The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29

Merely Handed A--ns-ins without the Ro-
nance of Their Predecessors

Us LAST BRIGANDS.
Merely Handed A--n--in- without the Ro-
nance of Their Predecessors
1t has been the fashion of late years among
Sicilinrs to speak of briga ndagc "a "A thing of
the past, says Scipio Sighele in the 1rchtres
d'AnthropohOgic Crimin"llc. but ms n matter Of
fact one band of Sicilian brigands has flour
ished in the district of san Mauro for the past
six or seven years. and is not yet quite de-
stroyed. This band. perhaps the last OF the
long line Of Sicilian brigands, l. simply an AS
ISOLATION of assassins without any of the ro-
nance attached to some of the profession.
Sirilian brigandage Of twenty years AGO had
about IL the flavor of romance. For example,
Baron Sigardi. riding out one day in 1874
with some friends, was suddenly surrounded
by n larger body OF horsemen under the brig
and Capraro. The baron and his party were
cour,eOusly told that they we're rrisoners, and
the whole cavalcade proceeded some distance
until the baron was singled out and politely
requested to permit himself to he blindfolded.
Some hours later he found himself In an ele-
gantly appointed house, where he dined sumptu-
ously Mt II table furnished with beautiful linen
and handsome silver. all the luxuries Of the sea-
son, and even ice. being served. After the pay.
ment Of Il ransom Of $50. 900 the baron was again
put In pos session of his watch and bank notes
and escorted almost to the railway station.
At parting with him his escort begged the
honor of being permitted to kiss his hand.
San Mauro lies sixty nine miles from Paler.
mo and twenty-one from Cefalu. The latter
place is reached by II ride Of six hours in a
diligence over rough mountain roads. The Eco
pie of San Mauro are mostly field laborers and
almost 5000 in number. A band Of brigands
infested the region from 1870 to 1876. They
were fifteen in number. under the leaders
Rocca and Rinaldini. They were clad in II
uniform Of blue velvet. riding boots, and a dis
~tinctive hat. Each wore upon his finger n ring
with the initial r." in honor of the leaders.
They were armed with double. barreled car.
bincs. reviewers. and poniards. They had fine
horses. and many masks and other devices for
disguises. including uniforms OF the local gen
darmes. 1t was their pleasant way on meeting
the servant of some rich proprietor to say:
II saw your master yesterday on n horse that
pleased me. Have il Mt such and such u place
Tomorrow And the horse was usually deliv-
cred according to demand.
Rocca died by his own hand rather than
yield to the soldiers that had besieged him in a
house for two hours. Rinaldini was killed in an
encounter with the troops in August, 1876. and
the band was dispersed.
Fourteen years later a new band of San
v. ulTO DTlRhHuS SuuucHly appeared IN the
haunts of the old band. The leaders were Mel
chiorre Candino and Placido Rinaldini. IA rela.
tive OF the other brigand chief. The new
corners with their chiefs numbered eleven.
They wore almost the same uniform AS their
predecessors, though the blue velvet was some
times replaced with reddish brown, yellow. or
black They had the suurred riding boots and
good horses. but, not the multitude of devices
for disguise, AS u handkerchief covering part of
the race served their purpOse. CandinO Is a
pea SAINT OF san MulrO, He took tho field in
Within year Rinaldinfand nine other brig:
ands, all from the region of San Mauro. had
joined him. Within the next two years the
band assassinated more than twenty persons;
reason of deep-seatcd principles of the Slcilian
nature. Many of their murders were done FOR
oilers fas pri wsrs r Sy Mny OF OF b 1ndisidusl 9+T ri. a M%.;
the brigands esteem tIeachery, tho revelation
of the movements OF the band to the %soldiery,
or the bearing Of truthful witness In court
against captured brigands or their friends. Re.
venge is IA prime principle Of the Sicilian, and
silence In court is another.
An injured Sicilian does not testify against
his enemy in court, because he Is too proud to
have, tho Gorernment attend To IA matter that
should be one for private revenge. THE truth
ian proyerh,. Louis Mazzola. one of the San
husband of his mistress, and through the cour.
ageous testimony Of the murdered mans rela-
t tsars T i@p 19nna Snitty h A. o sentenced ten &c , to fifteen se1
REGARDLESS Of the danger Of detection went
straight to his old home to revenge himself
found that the safest thing to do was To enter
the band Of brigands, and the band made MAJ
his garden with his wife and children was ap.
preached by three men who represented them
selves ms from tho local military commander
and commissioned to fetch him away. They
hurried him of, hut the wife, suspicious. sent
% the military commander and learned that
thoritics.- Searchers hurried into the noun
tains and '9nnd tho dead body Of Cassataro
with three bullet wounds in the heart. This
The chief newspaper of Palermo,i In comment.
ing on this crime called for the suppression
the editor received from Candino IA note for
publication SAYING that while II was true
was not made up of indiscriminate assassins.
Disguised. with tho unjust abuse to which they
were subjected, the brlGands had Withdrawn
tains. The letter closed with salutations to
the editor and assurances Of esteem. Accom-.
Insertion in the newspaper. The earlier band
OF Sam Mnmr3 had also issued a procl3mat!on,
s5 GisSlHg m ~ on the mo GsTr'h door IN l mi6 bTt Can hnG
reached his public through a newspaper.
But tn" revenge Of the brigands sometimes
a neasant. having informed the troops as 10 the
movements of the brigands, his son, y lad OF
m mount MAS S there the the | cHiIIs'a HR@ saSd , was c cSt
on and, his heart pulled from his body, and the
brigands' sitting, Mt dinner with the child's
saving. Fat, spy"
While tie band was organized in part for
private revenge, II also carried on a lively trade
In legitimate brigandaGe. Men were seized
and held for ransom. horses, sheen. and cattle
were carried of, and rich proprietors were
forced 10 pay large sums Ia protect themselves
against. threatened harm. The police were
active during the whole existence Of the band.
and now only three NJ the eleven arc at large.
Six were killed In conflict With the authorities
and two are undergoing life imprisonment,
Rinaldini Is among the dead, When his band
was surprised and he was killed the soldiers
captured half a dozen horses. a quantity Of
arms, and about $40 In hank bills. Two OF the
brigands were condemned les. than eighteen
months, ago. One Of them, Leonardo, who en-
tered the band at twenty, after numbering a
priest who had refused to permit his niece 10
marry the youth. is Of the artistic tempera.
ment, and although ignorant he has written in
prison some Creditahle verses. BOtindaTi. the
has u turn for natural science. reads
books on the subject, and studies the system NJ
La Place; lie Is an atheist and hater OF priests,
BOtindnri Is IA handsome man Of twenty seven.
As q child he played brigand In the mountains
with bnyish companions, and grew up u make
his early sport the occupation Ot his life. or
the three at large one Is believed IN have left
Nha IalanA uUhI1a Nha nVhaw N,wn - klVV.u .aa