Giuseppe Caruso (brigand)

Giuseppe Caruso, nicknamed "Zi 'Beppe" (Atella, 18 December 1816Atella, 7 August 1891), was an Italian brigand. He was the most famous leader of the Lucan bands. Together with Giovanni 'Coppa' Fortunato and Ninco Nanco, he was one of the most violent deputies of Carmine Crocco. After he surrendered to the Savoy authorities in 1863, he also became one of the people mainly responsible for the repression of banditry in the Vulture area. According to Crocco, Caruso killed 124 people in about four years as a fugitive.

Biography
The beginnings of the brigandage
Before becoming a brigand, Caruso worked as a rural caretaker for the Saraceno noble family of Atella. In April 1861, after he fired a shot at a national guardsman, he decided to become a brigand to avoid being put on trial and risking the death penalty. Because he was good at planning and leading men, he was able to form a band that operated in the Ofantino territory.
Carmine Crocco took his companions into his own group, and together they led several clashes with the national guard and the Italian army. Under Crocco’s command, Caruso took an active part in the conquest of Basilicata and stood out in several actions. On 6 April 1862, the gang fought near Muro Lucano with regular troops, killing nine soldiers.

Caruso continued his activity as a robber and, on 6 September of the same year, together with his chief Crocco and about 200 other bandits, attacked a farm. They stole ten sacks of fodder for the horses, twenty sacks of grain, and ten cloths worth twenty ducats. The brigand from Atella was also one of the main people responsible for the killing of 15 cavalrymen from Saluzzo and of another 21 men between Melfi and Lavello. In 1863, together with Crocco, Coppa and Ninco Nanco, he met General Fontana, with captains Borgognini and Corona, to discuss a possible surrender. However, the talks did not lead to an agreement.

The betrayal
160px|right|thumb|Caruso (first from the left) during his imprisonment in Melfi
Because of disagreements with Crocco, in circumstances that are not completely clear, Caruso left the gang. After being persuaded by the Saraceno family, he surrendered to General Fontana on 14 September 1863 in Rionero.

Imprisoned and interrogated in the jail of Potenza, Caruso betrayed his former companions by revealing to the authorities their plans and their agreements with some local politicians. This betrayal increased the hatred between Crocco and Caruso. According to Caruso, Crocco tried to have him killed in prison by sending him poisoned food.

On 5 October 1863, the Military Tribunal of Potenza sentenced Caruso to seven years in prison. His lawyer had asked for a lighter sentence because Caruso had cooperated with the authorities. On 1 March 1864, he received permission from the prefect to leave prison. Caruso, together with De Vico, captain of the Carabinieri of Potenza, used this opportunity to ambush Crocco and other brigands, killing two of Crocco’s men and sending a third to a military prison in Rionero.

After the creation of the military zone of Melfi–Lacedonia and Bovino, Caruso was assigned to General Emilio Pallavicini, with whom he continued his work against the brigands, using his important knowledge of the area and of his former companions. During the search for Crocco, Caruso, who was a very good shot, fired a carbine from a distance of about 200 metres at a brigand who looked like his former commander, hitting him in the head and killing him instantly. When he went closer to the body, he discovered that it was one of Crocco’s men wearing Crocco’s clothes, a trick used to confuse the authorities and avoid capture.

Last period
On 7 April 1864, the director of prisons of Potenza asked the king to pardon Caruso, saying that he had greatly helped to destroy banditry in the Vulture area. On 7 November 1864, King Vittorio Emanuele II granted him a pardon. Because of his work, the former brigand received several privileges and was appointed brigadiere (brigadier) of the forest guard of Monticchio when he was 66 years old. He was also given the right to carry firearms to help maintain public order and for his own protection.
Caruso died in Atella in 1892 at the age of 72.

Filmography
Giuseppe Caruso appears in the following works:
 They Called Them... Bandits! by Pasquale Squitieri (1999), played by Ennio Coltorti.
  by Paolo Poeti (2012), played by Massimiliano Dau.

References

Other websites

 Giuseppe Caruso on 

Category:People from the Province of Potenza
Category:1816 births
Category:1892 deaths
Category:Italian brigandage