Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-17
'BAND|1 A Prisoner.
Mussolino. King Of the Brisands.
Captured After a Fierce
Resistance.
Career Has Been One Of Out.
lawry and Bloodshed Sci.
dom Equalled.
Is Said to Have Killed Fifteen
Witnesses Whose Testimony
Convicted Him.

~.
Mussolino, has been captured, after a
fierce resistance to band of soldiers at
urbino. He had long terrorized Gala
bria, and is credited with having COM
! mitted twenty-five murders. Owing to
the sympathy shown him by the peas
antry he had always escaped capture,
despite the immense reward the govern
ment offered for his arrest.
| His career as an outlaw began two
years ago, when he was liberated from
what he considered an unjust imprison-
ment. He vowed to kill fifteen witnesses
who were responsible for his conviction,
and he Is said to have actually dis
patched twelve.
The report of the capture of Musso-
limo was at first received with general
skepticism, but subsequent news con-
WINGED the public of the accuracy of the
report, and his arrest is now a universal
topic Of discussion.
The details of the circumstances of his
arrest printed here differ. According to
enc account he made a long and desper-
ate resistance. SAnother report repre-
sents him as running until he was over
taken, when he quietly submitted to ar
rest.
Still another version states that he es-
capped from Sicily. where he was In
hiding, with the intention of going to
France and embarking for the United
States. He Travelled on foot without mo-
lestation until he got as far as Urbino,
where, owing to his strange appearance,
carbineer accosted him and asked his
business, whereupon Mussolino bolted.
The Gardiner followed him and otheYs
Joined in the chase and captured him.
1t is vaguely said that he resisted
fiercely until he was overcome, but there
was no bloodshed Notwithstanding that it
is stated he carried two revolvers and
three daggers.
His captors were not aware OF his
identity, but merely pursued him be.
cause he ran. He gave bis name as
Jaccono, but his Calabrian accent sug-
gested to the authorities the possibility
that they had bagged big game, and In
cidentally earned the governments re-
ward of 100000 lire (s20.O00) for Mussoli-
nos arrest. They communicated with
the Sicilian police, who sent gendarmes
who we're acquainted with Mussolino's
appearance. and when these identifleo
him In prison the captive admitted ms
personality. The arrest was apparently
made few days ago.
There should be no misconceptton as
to the word brigand. Mussolino 1isi not
the brigand who stops travellers or tour
lists and holds them to ransom, or VINO
INDUCES in highway robbery. Foreign
ers and tourists can go thru the whole
Of Calabria with perfect safety without
ever Imagining brigand to be in their
neighborhood unless they happen to
read the local newspapers or to come
across unusually large Gardiner or In
fantry patrols.
Mussolino is an escaped convict-ac-
cording to popular belief unjustly con-
demned-who is wanted" both because
Of his escape and because since his es-
cape he has murdered nearly all the
persons who, as witnesses, magistrates,
or jury, had anything to do with his
condemnation. But II he was unjustly
imprisoned in the last instance, he was
by no means a saint.
AT is years Of age he belonged to the
mala vita and was watched by the po-
lice; In March, 1894, when only II years
old. he wac imprisoned for law-break-
ing, and three years later for house
breaking. At the end Of 1897 and the
beginning Of 1898 he vas repeatedly i'm
prisoned for INJECTING wounds on his
fellow townsimen. His condemnation for
attempted murder at the end OF 1898 was
merely logical. tho perhaps on the ev-
tdence an unjust. continuation of his
criminal career. His escape from prison
marked the beginning of his murderous
yendettas which were to gain for him
the title and rank Of Grand Captain Of
the Calabrian Picciotteria."
The Picciotteria is. like the Camorra,
an organized association. but it's eenti-
ments are more like those of the. Malta.