The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-10
BANDIT OF THE CAMPAGNA.
Niburzi, Like Robin Hood, Has the PEOPLES
Love and Defies Capture.

oAtNDft Vt SAtuE sHAsNTNs
Niburzi, Like Robin Hood, Has the PEOPLES
Love and Defies Capture.
Italy at present is more occupied
than ever BIZ the exploits of the far
famed Tiburzi, who has for a consider
able period terrorized with impunity
on the borders of Etruria and the
Roman Campagna. and whose authori-
~ there has possibly had more weight
than that of King Hum bert himself.
Priests. mayors. minor officials, and
other inhabitants. numbering alto
gether two hundred and fifty souls,
have been arrested and imprisoned as
his bettOrs. and are now being tried
in patches of twenty-five at a time at
'Viterbo. The calendar of assize re-
1ating to tine two hundred and fifty ac-
cused viii extend to four series of
trials. the first of which has just term
mated in various sentences Of i'm
prisonment and fines. The remaining
three series will be taken in turns
shortly at specified times
Tiburzi himself. who IS still free and
laughs at the efforts of the carbineers
TO capture him. has been assisted in his
numerous raids by a small and devoted
band of followers. who have almost all
disappeared. one after the other, hav-
Ing either been killed in pitched battle
with the carbineers. or secured, tried
and executed. or sent TO the galleys.
He has now but one solitary follower
his faithful ELECTROMAGNETIC devotedly
helps him to rule the district, whose
lnha bitants either wink at or favor his
misdeeds. A price of four hundred
pounds has been set on his head, and
he takes his revenge in killing as many
Of the kings soldiers as he possibly
Fan.
-. The country-folk for thirty miles
round act as his scouts; they warn him
If the carbineers are in sight: they
shelter him and supply him with food;
and if questioned as to his where
Rbouts. they affirm that they have seen
him take to the left as fast as his heels
will carry him. when in fact he is dis
appearing leisurely and unconcernedly
TO the right 1t is said that the fair
sex especially show great ingenuity in
Gevising elab orate plans for his escape;
while in due course of time, and leisure
permitting, he repays the obligation
by making them some nice presents
md showing them much f1attering at
tention.
Tiburzi's happy hunting ground is
known as the Macchia. 1t is wide
spreading tract of land, over-grown
here and there with extensive patches
bof thick Underworld kind of treeless
forest. but nevertheless impenetrable
TO anyone except Tiburzi, who knows
every turn and corner of it, and where
he obtains the willing assistance of
shepherds, who supply him with pro-
visions when he has to remain there in
hiding sometimes for several days to-
Rether. Any gendarme who feels suffi-
lciently courageous to venture within
the limits of this fastness in the delu-
lsive hope of capturing the brigand is
sure TO be awarded with a rifle ball for
his pains. Tiburzi leads the life of a
grand seigneur, provides for his par
ents. travels first-class incognito to
Rome and frequents the theaters.
During the summer in 1889 the au-
thorities determined to surround the
Macchia and capture Tiburzi. dead or
alive. A Gordon of gendarmes formed
"a circle, and body of carbineers pene-
trated the underwood. In the sur
rounding villages the inhabitants all
agreed that he had been seen at various
spots early the day before the expedi-
ton. They abounded in useful hints
and indications: and all the time
Tiburzi was in Paris. spending his days
pleasantly at the exposition. That he
lis liberal. and even generous, to all who
afford him assistance in evading pur-
lsuit and capture is only to state what
is perfectly true. He robs strangers
only. or those whom he thinks are rich
enough to pay for Immunity from his
attacks Therein lies the secret of his
safety: for what interest can the poor
country folk who benefit by his gem
.erosity have in betraying him? This.
Indeed, is the kind of medieval moral
itv still extant in many Italian rural
districts.
''If. said one of the accused to the
presiding judge during the recent trial,
''your police arrangements We're more
perfect. we should proba bly, not have
ito compound with Tiburzi." The wit
mess proved that he could not help as
lsisting HIM 10 escape, and was acouit-
ted. And now during the interreCnum
Of trial, while the second batch of
prisoners are waiting their turn. a
moving column of carbineers is beating
up the Macchia and its hiding places
in the hope Of successfully tracking this
daring bandit. but it is ten to one that
he is not TO be found amid the solitudes
between Niterbo and Civita Necchia.
for anxious as he may be to escape
from the kings troops, he is still more
anxious to avoid the malaria which at
this season of the year is at its worst
IN that locality. The probab ilitv is
that during this exceptionally hot
weather Tiburzi is either taking it
easy in some secluded villa in the
vicinity of the lake of Como or Won
dering peacea bly, in Switzerland from
one summer reSor; TO another.-St
James Gazette.