RIFLE GIFT'S TO BANDIT

Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3848, 3 October 1932, Page 7

RIFLE GIFT'S TO BANDIT

CORSICA’S ROBIN HOOO

MOST POPULAR OUTLAW NOW AN HONOURED CITIZEN t Ilastia (Corsica >. Simon Ettori, the famous Corsican baiulil. whoso admirers prcscnt»“d him with a new rifle after his recent acquittal.on two murder charges, is a fair way to assemble <iuite a collection of presentation firearms. It is now revealed that this popular outlaw was given a new rifle by [public subscription more than 10 years ago. On that occasion a gendarme sent against him was the loading contributor to the jiresentutiun fund. At that time Ettori was living peacefully in a small cottage. Five gendarmes who had learned his whereabouts surrounded the cottage one morning, but Ettori escaped tmwotuulod to tin* wilds. He left his gun liehiiKl him. however. Shortly afterwards a number of wealthy peasants in the neigliliourliood went to the public prosecutor at Sartene and offered to buy the gnu. Obviously they meant to return it to EttorL and. of course, the offer was refused. The public prosecutor was oven more surprised when the local lieutenant of gendarme* advised him to restore the gun. “If yoil do not.” said the lieutenant, “Ettori will almost oertaiply shoot tlie brigadier who took it.” The public prosecutor remained ■ firm. Soon afterwards he learned that Ettori had lieen presented with a gun which was even better than the one he had lost. Ettori—known as the Robin Hood of Corsica lieeause ho robbed the rich to give to the poor—lms returned jto liis corner of the island, not as nn outlaw, hut us an honourable citizen.