The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-09-19
MODERN BRIGANDS.
An Ancient Industry Enjoying a
Great Revival

Brigandage as a Safe and Profitable
Calljng-How Robbers Operate
in Different Parts of
the World.
The picturesque industry of brigand
age has existed in Europe and the east
since the time of Homer, and just as So
oiety is congratulating itself that the
danger is extinct, it reappears among
the mountaineers of Italy, Greece, or
Turkey, or the traip robbers Of Arkan-
sas or Missouri
It is ali nonsense, says the New York
Journal, to suppose brigandage is dead
in Italy. The Slcilian mountains still
furnish as many chances for wild en-
counter as they did forty years ago, and
Fra Diavolo is always leaving prison
in,some southern city and preparing to
take to the woods again. There is
proof, too. that the able brigand has
the completely of the police in many
cases. In order to get out Of durance
vile he has only to claim that he has ex-
perienced sschange of heart" At the
present time extraordinary efforts are
in progress for the liberation of one
Carbone, noted brigand, on whose
head four assassinations weigh. He has
been in prison long time, and the
chiefs brain is wild with thoughts of
future exploits, SO he claims to be a
good man now, and in few months we
shall be hearing of new deeds of daring
in the environs of Palermo, or in the
woody country between Naples and
Rome.
Mountain brigandage has largely
given place, however, to operations in
anI near the large cities, because the
lsss GER is the safer. The collision Of the
police helps the malefactors wonderful
". signor Tajani, not very long ago
minister of justice for the Italian king
dom, and at one time prosecuting at
torney in Palermo, narrowly escaped
the ruin Of his career because he ex-
posed the infamous brigandage which
he saw going on around him.
The police, according to his state
ment, had many of the nafiosi in
corporated in it's ranks, and permitted
burglaries of the court Of appeals and
in the central palaces Of Palermo; and
robberies in the museums, and in the
government pawnbroking establish
ments amounting to hundreds OF thou
sands of dollars. No one was ever
punished, for the police was the real
receiver of stolen goods. If this was
not wholesale brigandage, what was it?
It shows what the Malta can do when it
is free from persecution.
The connivance of the police at
petty brigandage has long been we'll
known in Italy, but there seems no way
to stop it. 1t is not very long SINCE a
deputy declared in the chamber that
members Of the Malta always received
warning in due time of any measures
which the secret police were taking
against them, thus showing that mem
bers of the criminal association were
on the police force.
There is something irresistibly comic
in the idea Of a brigand with pull"
Fra Diavolo TRANQUILITY dining with
travellers whom he is to rob, and pre-
pared to sell his life dearly when the
carbineers attack, has a bravado about
him which compels respect.
But a brigand coolly arranging for
''police protection,'' and bargaining
with the "copper"" as to division Of
the spoils-this is SO thoroughly nine
teenth century, SO hard and cynically
practical--that it excitas ones sense OF
the ridiculous.
who caught the German travellers by
stopping railway train in Turkey re-
Gently, and got such a large sum of
money from them for ransom, was in
collision with Turkish officials, who
were playing very safe game.
If the victims paid up quietly, aud not
too much fuss was made over the mat
ter, then the officials divided quietly
with Athanos and his band, and all
went merrily as marriage bells.
But if Athanos were caught and inn
prisoned, because a hue and cry was
raised by the foreign ambassadors, then
the officials would receive a reward for
their diligence in catching him, and
thus some Of the money would fall into
their hands, Athanos would have a
mock trial--as he undoubtedly will
and some fine day it will be reported
that he has escaped from prison. Then
he will take to the road-on the rail
road-again. To leave him in prison is
dangerous, for he seems to be deserted
by the officials; then those worthless
will be assassinated by his friends.
Thus there are wheels within wheels,
even in brigandage.
Railroad brigandage is becoming
regular profession in Europe. It is,
perhaps, the most sinister and repulsive
form of crime in existence. Every
body knows that railroad cars on
European lines are divided into COM
partments of first, second and third
class, and that on rapidly rolling ex-
press trains traveller may frequently
be alone for hours.
Suddenly, when crossing some bridge
or traversing a tunnel, the door of the
compartment will be thrown open; the
brigand who has arranged for occupy
ing the compartment behind and in