Evening star., 1898-10-26
A FAMOUS BANDIT.
COrbeddu's Career in Sardinia Like
That OF Dick Turpin.

From the London Post.
Not long ago / described the death of the
famous Sandman brigand, Corbeddu, who
was killed in fight with the carabineers.
A complete history of his career Is now
obtainable. 1t Is interesting for its Dick
Turpin-like episodes Corbeddu was no or
binary brigand. He did not go about shoot
ing poor fishermen or muleteers for the
sake of the few lire they might have in
their pockets, but he carried on his pro-
fession in a manner SO distinguished as to
make him the king of the Sandman out
laws. He was born in 1874 at Oliena, in
Sardinia, of a weli-to-do family, and until
called to do military service he lived an
agricultural life. He took part in the, cap
ture of Rome in 1870, but while stationed
with the Bersaglieri regiment, which then
formed part of the Rome garrison, his
predatory instincts awakened Having
heard that a certain priest was wealthy,
he. with an accomplice. made false key
and entered the priests house. To the
great surprise of the robbers, the priest
was at supper. They seized, bound and
gagged him and stole 1900 lire from his
bureau. The authors of the crime were
never discovered until Corbeddu in after
years boasted of his achievement
After returning to Sardinia from his mill
itary service Corbeddu was repeatedly tried
for cattle stealing, until one day he failed
to answer to a summons and took to the
exploits. First, with an armed band he
stole a sum of money from a house at
Lula in 1882. The same year he and other
outlaws killed and robbed a man at San
vero Mills. In 1884 he fought and nearly
killed a carabtueer at Foupt. In 1885 he,
with some companions, killed a carabineer
and nearly killed an inspector and another
Gardiner at Orani, and stole sum of
14,000 lire Next year he robbed the post
and deprived Count Spada. who was in the
diligence, of his watch, rings, gun and big
boots. The big boots Corbeddu afterward
wore in honor of his exploit. In 1894 he
robbed and killed a wealthy man at Borore.
Many other crimes were put down to him
or were committed by minor brigands un-
der his orders Rewards amounting in all
to 22,O0o lire were offered for his capture.
but in vain.
His most famous exploit was not the cap
ture, but the liberation of two Frenchmen,
MN. Pralle and Patty, who had been seized
and held to blackmaii by other brigands.
Their capture gave rise to a violent cam
paign in the whole French and Italian press
against the condition of the Sariinian po-
lice, and Signor Crispi who was then pre-
mier. ordered the authorities in the isla nd
to liberate the two Frenchmen at all costs.
All the carabineers were modified, and the
telegraph officers worked night and day.
though without discovering the prisoners.
At last a subprefect named Marongin ap-
pealed to Corbeddu by means of one of his
friends. The subDrefect and the brigand
had an interview, in which the official
promised Corbeddu anything he might wish
on condition that he would get the Italian
administration out of bad scrape. Cor
beddu at once accepted the task of liber-
ating the Frenchmen, and within twenty
four hours they were delivered safely into
the hands of the authorities. Corbeddu's s
professional pride was great that he
would accept neither the 10000 lire reward
offered him nor a free pardon, nor any
other compensation, considering himself
sufficiently paid by having done in twenty
four hours what ministers, projects and an
army Of carabineers had been unable TO
accomplish.
From that time he gave up his murder
Gus expeditions and enjoyed in peace the
fruits of his robberies. He kept herds Of
cows and pigs and flocks of sheep and
goats. He lived in a cave on an almost in
accessible mountain peak, to which the
path was known only to himself and his
brother. The cave was separated from the
path by a precipice over which Corbeddu
passed on the trunk of a small tree, draw
ing the trunk after him into the cave. On
one occasion a daring thief discovered Cor
beddu's hiding place and robbed him Of a
quantity of the stores he had accumu-
lated. He would frequently surprise the
mouf1on hunters and show them the best
district in which to look for game. Though
a Sandman he almost always spoke 1tal-
ian, and manifested great disdain for the
other outlaws, whom he called guastames-
teri, or trade spoilers" Lately he seems
to have got into the bad books of the car
abineers by whom he was killed after
hard fight some three weeks ago.