The sun., 1895-05-19
Alta CKs ON CRISPI.
TTe Says the Man who Makes Them Is n
Tool OF Political Con.pirators.
special Cable Despatch to The Sun.


LONDON, May 1S.-1taly is going through
the ordeal of general election with com
parative calmness that is quite commend
able. The placidity is prevented from be-
coming unnatural by an occasional riot
and here and there an assassination which, OF
course, is merely an Italian way Of letting Off
<supernuous steam. Indications still point tn
Signor Crispi's triumph at the polls, hut IL can
not be denied. says THE SUNS Rome CORE
spondont. that the opposition has developed fine
strategical abilities within the past week. The
affair Sanford Is almost n stroke of genius.
Santoro was formerly in the secret police SER
vice, and, according to his own account, was
employed In very confidential political work by
signor Crlspi himself. The opposition news
papers hold him up to national pity and ndmira-
ton as O repentant, courageous sinner, now tell
ing the truth at the risk of his life; while the
Ministerial organs denounce him as disreputa-
ble baffied blackmailer. The most available
evidence tends to support the latter theory.
Santoro's revelations are given to the world in
the pages of the SccOlo q radical newspaper pub
lished at Milan. He says that the special powers
vested by Parliament in the Government dur
ing the temporary panic resulting from the
Anarchist outrages and the rebellion in Sicily
were used by SiRnor Crispi in q shameful man.
ner for the persecution and punishment Of his
domicile provisions. By means Of this coercion
law men have been sent without trial into penal
servitude forced to herd with criminals. and sub
jected to all kinds of indignities and crueites.
Santorc having proved useful to Signor Crispi
in procuring the arrest Of tho Premiers ene-
mics, was appointed director Of the criminal
penitentiary at Porto Ercole, to which most of
them were sent. and his statements. as pub
lished in supplement to the SecOlo, positively
blood curdlng in the horrors he relates. The
SecOlo's supplement has had q prodigious sale
all over Italy, and as journalistic beat 1t is
without parallel in that country. People have
fought for 1t in the streets, and the price per
copy has gone up hundred per cent, to one
lire.
The Ministerial Ritorma denounces the whole
story as an impudent invention from beginning
to end Signor Crispi himself has declared that
Santoro was willing, paid tool OF political con-
spirators and he threatens q libel action against
the Secolo. whersat the offending editor shouts
aloud for Joy and entreats the Premier to hurry
up, and promises further revelations. by the
way giving Signor Crispi additional cause to
seek legal redress.
Santoro says that Signor Crispi sent for him
when the exposure was first threatened, and
after trying to cajole him, vainly drew a re-
volver and tried to blow out the informer's
DTalHs aS diTeuuy SLhttus tHo pTouuDlllIlcS are
that the revelations, If not entirely fabricated.
are grossly exaggerated. Santoro's antecedents
are not calculated to inspire confidence or CON-
mand respect. He certainly served several
terms OF Imprisonment before entering the Sc
cret police. and. quite as surely, he was the
author of several dynamite outrages, for which
innocent men were sent to prison. But the op-
position leaders have fully accepted the man
and his statements. and are using them for all
they are worth. just rs the London Times and
British Tories adopted Pigott.