The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19
HOW
LIVES BY CRIME
Italian Bandit Was Once an OF
ficer, but Was Outlawed for
Murder of a Companion.

Rome. April 1S-with the positive excep-
| ton Of the white-soWned Sultan Of Morocco.
who not long ago got himself into hot water
| because he rides a bicycle and takes snap
shots of his superstitiOus subjects with the
| latest American camera there IS no one
so picturesque. so romantic and so fassin-
ating as the bandit Narsalona. who IL 1T
present engaging the attention OF the en-
tire soldiery Of Sicily. and Is keeping even
the War Office here in a state of unnappi-
ness.
Like Count Malatesta. who. living in
a grimy back room OF a London Stun. Is
supposed to direct the anarchists in the as
sasslnation of Kings and Presidents. Fran
| cesco NarSalona started out IN life rather
well. He was nine years ago "A cavalry
Sergeant with a first-Class record IN the
italian Army-impulsive and hOt-headed.
have made him as willy a General as De
Wet if he had kept On. But one day some
one murdered his brother in Palermo. The
man who was probably guilty OF the crime
was arrested. tried and imprisoned. but for
some reason or other Varsalona got it into
his head that a citizen named ProvcnZano
was the real murderer. It became a mat
ter Of, honor TO him to kin this man. Armed
with a gun and provided with friends to
help him stalk his prev. he finally ran his
man down. shot hin dead in the crowded
street. pushed his way through the terrified
spectators and escaped TO the hills.
HIS ROMANTIC IDEAS.
From that day to this Varsalona has been
an outlaw. keeping the law at bay with
one hand, so 70 speak. and with the other
K eAae 'AASNch NAN NAALA-
farmers TO make him a rich man. as riches
go in Sicily. II is doubtful If II will ever be
killed since 1893. when he began with Pro-
venzano. but one can get some idea of the
total from the fact that ten deaths have
been laid to his door within the past six
months.
Like his lately captured rival in crime.
Musolino,. Narsalona has romantic IDEAS OF
right and wrong. Some of his villainies
have been cruel and treacherous. and. on
the other hand. he has scorned highway
has been a good friend TO those who stood
by him. whenever II was not necessary 10
sacrifice them in order to save his own life.
His methods are simple In the extreme
He has en- EXTENDED district. where many
rich land owners and farmers live. and on
these he levies a tax: they pay him so
and he protects them from other gentle
men of the road. At first there were pro-
On the other hand. those who paid the
tribute were fairly dealt will thereafter,
lesser bandits being afraid TO interfere with
SUCCESSFUL BLACKMATLER.
Besides these regular" revenues, which
amount to several thousands Of dollars
sources Of income. For instance. he de-
mands large sums by letter. and on pain of
death they must be delivered TO a certain
person at a certain time. II the victim
complains to the police. 1t Is not the brig
and who Is taken prisoner. hut his accom-
pice. while Varsalona Is left free to wreak
AAA1 NA go 49, "AASA -N 80
tended to despoil. which vengeance usually
takes the form OF Z particularly cruel and
atroCious murder. One or two such les
sons were quite sufficient for the district,
and Varsalona has no trouble now in get
ting his money.
However. he is a gregarious creature. and
runs startling risks for the pleasure Of be-
ing with his Enthusiastically feminine.
as he is somewhat of a lady-killer-and is,
where money changes hands. Many times
IL has only been his extraordinary presence
of mind and ingenuity. together with a to-
tai disregard of the lives of others. which
has carried him through = light place.
Once he went to spend the evening with
some people in a lonely house among the
hills. Gambling went on after supper, and
SO absorbed did they all become that they
forgot to keep a lookout Suddenly the
admission. Narsalcna put out the light.
seized the wife OF his friend and dragged
her to the window. and from behind her
shouted defiance 10 the police. who fred.
but struck the woman, as the gallant Var
salona intended they should. In the midst
OF the uproar which followed he slipped on
the poor woman's gown. threw her shawl
over his head and opened wide the doors.
escaping into the darkness in the confusion
which followed the entrance OF she police.
HOW THE BANDIT SLEEPS.
Except for excitement. IT is difficult TO
see how the bandits life affords him much
the mountains. and may never even spend /
a whole night In one place. He enters the
of an ~accomplice-a hut having no win |
but q secret eXit-say. at II D. m, !
seats himself on the ground with his back