The Sun. — 1856-10-02 (London, England)

REMARKABI.E DISCOVERY OF  BRIGANDS.  ROME, Sept. 20.—A regularly organised confraternity of depredators has just been discovered in Velletri, a. large town eight and twenty miles from Rome, on the high road to Naples, and situated between the forest of Fajola and the Pontine marshes, both traditional strongholds of brigands. It is to the sagacity and determination of the delegate of Velletri, an active young prelate belonging to a noble family of Ferrara, that the arrest of this gang of robbers is owing, although the preliminary circumstance which brought their existence to light was purely incidental. One of the band was summoned ten days ago to appear before the delegate to answer a charge brought against him for stealing some water melons, but seeing another member of the band in court, and being misled by some ambiguous expressions of the delegate, he imagined that he was about to hear some more serious accusation, and that evidence had already been given against him by his associate. In his fright, therefore, he at once offered to turn king's evidence, if we may use such an expression in the Pope's dominions, and reveal the whole proceedings of the association—a proposition which, it may be easily imagined, was not discouraged by the delegate. His own bargain for safety being made, the bandit proceeded to reveal the names and residences of the component members of the society, many of whom were actually tradesmen residing in the town, and to confess the principal depredations committed by the band, under the direction of their regularly organised officers, comprising the administrative employes of cashier and secretary, for the due divisien and registry of the spoil. Tnis gang proved to have been the plunderers of Signor Mammuccherea [lowa) at Velletri, whence they abstracted twelve thousand dollars about six months ago ; and the confessing culprit, as a proof of his veracity, informed the delegate exactly where his share of the booty, amounting to a thousand scudi, was to be found, together with five hundred more of his own private earnings. He also confessed that several homicides had been committed by his associates, and acknowledged that he had himself murdered one of the band a short time befare, because being dissatisfied at receiving only six hundred dollars, instead of a thousand, which he considered to be his lawful share of the prey, the defunct had let fall some threats leading to a supposition that he 'night possibly denounce his companions. The body of the murdered man, a carter by trade, was found buried where the confessing assassin lcild, speeilit,.d, with a gunshot wound through the back of his heal. Armed with these proofs, the ou.delegate had the rest of the•band, at least all he could find, amounting to about a dozen, in the town ofa:nied very Velletri, arrested forthwith, and subjected them °Yagde the rigorous examination ; but as theeyreosbigsthite. obstinately the any participation of the crimes laid to their unthe first few had prelate, feeling sure of his facts, theirordered to be refreshed by a powerful administrationd e rw eo underhe went memories thatb as . not strictly legal, tinado, an argument which, although theywa s foundinad e ampleso striking confessions, hy those oasned who after Itarhaid4...tot in circala,tion ewcommunicative cudgelbeen subjected make h its", regime remainderg i m e fartshewperluenfdoeurndi74-inite'h.eArloabmbneirusc' hiding plaSciexs,tli,oeuinsganid)adrtolol strong box, on acceunt of its being en.:l7tY';' large gold pieces, hoarded up by the rich man, . u therefore likely to bring suspicion upon them. the result,of • which they were Fully satisfied with . .t its examination, and the magic 6froct of eirith) tt th ""' which proved quite a divining rod in disco"►.g: e lost treasure, the delegate prisoners thrust into gaol, to await their trial by the regular criminal tribunal. Meanwhile the highway practitioners continue their exploits on the solitary road to Porto d'Anzio, where another carriage was stopped n A military station is much required tthharteedidclitr7,!ta,goor, some such small detachment ieniggslo,ptunju;f9t.trti,ti:eg the dangerous parts of the Napl. of soldi,:r4 arc now posted at regular distances of roads, to patrol and arrest all armed or suspicious lookprogress hitherto made by the Papal government in u the extirpation of brigandage immediately round the capital.