SOME FAMOUS BRIGANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 15 August 1907, Page 4

SOME FAMOUS BRIGANDS.

A IIUI'TIAN WHO MUTILATED HIS CAPTIVES. Three more brigands have been the subject of more or less romantic stories in the European newspapers recently, two on account ol their spectacular deaths, the third because of the skill with which lie has so far ballled the police. (hie of the three was .Magyar, one Sovanyou SnsKu, and his Held of operations long ago was the Carpathian Mountain district with its vague, lonely roads and inaccessible retreats. Twentylive years ago he was the scourge of the country. Xu traveller was safe, and when travellers were too scarce rich farmers and even lauded estate owners in the surrounding region were his prey, fine of his pleasant habits was to seize people and hold them for ransom. If his demands Here not satisfied he did not kill his prisoners, but usually sent them home minus their ears or a couple of lingers, or even a hand. lie became such a nuisance at last that a small army was sent out to hunt him. lie ii'll into their hands by accident, and c.is sentenced to imprisonment for life, hi prison hj» became softened in spirit, lie turned religious, and his repentance was so sincere that the Uisliop of the district at last interceded with the Emperor Francis Joseph on his behalf. He was released after 22 years' confinement, and returned to his native village, where he started to make a livelihood as a herdsman for his brother. His wild career as a robber had been made th-.' subject of a whole library of stories and memoirs of the dime novel kind in Cenuau and Hungarian. He at once made a collection of these and read them over and over with avidity, commenting on their literary merits to his friends, and correcting their historical inaccuracies. He plainly regarded himself as a great public iigure, and revel- ! led in his glory. After a while, however, his lame began to pall upon him. He lost interest in peaceful pursuits, grew morose and despondent, and spent his time roaming among the rocks and forests where his early exploits were performed. At last he was missing for several days. Search was made and he was found dead in one of his favorite hiding places, with the best of the books about liiui neatly stacked at his side, and the big cavalry pistol, with' which ; he had blown the top off his head, still grasped in his hand. f Tin: second brigand who has just met ' a tragic end was Francesco i'arisi, who llourisiied and died in the neighborhood of Sularno, Italy, lie was an intelligent and eery robust peasant oi the belter class, ana led a peaceful lite until some time ago he became the victim of au accusation which he declared to be ' lalsc, ami was convicted and sentenced on chat le declared was perjuicd lestimony As he was taken to prison lie ' swore that he would devote his h.e to revenge when he was released. .!:i tli-j ' last »i.t mouths he established a reign - oi terror in thee ountry around Salerno. ' of terror in the country around Salerno. He robln-d nobody, but devoted himself absolutely to his vendella. He hid ill ' the iields and woods, and only emerged 1 from time to time to shoot, at someone s who was concerned in his trial. Some he niissed, several he wounded more or " less seriously. One man ho maimed ' lor life only a week before his own end ; c.uue, because he believed him to be a '' spy oi the carabinieri. i'arisi was so e skilful, and had so much sympathy from ; the country people, that the authorities ' could get uu trace of him, although they picketed a forest known as the Faicllo, ". m which he was supposed to lurk, by ' day and night. Finally, if was by track- '' nig women who were supposed to be his l ' sweethearts and admirers that they lo- ™ cited him. Incidentally, they found '■ that there were several of these, and they carried all his supplies of food and " ammunition to him.

l-'inally it was arranged to tap watch on all the women oil a certain night. The larabiiiiere oliiccrs let it Irak out, as if inionnally and by acci(lent, that they and their men were worn oul by watching and would have to take a lew nights' rest. As was expected, one oi the women Jeit her home a I midnight, and was followed to l'arisi's hiding- place. The ne.vt inorniug Ihe carnbimeiv formed three parties, and i-losed in on him from the three lines of approach to his lair. A pitched battle was Ihe result, ami l'arisi is said to haw tired (ii ~liois fnim gun, and pistols bdoie he was killed. Aone of the soldiers were hit. but they say the bullets whistled close to them, and they liad to keep well covered to save their lives. The brigand's body, when they took it to Salerno, was found to have no less than 2!) bullets in it.

GuKcppc Salamone is a Sicilian, lie is slid at large, though a hundred cni-abiui-eri are looking lor him. lie also proclaiiiis_ himself a victim to the law's injustice', seekiig revenge. Ik says he was the victim of political spile. It is true that he was accused ol stealing .Co from two iisli dealers iu Ualtauisetta, though there had never been before ihc least reason to doubt his honesty. A local olliciai, whom he had fought politically, pushed the prosecution, and he was sentenced to ten years' iiuprisI eminent.

"'Hie good God," he streamed to the spectators in court on his conviction, 'ought to make the earth open and swallow up these false witnesses." However, he look his punishment quietly. When liberated he showed no signs of bitterness, liut when he reached home Ue found his mother had died on the previous day. Alter the funeral he look to the woods. His very lirst act was to shoot dead the olliciai whom he held responsible for his prosecution. \\ hen the man died at once, Saloinone bewailed the fact. He had hoped he would linger for some lime in the torments of remorse and the fear of judgment. Since then Salomonc's life has been (lie ordinary one of a brigand, lie robs and levies blackmail on the villages, and even the towns of Sicily. He has the sympathy of the vcny poor, who keep him posted on the plans made to capture him. He is'said to be a most daring fellow. He meets in disguise the carabinicri who are chasing 'him, and carouses wth them; and then lie sends them on a wild goose chase to look for him 50 miles from where he is going to be. lie has scraped acquaintance with judges and other public ollieials, shaken hands witli emissaries of police, stopped at the best hotels, and frequented the theatre. Hi, crowning exploit was to write his own exploits and have them I published in a Sicilian newspaper.