Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-02-01
BRIGANDS IN SICILY.
oulpA SAYS THE ROMANCE OF BRIG
ANpAoE STILL SURVIVES.

Recital OF Recent melohrnmatc Episodes
THAT Rsfutc Assertions Of Its Decline.
Adventures whose Tragedy Is Relieved
BIZ Picturesqucness.
The irrepressiblo Ouida. from long
residence in Italy feels herself responsi.
bic for all things that happen on the
neninsula. She also has n rod In pickle
Tor the naturalistic novelist who scoifa
at romance. Apropos of brigandago In
Sicily. she writes to tho editor Of the
London Times:
siR-Such romantic aud tragic Incl.
dents have Of late been common us daily
bread in Sicily. and think You may
care to publish an account Of tho latest
Of these daring seizures by brigauda 1t
Is mistaken idea which prevails among
English people that brigandnec is no
longer known In that lovely island. 1t
Is. alasl worry frequent, and still takes n
picturesque. operatic aspect in It's decor
du scene, though horribly brutal and
hideous In its Deeds It is not uncom.
mon for the brigands TO wear the uni
form Of the carabinieri, or gondarmos,
40 that in the friendly attire OF cooked
bat and uniform thcy surround easily
with their horses the unsuspecting trav-
elcr
Three days ago tho Baron Antonino
spitaleiri, well known Catanian gen
tleman, rode out 10 an estate OF his
called San Todoro, lying between tho
communes of Palermo and Centolupc
Not wishing TO spend the night on his
own lands, which arc malarious, he.
with his young son. asked tho hospitality
Of neighbor living ut villa called
Polera. tho Baroness Ciancio. The next
morning at 4 o'clock tho baron mounted
bis horse to go again TO his estates. ac-
eompanied by four assistants, but leav.
ing his son with tho lady Of the house at
polera. Scarcely, however, had he gone
few yards when he was suddenly sur
rounded by six brigands mounted on
fine horses and armed with Wettorli
rifles. His four attendants were bound,
tei7od and carried Off. Tho baron hinf.
self, having no money upon him, was
taken back 70 Polera. His young son,
seeing him from tho window approach
thus bound and captive, fired ON tho
robbers. who replied with five shots. not
one Of which did more. happily, than TO
search the boys hair.
Meantime Nine. Ciancio. running 10
The window. called TO tho mon 10 know
what they would take TO leave tho baron
free. They replied 10000 francs. and
she threw tho sum 10 them in bank notes,
and on uatt,na in thoy clanored for
more, beat In tho doors of the villa, or
castle, menaced and bound ,be servants.
and two held their daggers TO the throats
Of tho lady and tho youth while others
ransackod all the cabinets. cupboards
and wardrobes In tho house, succeeding
in finding in all 10000 francs more.
They staid altogether eight hours. dranl,
taampagno and smoked tho cigars of
e,ir prisoners. As comble dhonneur
tt,y kissed the baron's Young son, saw.
Ing uaciously, "You are 80 handsome IL
wouh have been "A pity to kill YOU" And
then there are people who saw that TO.
nance Is dead In Italy!
This is n more wildly colored and
nolodramatic episode, but il is not SO
truly terrible aud cruel as was tho cap
turo 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 fortnight. his body
horribly mangled aud burned, being
sent home.
Surprise will DO felt Mt so much
money as was found at Polera being
kept in u country house, but Italians
keep very large sums In their houses or
their stewards houses, especially after
harvest or vintage. They distrust banks
and use them comparatively little. Tho
other day the uncle Of friend OF mine,
an old gentleman. living alone, went to
some baths for u month. He placed his