Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-07
BRIGANDS In ITALY
Are by No Means Entirely a Matter Of
History Even Now.

Are by No Means Entirely Matter OF
History Even Now.
THE CAPTURE OF A MILLIONAIRE
Who Was Forced to Pay Round Ransom
to Secure His Release.
ONE BAND CONFINED IN AN IRON CAGE
ROME, June 28-Those who fondly i'm
agine that the italian banditti belong to q
by-gone age, and that they no longer figure
anywhere but on the operatic and dramatic
stage, would speedily become convinced of
the fallacy of their views by visit either to
the town of Frosinone, not two hours ride
from here on the high road to Naples. or. if
they should prefer it, by a trip to the ancient
city of Termini in Sicily. At Frosinone
thev would see gang of SO bloodthirsty-
looking brigands, male and female, heavily
chained and confined like wild beasts in q
great iron cage constructed for their particu-
lar benefit; while at Termini they would
have the pleasure of making the acqualnt-
ance of and listening to the tale OF woe re-
lated by Mr.. Arrigo, one Of the wealthlest
bankers and most extensive landowners OF
Sicily.
He has just effected his release from
captivity of 81 days in the mountains by
the payment of ransom of 100000 in
cold cash to the brigands who had kid
napedshim. Termini is a town Of 26,OOO
inhabitants, about half an hours distance
from Palermo, at which ancient seaport
Signor Arrigo has entertained many United
States naval officers when their ships touched
there Four weeks ago, while spending an
afternoon in visiting one of his estates In the
neighborhood, accompanied by his bailiff,
he perceived little squad of six carabineire,
villa where he was sitting.
A CLEVER sTRATAGEM.
On 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 license to use them. The banker
replied that he had left his license in Pal
ermo, whereupon the leader of the detach-
ment Immediately proceeded to confiscate
the Signor's revolvers and rifles, with the
professed object of holding them until he
had convinced himself by personal in
spection of the document that the permit
had been duly granted. Having thus OBJ
tanned possession of all the weapons in the
place, the gendarmes announced their in
tention of placing the banker and his bailiff
under arrest, and of taking them as prison.
ers to Palermo in order to authenticate the
Yeracity of their statements.
The two captives were accordingly bound
and blindfolded, and were taken in broad
daylight, not down toward the coast, but up
into the San Cologeri mountain, where for
the first time it dawned upon them that the
men dressed in the uniform Of gendarmes or
police were members Of the famous band of
brigands that had long infested the district.
The bailiff was soon set at liberty and sent
to Palermo for the purpose of informing the
partners and relatives of the banker as to
the amount of money required for his ran
som. Twenty-one days elapsed before the
negotiations on the subject of the latter was
completed, and during this time the captive
millionaire lived in mountain cave, Sleep
ing on a bundle of hay, and forced to con-
tent himself with a diet of black bread,
fruit and cheap but very powerful Marsala
wine.
THE RANSOM PAID OVER.
The ransom money has now been paid
over to the bandits in full and the banker re-
stored to his anxious friends at Palermo. A
funny auid 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
a patrol of three carabineiri. So ragged,
and generally disreputable did he |
appear to them that the worthy gendarmes
were convinced that he was one OF the band |
of banditti for whom they were hunting, |
while he, on his side, taught by sad expert |
ence, was equally confirmed in his belief |
that the gendarmes were nothing but brig |
ands in disguise.
1t was not until the police station at the |
gate of Palermo was reached that the cara |
binieri became assured of his identity and |
to cut the cords with which they |
had secured him. Owing 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 |
around about Palermo, and although none |
of the actual cdptors of M. Arrigo has yet |
been caught, several persons, including a |
lawyer aud priest, have been arrested on
the suspicion of being affiliated with the |
gang.
A DESPERATE DEED.
With regard to the 33 brigands confined |
in the iron cage at Frosinone, there are no
less than 470 separate charges against them,
most of them for murder, burglary and
highway robbery. They are all natives and
inhabitants of Artena, mountain town not
an hours ride from here, which has, since
tho sixteenth century, possessed the most
evil reputation of any place in the penin-
yula. Indeed, the Papal records show that
In the year 1857 its walls and houses were
i IL. Ii -, |
ruins by order Of Pope Paul w., who de-
clared that Artena was a hotbed of crime
and the most accursed spot in his domin-
ions. That the Artenians of the present
day are in nowise inferior in power of vii
lany and infamy to their ancestors is abun-
dainty proved by the fact that the last three
Mayors of the town have fallen beneath the
stilleto of assassins.
Almost the entire population of the |
place are more or less directly engaged in
and the chief of the band, who
is included among the prisoners in the cage |
at Froslnone, is one of the wealthiest and
most respected municipal councillors of
Artena. His name is Pasquale VILLAIN, |
his fortune amassed by hig ighway robbery
amounts to $50, 900, and his fame as bri- |
yand dates back to the days when Plus TX
,ttll exercised temporal sway over Rome. |
For Pasquale, though still hale and hearty |
and ready as ever for any deed of villany,
is old and gray-headed, and stands on record
Is having during the course of his long |
,arear committed AZ murders, 81 robberies |
and 484 assaults with intent to main and |
kill. The immunity which both he and his
elloM-citizens have enjoyed until now is
iue I'd the reluctance of any of the inhabi-
ants of the district to bear witness agsinst
him.
By using PIatt's Chlorides freely much sick