, 1890-08-14
A CAPTIVE BANKER.
Twenty-One Days With Ban
dts in Italy.
ARRIG0'S THRILLING ADVENTURE
Bound, Blindfolded and Taken in
. Broad Daylight to the
Mountains.

Mountains.
Those who fondly imagine that
the italian bunditti belonged to Il
bygone age and that they no longer
figure anywhere but on the opera
tic and dramatic stage would spcedi-
ly be convinced of the fallacy OF
their views by visit either to the
town of Frosinone, not two hours
ride from Rome on the high road to
Naples, or, If they should prefer it,
by II trip to the ancient city Of Ter
mini in sicily, says the Rome cor
respondent of the New York Trib-
une. At Frosinone they would
see gang of thirty-three blood
thirsty looking brigandS male and
female, heavily chained, and con-
fined like wild beasts i'm II great iron
cage, constructed for their particu-
lar benefit; while at Termini they
would have the pleasure of making
the acquaintance of and listening TO
the tale of woe related by Mr.. Ar
rigo, one of the wealthiest bankers
and most extensive land owners OF
Sicily. He has just effected his re-
lease from II captivity of twenty-one
days In the mountains, by the pay
ment of ransom of $1,000 In cold
cash to the brigands who had kid
mapped him.
Icrmini Is town of 26, 900 inhab-
itants about half an hours distance
from Palermo, at which ancient sea-
port Signor Arrlgo has entertained
many United States naval officers
when there ships touched there.
Four weeks ago, while spending an
afternoon I'm visiting one of his es'
tates I'm the neighborhood, accom-
panied by his bailifl, he perceived a
little squad of six carabinieri halt
before the gate of the villa in which
he was sitting. Upon entering,
they informed Signor Arrigo that
they wished TO know If he had any
arms on the premises, and, if so,
whether he had obtained IA license
to use them. The banker replied
that he had left his license at Pa
lermo, whereupon the leader of the
detachment Immediately proceeded
to coniiscate the signor's rcvolvers
and rifles, with the protesscd object
of holding them until he had con-
vinced himself by n personal in
spection of the document that the
permit had been duly granted.
Having thus obtained possession
of all the weapons in the place, the
gendarmes announced their in
tention of placing the banker and
his bailiH under arrest and of taking
them as prisoners to Palermo, in
order to authenticate the veracity OF
their statements. The two captives
were accordingly bound and blind
folded, and were taken, in broad
daylight, not down toward the
coast, but up into the San Cologeri
mountains, were, for the first time,
II dawned upon them that the men
dressed in the uniform of the gem
darmes or police were members of
the famous band of brigands that
had long infested the district. The
bailiH was soon set at liberty and
sent to Palermo for the purpose of
informing the partners and rela-
tives of the banker as to the amount
of money required for his ransom.
Twenty-one days elapsed before the
negotiations on the subject of the
latter were completed, and during
this time the captive millionaire
lived in mountain cave, sleeping
on IL bundle of hay, and forced TO
content himself with n diet of black
bread, fruit, and cheap but very
powerful Marsala wine. The ran
som money has now been paid
banker restored to his anxious
friends at Palermo.
a funny quid pro quo took place
on the day of his release. He had
been turned adrift by his captors at
the foot of the mountain, and had
not gone far when he happened to
meet II party of three carabinieri. So
ragged, unkept and generally dis
reputable did he appear to them that
the worthy gendurmes were con-
vinced that he was one of the band
of bandits for whom they were hunt
ing, while he, on his side, taught by
sad experience, was equally con-
firmed in his belief that the gem
darmes were nothing but brigands
In disguise. 1t was not until the
police station at the gate of Palermo
was reached that the carabinierl
became assured ofohis identity and
consented to cut the cords with
which they had secured him. Ow-
ing to the prominence and rank of
Signor Arrigo the government Is
displaying unusual energy in the
pursuit of the brigands who for
many years past have infested the
picturesque country round about
Palermo, and although none of
the actual captors of Nj. Arrigo have
yet been caught, several persons, ins
Guiding lawyer and IL priest, have
been arrested on the suspicion of
being affiliated with the gang.
With regard to the thirty-three
confined in the iron cage
at Frosinone, there are no less than
470 charges against them, mostly
for murder, burglary and highway
robbery. They are natives and
of Artena, q mountain
town not an hours ride from here,
which has, since the sixteenth CEN
fury, possessed the most evil reputa-
tion of any place in the peninsula.
Indeed, the papal records show that
in the year 1867 its walls and homes
were RACED to the ground and salt
on the ruins by order of
Pope Paul w., who declared that
A rtana Was a. hotheI of rrima opd