BURNED GIRL TO DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 970, 13 May 1930, Page 2

BURNED GIRL TO DEATH

GRIM STORY OF SHEPHERD’S TERRIBLE VENGEANCE TRIED AFTER 23 YEARS Vincenzo Antonio do Silvestre, for 23 years has been wanted for the murder of six people, and whose crint was made famous w*hen Gabriel € Annunzio based on it his play, “Foric Che Si Forse Che No,” is at last ot trial, states a message from Rome. For the whole of the 23 years fai has been living near his old home under an assumed name, and migk still be free had he not been recofnised at a fair by man who sent ti anonymous letter to the police. All the elements of a Greek tragefiy are in his unfortunate love affair wifi the beautiful Driad„e, whom be kmd when he was 22 and she was hardy 20. Kidnapped Girl She loved him, too. at first, and bi went to Fondi (in a mountain area between Naples and’Rome) to ask her father for her hand. But the father expected her to make a brilliant marriage, and told the lover that she could never marry a shepherd. De Silvestre then kidnapped the pri and fled with her to the mountain. But she escaped, ujid he was arrested and sent to prison for 10 months: 0i his release he swore to be avengedHe discovered that Driade was tea** ing one evening with her aant, bef cousin Emma, and Temmaso, to sleep in a hut at some distance, ready fo? the harvesting next morning. They entered the hut, and De Sir vestre, who had followed, kept wmtcfc outside. Presently midnight come, and the frenzied lover took a matek and lighted the four corners of the thatched hut. The four people ▼er* asleep, but soon the smoke awok« them, and they tried to escape. Driade made a hole in the thatch, begging Vincenzo to save her, but b* pushed her back into the flames, added branches with dried leaves th£ lay round to the pyre. Love Serenade A friend who saw the terrible cria* has stated that De Silvestre sang to** serenades to his dying Driade. daae ing around the blazing hut in frenzy, and crying that, f she vow* not be his. she would never belong anyone else. He waited until the hu’ was a bitf of ashes, and then made his way the hillside to the hut of one FWJj cesco Corbo, whom he blamed for misfortunes, and shot him deadFor weeks De Silvestre and w* friend who had witnessed the s<re,e t > j * the burning hut wandered a^oot . i -. country. Finally his friend gaveWJ; self up, and was sentenced to imprisonment. De Silvestre w^ in default, and given a sentence solitary confinement. For some time he became a and, and kept the countryside m ror.