Evening journal., 1897-11-11
a BANDIT of MARY pRAYERs.
Never killed without Worship, and
Had Faith I'm ehe Church.

Had Faith I'm fhe Church.
Giovanni Tolu, u bandit, who for 30
years was the terror of Sardinia, died
few months ago. after having related
the story of his life to a lawyer, with
the request that it be published for
this purpose:
ITO warn the unfortunates of my
class and TO teach the officials how TO
proceed if they would better the con-
dton of the poor and unlucky."
According to his autobiography Tolu
was the most pious man that ever cut
u throat or stole parse. He began his
career of crime by trying TO kill priest
who prevented his marriage with the
girl Of his heart. Nevertheless. in his
subsequent life, he had Q worshipful re-
gard for the cloth. He confessed, he
attended mass, he even prayed in the
presence of his dead victims.
Before ] took the life of traitor
or a rich oppressor OF the poor" he
explains in his book, ~ always besought
the Virgin and the saints to advise and
comfort me. On the day when l re-
solved TO kill Salvatore Moro l sought
the aid of Heaven. On my way to him
l called without ceasing on the mother
of God to enlighten me and advise me
whether my comrade really deserved
to die. also commended my soul to
Gods care, in case l should go under in
the combat. When l had shot Moro
dead l 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.
81 killed the bodies but not the souls
of my enemies, and / observed always
the religious exercises which the cir
cumstances required"
The bandits favorite books were
'Meditations on the Life of the Holy
! Virgin" and the Bible. although
bandit" he declares, Il never neglected
any religious duties. Every day 1 said
my morning and evening prayers. l
prayed for the dead, went to church,
and confessed many times every year.
The abbot of Florinas was won't to lead
me into church by the secret passage
from his house. Outside the police
we're watching for me; inside 1 fulfilled
my duties to God. Twas alone with the
priest"
Tolu had some queer ideas about a
priests proper discharge of his church
ly duties. The priest who prayed more
than three times at mass, he relates.
invariably bewitched somebody. "Once
in Florinas," goes his story. "I had n
bad attack of rheumatism, and l was
convinced that / had been bewitched by
n priest. 1 sought help from the Flor
mas priest, who was an excellent man.
He put on his vestments, and with holy
water and cross began to exercise the
evil spirits. The pain ceased almost
at once. and I had few weeks of peace.
Later I went to the curate of Ossi, who
was supposed TO be still more skilled
in exorcism. He told me to l1neel, and
he sprinkled me with holy water. Then
he prayeda long time. went TO him
three times. The third time the pain
was worse than ever, and then he con-
fessed to me that he had been bewitched
by another priest, who was mightier
than he Finally I obtained relief from
the abbot of Ossi, who for 40 days made
me partake of blessed oil and blessed
bread"
Perhaps the childlike faith was what
made the Sandman peasants regard
Tolu with love and veneration. He was
always helped and fed by them when he
was hard pressed by soldiers or police
To him hundreds of them gladly paiC
a small annual sum as insurance agains
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
unwilling to ask the police or military
10 arrest those who plundered them.
In his 30 years of bandit life .Tolu
despite his religious scruples, killed be
tween so and 60 men, robbed hundreds
and burned to the ground thebuilding
on nine great Cstates. He was ever n
war with the authorities of the land
and in the last ten years of his caree
devoted himself exclusively to robbini
and killing persons holding Office o
= standing in the service of the police o
. military.-N. Y. Sun.