Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-12-31

u an leu eetllt-
hero of the comedy sort, who, If good
actor and singer, is referred TO by the ladies
leaving the matinee as too sweet for ans
thing"
Half a century ago the bandit had the
same standing in Latin countries that the
highwayman had in England-he was "de-
lightfully terrible;" Mt least that Is the
way Lady Montague described one of them
after an encounter on Houndslow heath
when the polite scoundrel who stopped her
coach refused to rob her, and averred that
he "warred not with women, but with So
ciety. Few II any are now left of this
class of outlaws. Indeed il may he said
that the last Of them has just reformed -
His name is Antoine Bonelli, and he i
known 10 fame as Bellacoscia, the dean of
the Corsican bandits He has been out
lin the bush" for forty four years and has
bafiied all the efforts OF the gendarmerie
TO capture him. He was born at Bocag-
nano, says the London Times, IA small
village in the center IT Corsica, his father
being shepherd. and in lsiS he killed the
assistant mayor Of the village in a quarrel
and took to the bush. His presence was
betrayed to the gcndarmeric soon after
ward but Bellacoscia having got wind Of
this lay in wait for his hetrayer and killed
him
He was then Joined by his brother
jacques who had been preparing for the
priesthood. and the two brothers led i
very wild existence in the mountains Of
Corsica, killing several gcndarmes VINO at
tempted To capture them. They do not
appear, however, to have lost the esteem
Of their compatriots, for NJ. Emanael
Arene, one Of the deputies Of Corsica in
the French chamber, relates how about
fifteen years ago he aud the late Edmond
About were received by the two brothers
at breakfast, and how they were intro
duced To the different relatives OF the
brigands, all mayors Of their respective
communes, NJ Arrne relates, too, how
the late Baron lIaussmann was break fast
ing with them ON another occasion when
the gendarmes appeared in the distance
and the two brothers made off. leaving
their guest to explain his presence there as
best he could
There was some talk OF granting the two
brothers an amnesty when NJ. Garnet paid
ilis visit To Corsica two years ago and the
daughter Of the younger brother was pre-
srnted to him. Nothing was done, how
ever, and the two brothers might In all
probability have remained at liberty for
the rest Of their lives: but Antoine, the
elder of the two, has at last been persuaded
by his friends To give himself up to the ati-
thorities. and his mode of doing so was not
less dramatic than the whole of his life
has been. Another OF his brothers, who
was for several years himself an officer of
the gendarmerie, induced him to take this
step and the two met at day break in the for
est of Nizzavona, which is about half way
between Ajaccio and Bastia They then
went to place where Captain Ordioni,
commanding the gendarmerie OF the dis
trict, was waiting for them. and Antoine
Bellacoscia laid down his arms in token of
submission. They went 10y train on the
line newly opened to Bastia and Antoine
Bellacoscia was delighted at this mode of
locomotion, which was quite novel to him.
Upon reaching Bastia, where he Il 10 I've
tried ut the next assizes, he went TO the
principal hotel writing his name and pro-
fession in the visitors book NJ ''Antoine
Bonelli, commonly called Bellacascia; pro-
fession. bandit born at Bocagnano; resi-
dence uncertain" He is not under the
least restra Mt or even surveillance. as
Captain Oraioni, who Is now responsible
for his appearance at the aSsizes, knows
that when "A Bellacoscia gives his word
he never goes back from it, Antoine
Bellacoscia has several times been sen.
fenced To death in contumaciam. but as all
the murders for which he was condemned
0ok place more than thirty years ago