Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-06-26


Having ascertained the whereabouts
Of his chief enemy. zoccolli. he lay
in wait for him for hours at q spot
where he was expected to pass. In
stead Of the hated Vinzenzo, his
brother Stefano appears. leadinS
two mules laden with charcoal.
What matters II to Musolino that he
is but the brother of the man who
wronged himgi Has be not Sworn
death to them alp Stefano drops
dead at the first shot, and Musolino
retires into hiding 70 await bis next
victim-a peasant who assisted the
'carabinieri' 70 arrest him in 1883.
This man meets . like fate; and so
on and on; until his victims have
reached the member of thirteen,
while those members Of the ZOccolli
family who are still living have been
compelled TO fly from that part of
the cauntry. EF
In the meantime two. complete
regiments ofsoldiers were endeayor-
ing TO encircle him upon the noun
tains; 'carabinieri' and policemen
were engaged In the search disgiiis-
ing in every possible manner, as
chorcoal burners, hunters, 1shep-
herds, or what not, but al in vain.
In the eyes of the peasants Muse
limo was surrounded by q halo OF
superstition and glory. He himself
boasted that he was under the pro-
lection of San Giuseppe. q medallion
Of whom, together with a crucifix he
wore upon his person. He said that
in the long night watches the saint
appeared to him, counselfng, com
forting, and blessing him. and prom
Using him happy future. He APP
pears to have believed il impossible
that he could ever fall into the hands.
of the police-a belief fully shared
by the ignorant peasants around
him-declaring that as long. as he
did no evil except to his. enemies.
San Giuseppe would guard him from
such q fate.
How He Escaped.
Whenever soldier appeared in
the distance, the peasants, by way
of warning the bandit, IL he should
be within hearing, would begin to
sing so loudly that the hills echoed
the sound far and wide, or il they
Glanced TO havea gun in their hands,
would fire into the air, excusing
themselves afterward by saying, II
in winter, that they fired to brighten
the wolves, and in summer, that they
were shooting atssparrows. I!
The police had enormous difficulty
in obtaining any reliable informa-
ton about the brigand 3 movements,
and, although his family was known
to keep him supplied with the neces-
saries Of existence, sending food and
clothing TO him by means of his
sister Ippolita, no one ever succeed
ed in tracking the latter to the spot
fixed upon for the rendezvous with
her brother.
AT length the government arrest
ed at one fell swoop all Musolino's
relatives, together with any person
known or believed TO have aided
him-the number under arrest at
one time exceeding 200.
This was the beginning of the
end. Deprived of all assistance,
hunted like a wild beast from rock
TO rock and from mountain to noun
tain, surrounded on every side by
soldiers and "carabinieri, Musolino
at last realized that his position was
untenable, and resolved to make for
one of the Dalmatian ports, and
thence fly to America. Knowing
that the coast near at hand was too
well guarded TO hope for escape
that way, he commenced the long
and perilous journey ON foot, cross
ing on the crests of the Apennines,
and hoping ultimately to make his
way to Ancona.
Walking by night, and hiding by
day, snatching an hours repose
when circumstances favored him,
perfectly ignorant of the district
through which he was passing, and
not daring to descend to the towns
for information as to his where
it needed oil Musolino's
faith in his beloved San Giuseppe
and oil the strength of his youthful |
constitution-for only twenty-five |
summers have passed over his head |
to Withstand the fatigue of the
journey. At length, footsore and |
dispirited, after q tramp of nearly |
two months, he neared Acqualagna.
little dreaming that here his journey |
would end.
Arrested.
His arrest forms one OF the most
IN. ,.s0rnS o.ascrsIo. - e. go