EXECUTION OF A CORSICAN BANDIT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2543, 27 October 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

EXECUTION OF A CORSICAN BANDIT.

(from our own correspondent). Paris, Septembor 8. Ui' to the present it may be said the guillotine lias been superseded in Corsica by the Vendetta. Any countryman of Laolii, when "wanted" by the police, must be captured at the rifle's muzzle. It was thus a death duel between captor and captured. It was, a crime to be arrested ; it was a glory to shoot the minion 3 of the law. As the departmental guillotines have since some years been consolidated, so as to centre in the h.mds of one executioner—the present office holder is named Deibler, and ranks as a Government employ^—it was necessary that that functionary should proceed to Corsica, to chop off the head of a young bandit—who never stole anything in his life—named Rocchini, and aged 22. Deibler left Paris with his three aids, and the guillotine, which, being in metal, is packed up like a large photographing box. He was threatened to be done for by the culprit's partisans. So, en route, his progress was telegraphed from station to station, as of an emperor, going to a rendezvous of brother emperors. He expected to receive a bullet through the head in passing some of the savage lurking spots so numerous on the island, and where more balls whiz than black birds, hence the unusual precautions. He and his aids were stowed away in the cockpit of a frigrate from Toulon till the moment necessary for debarking, and then the execution party was escorted by infantry and mounted police to the village of Sartene, where the deoapitation was to take place. Rocchini was a real bandit in the Corsican sense. He would not hesitate to murder, but be scorned to steal. He slew au enemy out of vengeance,

a policeman from professional hostility and a young girl from unrequited love. Tins tragedy commenced thus : —One Taffiuii killed a dog belonging to a Rocchiiii, because it trespassed on his grapes. Kocohini shot TalT,mi's dog ; then Talfani killed a Rocchini, the latter retaliated, till the Vendetta exhausting eye for eye and tooth for tooth, left only one member of the Rocchini family alive—the member who has justlieon cxecnted. Having slain the last Taffaui to escape arrest, Rocchini took to banditism, lived among the mountains, never sleeping in the same spot two nights in succesion. In one of his hiding promenades he encountered a goat-herdos, Julia or Yu, aged sixteen, with long, floating, wild, chestnut hair, and a pair of instant death black eyes. Rocchini was at her feet, her prisoner, iu a secoud. She refused then, and later, his love. On their next meeting ho asked her to make lib her mind, and promised to seek her in a few days. On returning home that evening Yu implored her mother to secure her a husband at once, whose strong arm could protect her. The mother the next morning set out to Porto Veeclio, to negotiate with a young blacksmith for Yu, while the latter went merrily with her goats to brouse them on the mountain side. She was gathering flowers, and on looking up, Rocchini approached from behind a rock and stood before her, " Well Yu, will you marry me or not ?" " No," replied Yu, "You are going to clie," replied Rocchino, stepping back a few paces, "Will you have that courage?" retorted Yu, He presented his rifle, fired iwice. Yu fell without a cry, on her face, the wild flowers she was gathering for her expected bridegroom, receiving most of her blood. Then to make sure, Rocchino approached, and fired his revolver into her ear, as a coup (tc (/race. It was for that crime, which he confessed, that he was condemned to die. The government was defied to carry out the sentence, so the law was enforced— four months after the sentence. What a lingering death! Rocchino died resigned, rather than game. He often took leave, but was loth to depart." The decapitation was a little clumsy, and it is remarked, such is ever the case when Deibler wears his tortoise-shell eye glass. The execution took place on the wide terrace in front of the church, and was remarkable for the number of women and children iu the windows around, Two spectators ascended to the top of the spire to witness the execution, which has cost the country 22,000 fr.