Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-11-09
BRIGANDS IN SICILY.
OUIDA SAYS THE ROMANCE OF BRIG
ANDAGE STILL SURVIVES.

Recital of Recent Me!osiramatic Episodes
That Refutc Assertions of Its Decline.
Adventures Whose Tragedy Is Relieved
by Picturesqucness.
The irreprcssible Ouida. from long
residence i'll Italy feels herself RESPONSE
BILE for all things that happen on the
peninsula. She also has rod in pickle
for the naturalistic novelist who SCOTS
at romance. Apropos of brigantlage in
Sicily, she writes to the editor of the
London Time:
SIR-Such romantic and tragic incl
dents have of late been common as daily
bread in Sicily. and | think you may
care to publish an account of the latest
of these daring seizures by brigands. 1t
is mistaken idea which prevails among
English people that brigandage is no.
longer known in that lovely island. 1t
is, alas! very frequent, and still takes a
picturesque, operatic aspect in its decor
du scene, though horribly brutal and
hideous in its deeds. 1t is not uncom-
mon for the brigands to wear the uni
form of the carabinieri, or gendar,nes,
so that in the friendly attire of cooked
hat and uniform they surround easily
with their horses the unsuspecting trav-
eler.
Three days ago the Baron Antonino
Spltaleiri, well known Catanian gen.
tleman, rode out to an estate of his
called San Todoro, lying between the
communes of Paterno and Centolupe.
Not wishing to spend the night on his
own lands, which are malarious, he
with his young son, asked the hospitality
of a neighbor living at villa called
Polera, the Baroness Ciancio. The next
morning at o'clock the baron mounted
his horse to go again to his estates, ac-
companied by four assistants. but leav-
ing his son with the lady of the house at
Polera. Scarcely, however, had he gone
a few yards when he was suddenly sur
rounded by six brigands mounted on
fine horses and armed with Wetterli
rifles. His four attendants were bound.
seized and carried off The baron him.
self, having no money upon him. was
taken back to Polera. His young son.
seeing him from the window approach
thus bound and captive, fired on the
robbers, who replied with five shots, not
one of which did more. happily, than to
search the boys hair.
Meantime Mime. Ciancio, running to
the window, called to the men to know
what they would take to leave the baron
free. They replied $4,000 francs, and
she threw the sum to them in bank notes,
and on getting in they clamored for
more, beat in the doors of the villa, or
castle, menaced and bound the servants,
and two held their daggers to the throats
of the lady and the youth while others
ransacked all the cabinets, cupboards
and wardrobes in the house, succeeding
in finding in all 10000 francs moref1
They staid altogether eight hours, drank
champagne and smoked the cigars of
their prisoners. AS comble d'honneur
they kissed the baron's young son, say
ing graciously, "You are so handsome it
would have been pity to kill you." And
then there are people who say that ro-
nance is dead in Italy!
This is a more vividly colored and
melodramatic episode, but it is not so
truly terrible and cruel as was the cap
ture of another Sicilian gentleman last
month-a landed proprietor of smaller
means than the Baron Spitaleiri, who
was borne off by brigands, and because
his family could not send his ransom
10000 francs) quickly enough was
killed at the end of a fortnight, his body.
horribly mangled and burned. being
sent home.
Surprise will be felt at so much
money as was found at Polera being
kept in country house, but Italians
keep very large sums in their houses OF
their stewards houses, especially after
harvest or vintage. They distrust banks
and use them comparatively little. The
other day the uncle of a friend of mine,
an old gentleman, living alone, went to
some baths for a month. He placed his
servant and dogs and birds in small |
detached cottage on terrace and locked |
up the rest of the building.
When he came back he found a hole |
had been made in the wall at the back
and the house had been completely ran.
sacked; 4,OO0 francs IN modern money, a
large and unique collection of gold coins
of the old republics of Lucca, Siena, Flor.
ence, etc., and collection of postage
stamps valued at 10000 francs for its
completeness and rarity were all gone,
with his rich old wines and innumerable
curios. On his blotting pad the thieves
had written, Vino buonissimo." The
good old gentleman cannot see that he
did anything unwise in leaving these
treasures in an empty house.
A certain literary school is very fond
of asserting that romance is dead and its
twin brother adventure dead with it.
These gentlemen need only come and
live in Italy to meet this pair, so dear to
story tellers and their readers, alive and
abroad in every thicket of broom and
myrtle and under every deep shadowed
archway haunted by the moon.