The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

Pierri had been arrested q few minutes
before he was TO have played his part II
the tragedy. A bomb. 4 revolver and
poinard were taken from his person After
hearing the explosion Of the first bomb he
cried out to his captors: d with me whas
you like; / am content: the blow has been
struck" The remark connected him with
the attempt on the Emperor's life. Orsins
was arrested later at his lodgings In tnS
Rue Monthabor. Antonio Gomez. his body
servant. was.the innocent cause OF his mas
tsr's capture. Gomez had run to the scene
Of the attempted assassination. with face
sghast and wringing his hands. inquirin8
whether any one had seen Orsini- When hs
was taken into custody he tainted. De Ru-
tio was arrested in the crowd with a bomb
concealed In his clothing.
The conspirators were well supplied with
money. which was regarded by the police az
evidence that greater Influences were be-
hind the attempt on the Emperor's life II
was learned that Just before the gang had
landed In France they had been living In
poverty In Birmingham. England. Counts
Orsini had 81. 900 In his pockets. and Captain
Pierri was In possession OF as much money.
When he was found at his lodging he was
wounded on the head by the conclusion OF
his own bomb. .
| The trials OF the conspirators embarrassed
the Government. which recognized that with
the success of their plot an agitation would
have been imminent among all the secree
societies OF Europe. which. backed by the
general discomfort among the masses OF the
French people. might have encouraged -
general uprising against the imperial adj
ministration. 1t was decided to conduct the
trials behind closed doors. Jules Favre. the
famous Republican advocate Of France. de-
Tended the accused. He could not prevent
the confession of de Rudio. which inicrim-
mated all of his companions. Gomez denied
| his participation. but Count Orsini boldly
said to the Court that he wanted to kiln the
Emperor. and was ready to die. His reason
for making himself an agent to this end
was that Napoleon had violated his oaths a.
an ex-Carbonaro.
Orsini was a conspirator from the time he
began to think and act. He had been en-
gagged in plots against the Grand Duke OF
Tuscany an against the Pope. for which
he was imprisoned. but gained his liberty
under the cover Of a general amnesty. Soon
after he was arrested for participation in .
conspiracy against the Austrian Governs
ment. He was imprisoned In the Fortress
of Mantua. awaiting sentence of death. l .
he escaped to England. and for a time
made a living by translatfng for London pa.
pers. He became q lion in revolutionary
circles of the British capital. and later fell
in with Pierri in Birmingham.
Pierri was another born conspirator. In
1sss he appeared as a Republican and SOL
der. His fame as a military man ana
demagogus secured him q commission q
Colonel in the Italian Legion. After the
overthrow Of the Italian insurrection he
was charged by the French Government
with the murder Of q priest who evincsd .,
fatherly affection for q young woman Of
whom Pierri was enamored. He was exs
PEELED from France in 1ss2.
% Rudio was q susceptible young fellow
who became acquainted with Pierri in Eng
land. and decided to follow the fortunes Of
his more brilliant and daring companiou.i
Comes was the devoted valet Of Count Or
sini. and a. his master willed 20 the servs
ant elected
His liberation after forty-three years -
penal servituds on the island made famous
by the Dreyfus captivity Is . remarkable in
stance Of human endurance. What his for
tunes will Be matters little to the world
His connection with one OF the most oalos
brated attempts to remove . ruling mon.
arch ID alone interesting. Whether he WI
peril L. Q subject for the eriminologist Wh8
treats Of the fate that leads men Of bleed
to gravitats toward one another. 4,