Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1818-09-22
From a Paris paper.

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HORRIBLE ATRocITY.-An horrible
crime, which presents in its details the
most astonishing courage and singular
presence of mind, has been lately COM
mitted in the vicinity of little village of
the Brie. 1t altogether forms drama,
the episodes of which possess great in
terest. If the trial to which it will give
rise shall not obtain the melancholy CO.
lebrity of the case of Fauldes, it win at
least display character of woman, whose
frightfnl situation was more critical than
that of the mysterious and imprudent he
rome of Rhodes.
A pedlar and his wife, a short time
since, presented themselves at night-fall
at the door of little farm house, short
distance from the high road. They re-
quested of the farmer permission to sleep
there, whose wife was still confined to her
bed, having lately lainin A small room
was assigned to them, where they passed
the night quietly. The next day being
Sunday, the farmer aud his servants went
to mass to a neighbouring village. The
pedlar also expressed a wish TO go there,
and there remained 10 the house only the
wife of the farmer, the pedlar's wife, (who
complained that she was not well,) and
child of Elk years Of age.
Scarcely had the people gone out, when
the pedsr's wife, armed with knife,
presented herself at the bed of the lying
in woman, and demanded her money,
threatening to kill her in case of refusal
The latter, sick and weak, did not oppose
the slightest resistance, and delivered up
the keys of her drawers, at the same time
desiring the little boy to conduct the wo-
man who had 10 look for something in
them. She rose softly from her bed, fol.
lowed the pedlar's wife, without being
heard, and having beckoned the child out
of the room, locked the robber in the
chamber. She then desired the child TO
run to the village to apprize his father,
and desire him to bring assistance.
The child did not lose an instant; but
by an uncomfortable fatality, met on the
road the pedIar, who had left the church,
no doubt, to Join his wife. Having ask
ed the child where he was going, the lat
ter answered ingenuously he was going to
seek his father, as an attempt was made
to rob them. The pedlar took the child
by the hand, and said it would be unne-
cessary, and that he would himself go and
protect his mother.
They returned to the farm where the
farmers wife was shut up; he knocked
at the door, but this woman not recog-
MIXING the voice Of her husband, obsti-
nately refused to open it the pedlar made
vain efforts TO induce her to do it, and
being unable to attain his end, threatened
to cut her chiId's throat, if she did not
instantly decide upon it. Ferocious at
not being able to prevail upon her, he
executed his horrible threat, and killed
the child, almost under the eyes of its
mother, who heard. without being able
to give succour, the cries aud last signs
of her son.
After having committed this useless
crime, he endeavoured to penetrate into
the house to save his wife time pressed
they might each moment return from
mass, and he could not succeed in getting
admission put by m0untlnS on the rooI
and descending down the chimney
During all this time he exhausted his rage
in menaces and imprecations against the
farmers wife, who, almost fainting, saw
nothing to deliver her from certain death.
This wretch had already got into the
chimney, and was about to enter into the
chamber, when the farmers wife, col
Iecting all her force, drew by sudden in
spiration, the pailIasse Of her bed to the
edge of the hearth, and there set it on
fire. The smoke in few minutes en-
veloped the assassin, who not being able
to reascend, very soon fell into the fire.
half suflocatcd. The courageous farmers
wife lost not her presence of mind, but
struck him several blows with the poker,
which put him beyond the chance of re-
covering his senses. Finally, exhausted