The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-07-20
LEO'S LIFE
IS AT AN END.
contInued from FIrst Page.

full Of courtesy and high breeding It was
natural perhaps that the lawless element
should suppose itself more than match
for the gentle ecclesiastic who in years was
not much more than boy, and whose phys
ical weakness showed itself in the pallor Of
his face. The surprise felt at measures
adopted by the new governor was no small
part of the force which gave him the vic.
tory.
One Of the most dreaded chiefs Of the
lawless bands who were smugglers ban
dts or guerrillas by turns was Pasquale
Colletta He had his center of operations
in the Villa Mascambroni. where, with a
band Of IA men, each as desperate as him
self, he levied blackmail on all about him.
One morning bright and early the people
of Benevento saw this man, together with
his whole band, led through the streets in
chains by the pontiiical soldiers. The gov
ernor was inheMble; no intercession was
sufficient to save those who were convicted
Of murder, robbery and rapine,
The execution of Pasquale Colletta struck
terror into the minds Of those who had Sc
long .fattened on crime But some offend
ers against the law were those who should
have upheld it. A nobleman Of Benevente
was one of the greatest smugglers in the
land, and when the gendarmes threatened
to search his castle be went in great wratE
to complain TO the governor. Nainly did
Mgr. Pecci endeavor to convince his visitor
that law must be obeyed By all. The mar
qais told the governor he would 90 to Rome
and return with an order Of recall for tbs
young ecclesiastic who was upsetting ali
the established customs Of Benevento. The
governor smiled and asked Have you
given this matter thought, my lord mar
quissp
"Certainly, was the reply
II fail to agree with you, replied tht
governor "One cannot reflect too much
in these matters. | shall therefore request
you to remain here as my prisoner for !
time.n
That night while the marquis was re
fecting on the matter his castle was sur
rounded, and rs offenders were captured
The reform Of political and social evil
did not take up all the time Of the young
governor. He devoted himself to a study
Of the economic conditions Of his TERRITORY
and decided that roads must be built con
Meeting Benevento with the adjoining prov
limo. He made journey to Rome to con
fer with Gregory XVI and his minister
and returned with full powers. The road
were built. More than that, the taxes wer,
reduced, and, brigandage suppressed, agfi
culture revived until commerce sprans
into new life with the opening Of new mar
kets. Benevento was transformed il
less than three years.
In May, 1s41, Mgr. Pecci was recalle,
from Benevento and appointed papal dele
gate to Spoleto This sent him to perugia
one Of the hotbeds Of the revolutionary 50
cieties, and here began a contest between
Joachim PecUi and the organized opposi
tioa to the church, which was to be th
mans work for many years The variou
secret societies which were born Ia italy q
the result Of the disturbance following th
| Napoleonic invasion had all common Oh
! iect-the attainment Of social and politica
! liberty. The efforts for greater libert,
| made by such societies as the Carbonar
! (the charcoal burners took the form Of al
attack on the church. They believed tina
under no circumstances would the churcl
lend itself to change, and they therefore de
termined to destroy IT If possible
Such d man as Mgr Pecei would natural
II come 10 the front in such fight IN re
rugia, where be now ruled, he found the So
cieties very strong Welded together AM
| given form, as these had been, by the geniu
of Mazzini, they were powerful and abb
enough to demand The greatest ability O
the young eeclesiastic. He began in thor
oughly characteristic way The old roar
leading up to the city from the plain wa
/ impractible for vehicles, and in 20 day
Mgr. Pecci had built a new one. One of til
first TO use it was Gregory XVI, whovisite
the old city and was received gladly by I'll
people The governor followed up the buil6
ing Of the road by personal visit to ever
commune He examined closely into ever
detail Of administration, informed himsel
OF the needs of each locality, correcte
abuses and removed Incompetent officials
While he put down the secret societie
whenever he could, he deprived them {
their power over the people by making th
reforms they talked about He fostered 81
riculture and encouraged commerce, he 81
| cured an Inexpensive administration Of th
laws, and he put down lawlessness with
/ heavy hand In one year he had reforme
the town councils, gathered all the court
into one building, established saving
] bank, opened schools for the children an