The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-17

MARIA PERRONE=.
Murderess and Saint. :
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY 5. r. CROCKETT.

copyright 1897, by S. r. Crockett)
1t was the year after we of Italy had
hnal quittance of the Austrians and
their cursed yellow and black. 1 had
Just been made a general-younger by
20 years than they make generals now
adays, but, though / say it, with a
deal more experience in fighting. was
no diplomat then, nor had 1 any
thoughts of sitting in council as minis
ter OF war. But, nevertheless, ] was a
young general, still unmarried and
clad in the cavalry light blue and scar
let, with great silver spurs, which IS
the most becoming of all uniforms:
and in consequence Of ali this L was
well enough pleased with myself
There was in that year little fight
ing save Of the dangerous, ungraci0us
sort which consists in securing the
countryside after brigands of ones own
race and bringing them 10 the market
place of a convenient town to be tried
and shot by squads Pahi the work,
though necessary enough, left an i'll
taste in my mouth after Montana and
Solferino, and, what was best of all,
clearing Sicily With Garibaldi's red
shirts.
After the government had quilted"
Apuiia and generally polished up the
heel OF the boot, for my sins they made
job ii was. 1t was like this:
bowling, obsequious syndic, a
speech OF welcome, a meal fowl
drowned in rice and Sleeps fat, but
mere boOtlaces when you got at the
bird, bad olives, worse wine, and more
speeches; Then, came a fy-biown
town hall, a malodOrOus prison, from
which, Sir Syndic tried all his arts TO
detain the general inspector as long as
possible. Then there were the usual
prisoners-petty larceners mostly, the
great ones being engaged in filling
Syndic's chairs. a stray brigand or two,
lambs thrown to the wolves to save
their more clever comrades. But ali,
brigand, brawler, drunkard. jailer
syndic. had each their own complaint
to make, to which at first l used TO
listen patiently
They We're innOcent-all innocent.
The holy Virgin knew il, the blessed
saint, too, and would one day make it
plain. And then-ah then the false
witnesses against the guiltless would
have conviction brought home to them
with u knife presumably All, all was
the Same-duh repetition, hateful TO
one who loved the camp and the fierce
light which CLEANS along the fighting
line, when each man is going in 10
strike till he dies for your fatherland.
Bat / forget; you happy islanders have
never been trOdden down for centuries,
never seen the tyranU's flag flaunt hate
fully from your fortresses and set up
on festal days in your square. And
now after the deliVerance l who had
fought without being shamed was sent
with the escort OF a subaltern to in
Spect prisons 1 heard afteTWard that
some one high in authority considered
me a young cock whose comb would
not be the worse for cutting. But it
was cursedly duh work.
Nothing new, nothing interesting,
not so much as .. pretty girl crossed
my path within arms length as l
worked my way southwark along the
eastern acknowledgements. speeches.
garbage on plates, innOcents in prison.
so the dreary procession passed by,
till one day I came TO Atrani. No,
that is not its ancient and distinguished
name, but ii viii serve.
Then in the first ward of the prison
I saw a face and l heard a voice which
though hundred years old L shall not
forget.
The warden opened d door, as he
opened all the others, and with a sharp
word called TO attention d woman who
stood uD straight. looking deep into
my eyes. The light fell upon her
through the high barred window. Her
hands were claSped in front Of her.
Her tall. 1.-the figure showed rounded
and graceful even through the sack
like prison habit. Darkly passionate.
stormily moist, blue black like the
thunder cloud striding the Gulf of
laramie Up from The Mediterranean,
so seemed to me the eyes OF the wo-
man VINO stood before me.
Maria Perrone, wife Of Leo Perrone,
brigand, for murder in the second de-
gree" announced the warderi salut-
ms with face Ike a mask.
Whom did she murder" 1 asked of
him quickly.
.'One Giovanni Lupo. a soldier Of the
country militia of her own province
looked keenly at the woman, whose
dark eyes had never swerved a mo-
1nent from mine since the opening of
the cell door revealed her to me.
Are you innocent of the crime?"
asked her expecting the usual denial
Il killed the mani she replied i'm
passively, standing like an angel
carved in the niche Of d duOmO.
I turned 10 The taller.
Were there any eXtenuatinG cir /
cumstances? ?" I asked of him. she /
does not look like q murderess."
1T is said that the soldier insulted /
he- tnat her husband entered and at /
tempted to interfere, whereupon the !
soldier had the best OF il, and when /