss-cross thoags, and wearing conical
hat profusely ornamented with ribbons.
This
IDEAL BRIGAND
vas scrupu,ously polite TO ladies. and