The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-26
A BANDIT-HUNTER
Memoirs of Kappa, Eilan's Fa-
mons Chief of Police.
How Some Noted Brigands Were Captured
His Sensational Account Of Cavour's
Death.

The memoirs of Domonico Cappa, till his
recent death for many years chief of the
Milan police. throw more light on the his
toric figure of Count Cavour than many
much more pretentious works.
Cappa was the son OF a Piedmontese
miller. He was expected by his family to
follow the business of his father, but he ran
off. joined the army, left 1t to become
waiter in Paris, and brought up at the age
Of % in the Italian political police. He
showed himself to be born detective, and
his talents soon secured for him the post of
bodyguard of Cav0ur. The invariabIe daily
duty of Cappa was to follow his master in
tho streets, in the palaces, in the depart
ments and at the public receptions from Z
O'Clock in the morning until midnight. Every
minute of his waking hours, hardly except
ing the time for his hasty meals, was de-
voted TO protecting the Minister from the
spies and enemies that surrounded him.
d" Tho peace of Villafranca was con-
Guided" wrote Cappa, "and the Senator
(CavouD retired from Office. A few days
after this unhappy event the Senator, with
distorted features and glowing eyes, sud
denly left the house at night and hurried off
toward to Lungo Pc. [ followed him sor-
rowfully. Unexpectedly he stock stock
still, snatched his high hat from his head,
and, with one blow of his heavy fist.
SiHdsicu IL Hat. AlJtT minute lie DuSHtu
the hat out again as we'll as he could, put the
remnant of 1t on his head, and, without
word, walked back home. At the door he
hesitated as If he did not know what to say
to me. Then he raised his sunken head and,
still silent, stretched out his hand. caught
it. pressed it, and kissed it. and then has
tened away that he might not see my tears.
On the next day my master said to me: My
friend, to-day leave Turin for long time;
you are free"
When Cav0ur returned to power in 1860,
Cappa was again at his heels, and remain ed
there till shortly before the statesman's
death. The detectives narrative of Ca
YOURS last days is sensational in its differ
ence frnm the usual historical version.
CavOur, he relates, had q Polish mistress of
rare beauty, whom he loved deeply. One
afternoon her servant went to Cappa with
the story that the Polish woman had be-
trayed Cavour and received another lover.
The servant was eager to convey this in
formation to Cavour in the hope Of securing
a reward Tor his pains. Cappa wished to
protect his master from the pain Of the
revelation and exacted from the servant a
promise to say nothing of the matter to
CavOur Then he went to the Polish woman
with the accusations She protested vehe-
mently her innocence, and in fact convinced
Cappa that her servant had lied. In the
midst of the interview, however. Cavour,
who, meantime, had heard the servants
story, broke in upon Cappa and the woman.
and, in a passion, dismissed the faithful de-
tectye for helping to deceive him." As
the faithful Cappa left the room, the
Spurned woman called after him:
MARK it-when your master returns to
me, he will return to die"
His dismissal from Cavnur's service was
a hard blow to Cappa. He became despond-
ent, wandered aimlessly through the streets
night and day, refused to eat and event
ually shot himself. The wound was severe.
and for many weeks Cappa hung between
life and death. When he recovered suffi-
GENTLY to be again in the street he learned
that CaVOur mad gone back to the Polish
woman, and almost after the reconciliation
had died. Her threat was at once in Cap
pas mind, and he went to see her. She had
disappeared, and all the efforts of the keen
and devoted detective resulted in failure so
find trace OF her. Cappa's firm belief was
that Cavour's death was caused by her hand.
After CaVOur's death Cappa Joined the
criminal police. His remarkable ability
was then first disclosed to the world He
became the most celebrated bandit-hunter
in Italy. He made all his great captures OF
counterfeiters, professional highwaymen and
murdereTs without help. At the time when
the French desperate ResSignol was in hid
ing with price on his head, and his cap
ture was pronounced impossible by all the
best OF the Italian police, Cappa bet with
the Mayor Of Turin that he would catch the
man in two weeks. After four days and
nights of incessant work Cappa traced Ros-
signol to Genoa, and on the fifth night ar
rested him there with his own hands
Cappa was unique figure in Milan. He
always appeared in the street in q time-Horn
high hat and long coat with Tapping tails,
and carried faded green sun umbrella. He
was wild-mannered, pious old man, with
strong love for children and little smile
for everybody. Not a look or gesture under
ordinary circumstances gave q hint of his
perfect fearlessneSs and perpetual alert
ness.-N. Y. Sun.