BRIGANDAGE IN SICILY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2419, 1 November 1892, Page 3

BRIGANDAGE IN SICILY.

“ Qnida ” writes the following letter to the Times : Such romantic and tragic incidents have of late been as common as daily bread in Sicily that 1 think you may care to publish an account of the latest of these daring seizures by brigands. It is a mistaken idea which prevails amongst English people that brigandage is no longer known in that lovely island. It is alas ! very frequent, and still takes a picturesque, operatic aspect in its decor tin scene, though horribly brutal and hideous in its deeds. It not uncommon for the brigands to wear the uniform of carabinieri (or gendarmes), so that in the friendly attire of cocked hat and uniform they surround easily with their horses the unsuspecting travellers. Three days ago the Baron Antonino Spitalolri, a well-known Cantanian gentleman, rode out to an estate of his called San Tgdo.vo, lying between the communps of Batenin and Ceutolupe. Sot wishing to spend the night on his own lands, which are malarious, he, with his young son, asked the hospitality of a neighbor living at a villa called Polera, the Bornessa Ciancio. The next morning, at 8 o’clock, the Barqn mounted his horse to go again to h,is estates, accompanied by (our attendants, but leaving his son with the lady of the house ftt f’o.lera. Scarcely, however, had ho gone a few yards Uuiu h ' suddenly surrounded six on one horses, and ni'ined with W etterli rill os. His four attendants were bound, seu,y(, agd carried off. The Baaon, hiuiscir, having no money ppon him, was taken back to Polera, If is young son, seeing him from the .window approach thus bound and captive t; red on tho robbersj who replied with

five shots, not of which did more, happily, | than to search the boy’s hair. Mean- j while Mine. Ciancio, running to the window, called to the men to know what they would take to leave Baron free. They replied 50,000 f., and she threw the sum to them in bank notes and on getting it they clamoured for more, beat in the doors of the villa (or castle) menaced and bound the servants, and two held their daggers to the throats of the lady and the youth, whilst others ramsacked all the cabinets, cupboard, and wardrobes in the house, succeeding in finding in all IOOjOOOf. more. They stayed altogether eight hours, drank champagne, and smoked the cigars of their prisoners. As comble d' honneuv, they kissed the Baron’s young son, saying graciously, ‘ You are so handsome, it would have been a pity to kill you.” And then there people who say that romance is dead in Italy! This is a more vividly-colored and melco-dramatic episode, but it is not so truly terrible and cruel as was the capture of another Sicilian gentleman last month a landed proprietor of smaller means than the Baron Spitaleirie, who was borne off by brigands, and, because his family could not send his ramson (20,000 f.) quickly enough, was killed at the end of a fortnight, his body, horribly mangled and burnt, being sent home.