Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-11-05
"A BANDIT OF MANY PRAYERS.
He Never Killed without Worship, and
He Rad Childlihe Faith.

years was tho terror of Sardinia, died
few months ago, after having related the
story Of his life to lawyer, with tho
request that l. be published for this
purpose:
''To warn the unfortunates of my
class and to teach the officials how to
proceed if they would better the condi-
ton Of tbs poor and unlucky
According to his autobiography Tolu
was the most pious man that ever cut a
throat or stole a purse He began his
career of crime by trying to kill priest
who prevented his marriage with tho
girl Of his heart Nevertheless, in his
subsequent life, he had worshipful re-
gard for the cloth. He confessed, he at
tended mass he even prayed in the
presence Of his dead victims.
Before took the life of a traitor or
n rich oppressor of the poor" he ex-
plains in his book. Il always bes0ught
the Virgin and the saints to advise and
comfort me On the day when ! resolved
to kill Salvatore Moro sought the aid
of heaven. On my way to him / called
without ceasing on the mother Of God
10 enlighten me and advise me whether
my comrade really deserved to die. L
also commended my soul to Gods care
in case | should 20 under in the COM
bat When | had shot Moro dead. |
loaded my gun again. laid the stock on
his body and then offered up in fervid
humility an Ave Maria and a requiem
for the departed soul
II killed the bodies, but not the souls
of my enemies, and | observed always
the religious exercises which the cir
cumstances required.
The bandits tayorite books were
"Meditations on the Life Of the Holy
Virgin" and the Bible Although a
bandit, he declares. Il never neglect
ed any religious duties Every day l
said my morning and evening prayers
| prayed tor the dead, went TO church
and confessed many times every year
The abbot Of Florinas was wont 10 lead
me into church by the secret passage
from his house Outside the police were
watching for NE; inside / fulfilled my
duties to God ! was alone with the
priest
Tolu had some queer ideas about
a priests proper discharge OF bis
churchly duties The priest who prayed
more than three times at mass, he re-
lates invariably bewitched somebody.
"Once IN Florinas goes his story, i
had bad attack Of rheumatism, and l
was convinced that had been bcwitch-
ed by priest 1 sought help from the
Florinas priest, who was an excellent
man. He put on his yeStments, and with
holy water and cross began to exercise
the evil spirits. The pain ceased almost
at once. and had few weeks of peace.
Later went to the curate of Ossi who
was supposed to be still more skilled in
exorcism EIc told me to knoel, and he
spriuhled me with holy water Then
prayed "a long time l went to him
rn,s The third time the pain
:n ever, and then nc COM
les lit uAttA DlNA4 iNff iAi "a
ed by 1. riest, who was miehtier
than he IS | obtained relief from
the abbot % lssi. who for 40 days made
me partake Of blessed oil and blessed
bread 30
Perhaps this childlike faith was what
made the Sandman peasants regard To-
In with love and yeneration. He was
always helped and fed by them when he
was hard pressed by soldiers or police.
To him hundreds OF them gladly paid a
small annual sum a. insurance against
thieves. cutthroats and robbers They
had implicit confidence in his ability to
protect them. At the same time they
often refused to pay taxes and were I'M
willing to ask the police or military to
arrest those who plundered them.
In his 80 years Of bandit life Tolu,
despite his religious scruples, killed be-
tween 30 and so men. robbed hundreds
and burned to the ground the buildings
on nine great estates He was ever 1T
war with the authorities Of the land,
and in the last ten years OF his career
devoted himself exclusively to robbing
and killing persons holding office or
standing in the service Of the police or
military
On tbc Making Of Newspaper.