Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-26

the cable dispatches have already told and
now the poor Italian Government does not
know what to do with him
The government hunted him for three
years among the mountains of Calabria,
sent regiments of soldiers in pursuit of him,
lost scores OF lives, spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars aud only succeeded in
increasing the local popularity of the
brigand
Now that he has been caught by accident,
the government realizes that il has some
thing much worse than a white elephant on
its hands The troubles that confront the
authorities are numerous and maddening.
In the first place it is likely that Musso-
limo will be rescued. and after that many
more lives will be lost Then the old hunt
will have to begin over again. If Musso.
limo he not rescued it is highly probable
that the jury will fail to convict him, and
then he will walk out proudly into the
world and defy the government again with
the seal of legal approval on him.
MussolinO is the most astonishing comic
opera brigaud that ever lived Never IN
ancient or modern times has an outlaw
been so successful aud so audacious In the
daring and magnitude of his operations he
surpasses Robin Hood. Claud Duval Fra
have been so celebrated in history, literature
and opera. It is little wonder that the peo-
pie of South Italy, who hate the nationa
government adore this successful defer
of it,
As soon as MussOliuo was caught he was
locked up in a prison near Reggie. the
strongest in the whole province Of Cambria.
This building is an old monastery, which.
when originally built in the middle ages,
was constructed so as to be able to resist
any attack. When the monks were dis.
persed by the Italian government the mon.
astery was turned into prison. as being
the most suitable building for that purpose
among the lawless and bloodthirsty people
of Calabria- It has a deep moat around il,
tremendous inner and outer walls. draw
bridges. towers, keeps chapels and ali the
features Of a medieval fortress-monastery
1t is a romantic aud gloomy pile.
The monks cells have been transformed
into prison cells, and into one of the most
inaccessible of these, right in the heart Of
the prison, MussOlino was put II had ouly
one little barred window looking on a
gloomy court yard.
On the day following Mussoliuo's incar-
ceration here, the prison authorities were
horrihed TO see a gigantic glariug eye
drawn on the wall Of Mussoliuos cell It
was accompanied by other cabalistic signs.
Now, the eye is known TO be a commonly
used symbol Of the dreaded Picciotteria
Society. It means, "All is well, and was
obviously addressed by Mussolino's friends
TO him. The Picciotteria is a society re-
sembliug the Camorra and the Malta. and
Is perhaps more efficient than either Of
them. II operates In Calabria, the noun
famous country that forms the toe of the
boot OF Italy, aud Is. therefore, between
Naples, where the Camorra fourishes. and
the island of Sicily, which own the Mafas
sway
One of the main objects Of the Picciot-
terra Is to live handsomely without work
All prosperous persons are required to con-
tribute regularly Of their substance to the
Picciotteria, and IN case Of failure they are
shot or stabbed Owing 20 the hatred of
the government felt by the poor people Of
the locality. they are quite favorably dis
posed to the PicciOtteria. Il is almost inn
possible TO 6nd a jury 20 convict a member
OF the society of a crime, because all taking
part in the trial are liable 20 lose their lives
and also because OF the amiable dispo-
position Of the people toward the Picciot.
terra
When the authorities saw the cabalistic
sigu5 on the wall they realized that there
was either ueachery ia the prison, or the
conspiratOrs were astoui5hIugiy bold They
then moved Mussoliuo into a still more Sc
cluded cell, whence the only light came
through a hole in the roof Yet on the fol
lowing day there appeared another eye and
more .igus On a spot On Jhe tower which
Mussoliuo could just catch with his eye
Among the signs were right angles placed
in diferent positions a dagger and a
crescent
When the governor of the prison visited
Mussoliuo', cell the bugaud. with the
astonishing bravadO that has always
characterized him. showed a knife ale and
rope that tad beeu 5eut 90 him by his
friends Of course these were taken away
from him. but he remarked with a smile
that he could get plenty more. As ne
spoke down through the roof came wad
of paper weighted with a pebble at the gov.
eruor5 feet. Mussoliuo 5ua-ched it up aud
glanced AZ ir Before il could be taken
from him it was toru % pieces
The seutrss were then doubled, and 10
was ordered ,bat a watch should be kept
on all parts Of the building during every
night Th. irst uight vas dark Midnight
we're heard "a the roof Of the prison A
soldier dred u the direction from which he
thought the B0uud came and shot A com
rade Ia spite Of tIris, aud all searching
the sounds went On all uight consisting ot
whistliug aud peculiar calls.
Il Is believed chat there are secret pas
sage5 under the ancient monastery Will
which the c0usptratOr5 are familiar, anc
that there are also secret statrcases in the
massive walls. as there frequently are IL
such buiidings The wallis are in soms
places 20 feet thick
The prison authorities were afraid to pu
Mussoiiuo in an underground cell becaus,
they feared one Of his coufederates woulC
open a secret crapdoor IA the door and thet
he would vanish down a subterauean pas
sage MussOlino was, therefore. kept in
cell above gr1uud, add aot only was thi
cell watched day iud utght but the foo
above and below
While al this fus5 was goiag en- aroun'
Mussoiins the CHIEF witness against him