Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-01-23
Watch this space for interesting prlct
coRsioAN eANDlTa.
fhsy Azo Toier.ssd and Laksd b. 1hsss
Fellow IslAndcra

Fellow Islaadcra
TIE bandits Of Bellacoscia reside nt
their ease In the picturesque gorge Of
Pintica, Oh the side Of Monte d'Ore.
above the town OF BoeaSnano, some
twenty-five miles from Ajaccio. They
have lived here since 1880. and always
In defiance Of the law. Their history
10 interesting, II only because 1t tells
how powerless France hos shown her
self to suppress the Corsican scourgs
OF banditism. 30 long ago a. 1s4s An
tonic, the elder Of the two brothers
who carry tho nickname Of Bellacoscia
Qitcrally "a fine Leg" which they have
90 often shown to tho pursuit Of the
!aw). committed his first blood crime.
he shot the mayor Of his commune be-
cause the honest man refused him Q
raise certificate OF exemption from
military service, and. further. demand
ed rent and taxes from him as o settler
upon communal land. A few years ago
the bandits wefo judicially condemned
tof using force In the senatorial olec-
tions. But ono sentence more makes
no difference to them. and their candi-
cate is always successful. They. with
their wives and children and certain
relatives who find Il convenient to live
In seclusion, mako up population OF
about thirty souls. There is never.
therefore, any lack Of eentinels IN the
gorge. No ono can approach within a
mile OF two without being seen. Tho
houses Of the banditti are strong. and
adapted to stand tight siege II need
be; but the bandits themselves rely for
defense more upon their moral indu-
ence over their neighbora Tho signals
that pass between them aud Bocagnano
keep them posted In the doings OF the
world. and especially such as concerns
them. As last resort there is Ger
tain cave. the secret Of which Is we'll
kept, and thither by fearsome track
athwart the porphyry steps OF Monte
dOro. they can betake themselves IN
perfect security. Why not, It may DO
asked, send column Of soldiers
against the Bellacoscia, and starve
them outf Pintica ought not to be Inn
pregnable after Badajos and 6ebasto-
pol. In effect It has been tried. In
September. 1855. no fewer than 1855
armed men assailed the gorge and
blockaded It. OF course 1t surrendered
In time. But meanwhile, where, think
you, wera the Bellacoscia? Safe in the
house Of a certain mayor Of q village.
ono Of tho creatures Of their own cleo
ton. When the soldiers at length
withdrew tho bandits yeoocupied Pin
tica- Such are the famous bandits
Bonelli, or bellacoscia, It really
seems ss II France were proud Of them,
and did all In Its power to preserve
them as remarkable specimens OF law
lesaness for the diversion Of visitors.
With little management It is no hard
thing to get introduced to the rogues
and their homo. The old men are civil
enough to stranger, and especially II
he is rich and an admirer Of eccentric
types. They will give him the kiss OF
peace and bid their pretty daughters
fetch Yine-cups that they may drink
bis health. II they are asked to fur
nish proofs Of their skill at mushetry.
to oblige him they will shoot at 90
franc gold pieces, Or lit the cork from
champagne bottles at a respectable
number Of PAGES. until the visitor De-
gins to hnd tho diversion expensive;
but they must be treated with beoom-
ing amount Of respect, or there is no
knowing what such despots may take
It Into their heads to do. They have
received presents OF value from ladies'
and gentlemen with royal blood In
their veins, and they stand toward the
rest Of the world not o little like Ma
poleon himself In the height Of his for
tune. They are by no means ordinary
beings. Heaven only knows whether
they will die, as they have lived, out
of the pale Of the law; but It may safe
II be said that their end will not be
violent one Tho district would re-
volt rather than suffer such a wrong
to be done upon its heroes-its lords
and masters. II certain local poll
ticians are to be believed. Corsica has
already lost much of its regard for the
republic, simply and solely because M.
Carnot confessed himself personally
willing enough to pardon the Bella
coscia, but, in Difference to the law, un-
able to do 30. The Bellacoscia are the
type of kind Of Corsican bandit, but
not the worst. They do not seem ever
to have indulged in indiscriminate
brigandage. Doubtless If they were
forced into q corner they would
not mind kidnapping lord and hold
ing him for ransom, or even lifting