The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-30
ITALIAN BANDIT
 IS HAVING MANIAC The Exciting Career of Giu-
 scope MusoIino IN PRISON FOR LIFE Has Been Removed to Insane Asylum. Eluded Italian Army for Months. 30 Murders Are Charged
 Up to Him.
BY EDUARDO BENTINo.

Almost entirely forgotten by the people of the outside world. the exploits of Gius- cope Musolino, modern Italy's most mo- torfous bandit, are again recalled by his removal a few days ago from the under ground dungeon in the government pris- on at Florence, where he has been con- fined since 1909, to the Criminal Insane asylum at Montupo.
 Eight years solitary confinement in the depths of the Florentine prison, where he was sentenced for life. following an al- most unprecedented career of crime, has deprived Musoline of his reason, and when taken from his dungeon home on January IS, he was . raving maniac.
 For 1s months this daring criminal shouted his defiance to the Italian gov ernment from his haunts in the Calabrian hills, and sneered at the army sent against him. Now and then he would turn up in some mountain village and the following morning his pursuers would discover the bloody remnants of his pres ence. In all, 30 murders are laid at his door and countless number of robberies and other outrages. Hunted from place to place like a wild beast, he always managed to elude his pursuers with the aid of the peasantry.
 It was while walking along the streets of Urbino like peaceful citizen that he was finally captured on October 16 1901 Then followed his sensational trial, which became of international interest, because of the picturesque career of the prisoner and the many daring attempts he had made to escape from prison. The fnnu- merable feats of daredeviltry with which he was credited made him popular hero, and in spite of the long list of crimes laid at his door. public sympathy, espe- cially among the middle and lower classes, was overwhelmingly with him during the trial. He was finally convict ed, however, and as the Italian law does not permit capital punishment he was sentenced to life imprisonment on Juno Il. 1902, being only q years of age.
 Opinions differ as to the reason why Musolino became an outlaw. but it is generally believed that his career was the result of an alleged injustice that was done him by the government in his early youth.
 He was born at Santo Stefano. little mountain village in the province of Reg gio Calabria His father assisted by Giuseppos two sisters. kept little wine shop.
 Giuseppe. like the celebrated English brigand Robin Hood. began life as a woodman, but he differed entirely in char acter from the legendary English outlaw, having been from childhood remarkable for his sentimental and naorose disp0si- ton.
 He was a lover of outdoor life. with a free, roaming spirit, and grew up strong and independent and was in his own mind perfectly happy.
 It was about 1887 when the mind of the harmless woodsman was changed to that of an vindictive and memorable avenger of his wrongs. This all occurred in the course of an evening. Nusolino was sit- ting peacefully in his fathers cottage. when Vincenzo Zocalia, q comrade with whom he had slight disagreement the day previous, called, and upon tho pre- text that they would celebrate their re- conciliation. invited him te come cut Upon doing 70 Nusolino was attacked by zocallia and three eozfederates with knives. and was wounded in o different places, his hands bsing hacked and cut in his attempt to ward of the blows. Fortunately cousin of MuDolino came to the rescue and his aua1lants took to flight
 The following day zocaIlfa, who has not been arrested, filed complaint against
 
 at upon opening his barn door one even ing, and that Musolino was the one who tried to kill him. At the trial Musolino was sentenced to M years imprisonment despite the fact that his hand were so badly damaged that he could not possi- bly, hold gun.
 As the verdict was pronounced, Mus olinos sweetheart, who was at the trial, fell in . faint, muttsring: "He Is inno- cont" The shock was SO severe that she died shortly afterward
 Then Musolino turning to Zocal1ai with face set and as white as marble, said to him;
 '.Hear me, Zocalali shan be e when I como out of prison, but remember that if you were hidden in the bowels of the earth shall seek you out and eat your treachsrous heart And, if you be dead. l shall kill every one of your children"
 Musolino was placed in prison in the same room with seven other prisoners. which was contrary to the rules. For tunately, for him, the director of the 1ail was . member of the secret socisty with which Musolino was also connected.
 Musolino awoke ono morning with strange dream to relate to hls fellow prisonsrs. He said he had dreamed that St. Joseph appeared before him and pointed out e way by which he could escape by making a hole in the wall at the foot of his bed. Being of . supersti- tious nature his companions were elated by Musolino's dream, and for eight days they worked ,incsssantly, concealing their progress 50 cleverly that the prison au- thorities failed to detect it. They finally burrowed their way through tho wall only to meet with . hugo bolder which blocked their way to freedom.
 But Musolino immediately told his com rades that 1t Joseph had alse showed him how to overcome this ebstaole. After digging around the bottom of the stone with . hook which had bbsn brought in by one of the prisoners and by which they had dug the hole in the wall, they finally loosensd it, and they succeeded in getting 1t into the room after almost su- perhurnan sxsrtions. With 1t eame gust of csld night air--it was the 9th of Jan uary'-showing that they had at last pen etratsd the prison wall. The sscape ok Musolino and three of his companions created an extraordinary sensation, and Musolino was immediately taken by the nmple minded peasantry to be an object of supernatural favor.
 Free again. Musolino immediately pro- ceeded to execute his plans for ven- geancs. And what horrible vengeance 1t was.
 within three days he visited his native virlage and posted letter to tho author ltena &n1ltnn fhnru ha nn1~ }1atnr,AnA to