THE LAST BANDIT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 90, 13 October 1934, Page 9

THE LAST BANDIT

CAPTUKED IX COKSICA

A COLOURFUL RIGURE

There are no more bandits in Corsica. The last of them, the notorious Francois Bornea, who terrorised the central and southern portions of the island for four years, has surrendered, and been taken to Ajaccio goal, says the "Daily Telegraph."

For nearly a year Bornea was a doomed man. Harassed and tracked down from one hiding-place to another by the relentless police, he recently developed religious mania.

At last he begged two priests to act as. intermediaries for him. They informed the Mayor of Zicavo, Central Corsica, who told the police that Bornea was prepared to submit. The police 'laid down the conditions, and the bandit, unarmed and his head bent low, entered the gendarmerie of Levic, not far from his stronghold_ of Palneca, whero at one time he "reigned" like an outlaw king. Bornoa, with his newly acquired humility, expressed to the police his deep regret for his past, and.asked for the indulgence of justice.

The bandit's religious mysticism resembles that of his more famous counterpart, Andre Spada, who last May gave himself up to the police after preaching in his native village, dressed only in a shirt and wearing a crucifix and a garland of flowers. Unlike Spada, who murdered three gendarmes and wounded another three, Bornea did not limit himself to killing in "self defence." His worst crime was committed in 1930. He was driving a car, accompanied by the bandit Bartoli, for whom he acted as henchman. Some workmen on the road did not make way quickly enough, so Bornea alighted and hit about wildly. I A young workman, Buecini, indig- '. nant at this brutality, cried out, "If you go on like that you will finish by being denounced." "If you think you can use that tone with me," Bornea retorted, "I'll teach yon." Drawing a revolver, he shot Buecini dead. . ■ ; BEYOND BOUNDS. At this period Bornea's arrogance knew no bounds. He had started his career with Bartoli by a modest holdup of a postal van, but his successes had piade him bold. He and Bartoli hold to ransom all the richest tradesmen in the region of Palneca. Their revenue amounted to between £2000 and £3000 a year. When the police showed signs of activity Bornea and Bartoli decided to "teach them." They invaded the police barracks at Clammace, held the gendarmes prisoners, and dictated terms to them to prevent any further interference. Their terrorisation of tradesmen -extended to Ajaccio, where they burned down the local casino as "punishment:"

Bornea was a "bandit de luxe." He delighted in having himself photographed in his expensive buckskin and specially made aviator's boots. Ho ordered the latest _ guns and pistols from abroad, slept in the finest quality sheets, and revelled in banquets at which he served the best champagne.

His power began to wane when a large force of troops and Republican Guards, under the command of General Kuot, "invaded" the .island from France and started a clean-up of bandits. Bornea, Bartoli, and forty followers fled to tho mountains.

Bartoli was ambushed by gendarmes in his place of refuge and shot, but Bornea succeeded in escaping. At this time also the bandit Spada escaped to the wilds.

Although neither Bornea nor Spad'a was caught by this French expedition, at the end of 1931 the clean-up was effective, for since then Corsican bandits have been on the defensive.

Little by little the police arrested all Bornea's supporters, so that since the beginning of tho year he had so much fallen in the esteem of his one-time admirers that 'he came to be regarded as a common thief. A enrious fact about his career was that he w*o at one time a policeman on tho Riviera, and had a very good record as a seaman.

Tho Corsicans like the idea of banditry on their island, and the innkeepers regret that all the bandits have been captured, for they say their extirpation will impair the tourist traffic.