A BANDIT STORY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 188, 23 June 1862, Page 5

A BANDIT STORY.

The. Naples correspondent of The Times sends a bandit storj', " and a true one," which he took down from the lips of one of the persons captured by that pet of priests and Tories, Crocco, on the 14th of March in the Val di Bovino.

"We were recommended," said the traveller to the correspondent on the 2nd inst., "to avoid thediligence; so we left Bari in a carriage drawn by five horses, and at Foggia were joined by another carriage with three horses. At a quarter to nine in the morning, as we were descending a hill, at the bottom of which was a bridge, we saw upwards of 100 -men on horseback, and thought that for the moment they were regular troops, but it was soon evident we were mistaken ; and, seeing that flight was impossible, we pushed on. About fifty of the band crossed over to the opposite side, and when we were about 200 paces distant the captain called out, 'Don't move, or you shall have a ball in you: out wit hyou, you brigands !' Orders vyere then given to the band to rifle the carriages, and to the coachman to unharness the horses. We were ten of us in all, and a lady among the number, and for four hours and a half, stripped of everything except trousers and waistcoa*, we were marched into the woods before the brigands, who were all mounted, and had several led horses. At last, one of a party, a monk, declared he could walk no further, and he and seven others were mounted; for myself, I and a boy were compelled to walk still, and the brigands questioned me as to what was being done at Naples. ' They cry out for Francis ll,' I replied, being in great fear, ' for they want bread.' 'Ah ! I thought it' would be so, said Crocco_; 'are there soldiers in your mountains?' 'Yes, Sir, and I will take you there if you like.' ' No, assassin, you must stop with us. Do you know me ?' he continued. 'I was a sergeant in Castel d'Ovo in Naples. What do the Neapolitans say of me ; and what are you ?' ' Here is my passport.' Well, on and on we walked until my strength was gone, and ■ after threatening to shoot me, they mounted me and put the boy behind a man. At. this moment a brigantessa came up and suid, 'Ann the fellow, or we will shoot him up there.' They then compelled me to carry a musket, the poor boy weeping bitterly at the sight. After many miles of. walking and riding we were halted at length, and bread find cheese were distributed to all. One who was called 'General,' was then pointed out to me, and I was asked if I knew him. knows you all, however,' said Crocco. The General was a gentleman and a foreigner, and spoke French with the monk for a long time, and he had a glass with which he looked over the country. After reposing, the General ordered our passports to be read. One by ona eight of us were told off and put together under a tree, when the ninth was discovered to have been Ist sergeant in some regiment. 'Don't kill me,' he screamed, ' and I will join: you, I have my horse ready.' 'Assassin!' said the captain, ' no pity for you ; yon must be shot. Put him alone on the other side.' The tenth pass read was still worse—that of a Guard of Public Security, who was going to Naples on leave of absence. ' Why did you not get any other occupation than that of hunting brigands ? You shall be burnt alive. Put him up with the sergeant.' A consultation then took place between Crocco and Chiavone as to what should be done with us. The monk and two merchants were ordered to get 13,000 ducats, on pain of being shot, but they protested they had not a grain. As for myself; the boy, the lady, and two others, we were liberated, and, after having been misdirected, "we got after dark into the Strada llegia, and had the good fortune to meet the postman of Bovino, who was mounted, and conducted, us more dead than alive to that city. As we left the brigands we heard three shots fired, and concluded that the poor> sergeant was done for ; as was really the base,', for his body was found by the Nationals the next day. As for the Guard of Public Security, I don't know what became of him."

Some fifty of the men were" described as being about 18 or 20 .years of age, and the others' perhaps 24 or 25, fine-looking young fellows, and apparently conscripts who had fled. They were all dressed as peasants, and had plenty of gold about .them. Crocco, who has inflicted such terror, is about 23 years of age, bad black hair, is thin, with a dark bad countenance, and was "pienod'oro ;" he had a watch and chain, and his fingers were covered with gold rings. Chiavone might be about 40, and is short and stout. As for the "General," who spoke French, " for he did not speak like us," he said that when they got 2000 men they would not yield to any. one, and expected to be in Naples before long.