Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-09-05
CURIoUs ANEcD0rE.

In l7S7 q man Wa broken alive on the
wheel n Orlsans, for highway robbery and
uos having friends 10 bury his BODY, when the
sxscutioosr concluded hs Was dead, he gave
him % . surgeon, who had him carried 10 his
anatomical theatre a. . subject to lecture on.
The thighs, legs and srms Of this unhappy
wretch. had been broken; yet, On the eur
geoos coming 70 examine him, he found him
surviving, and BY proper application Of pro
per cord,als, he was soon brought TO hi.
speech.
Tho surgeon and his pupils, moved BY the
sudcrings and solicitations Of the robbcr, do
sermised on attempting his cure; but he wa
90 mangled, that his two thighs and ono Of his
mu;iistion, and the loss Of blood, he recover.
ed, and In this situation The surgeon, by biz
Own desire, had him conveyed in cart 50
leagues from Orleans, where, a. he said, he
intended to gain his livelihood BY begging.
His situation vas on the road side close by
q wood, and his dcplorable coalition excited
compassion from all who Jaw him. in his
youth he had served In the army, and he nov
passed for q soldier who had lost his limbs By
cannon shot.
A drover returning from market, where he
had been selling cattle, was solicited by the
robber for charity, and being moved BY COM
passion threw him piece Of silver. ALAS ?
said the robbcr, Il cannot reach it-you see
I have neither arms or legs (for lac had con-
cealcd his arm which had been preserved be-
hind his back,) so for the sake Of heaven,
put your charitable donation into my pouch,
and Lord bless you.'
Tho drover approached him, and as he
stopped. to reach up the money, the sun shi-
ming, he saw shadow on the ground which
caused him 20 look up, when he perceived
the arm OF the bcggar elevated over his head,
and his hand grasping short iron bar. He
arrested the blow 10 its descent, and seizing
the robbcr carried him to his cart, into which
having thrown him, no drove of to the next
town, which was very near, and brought his
prisoner before a magistrate.
On searching him, whistle was found i'm
his pocket, which naturally induced saspi-
cion that he had accomplices In the wood ;
guard TO the place where the robber had been
seen, and they arrived within an hour AFTER
the murder OF the drover bad been attempted.
The guard having concealed themselves be-
hind different trees, the whistle was blown,
the sound of which was remarkably shrill
and loud: and another whistle was heard un-
der ground, three men ut the same instant
rising over the midst Of bushy clump of
brambles and other dwarf shrubs. The SOL
diers fired on them, and they fell. The bush
es were searched, and q descent discovered
IN cave. Here were found three young
girls and boy. The girls were kept for the
Offices OF servants and the purposes Of lust
the boy, scarce IL years of age, was son Of
one OF tho robbers. The girls, in giving evil
dcnce, deposed, that they had lived near ,
years IN the cave, had been kept there by
force from the time Of their captivity that
dead bodies were frequently carried into the
cave, stripped and buried and that tho old
soldier was carried out syssy dry day aud sat
by the road side for two or three hours.
On this evidence the numbering mendtcant
was condemned TO suffer n second execution
on the wheel. As but one arm remained, il
was TO be broken by several strokes, in seye-
raj places, and coup de grace being denied,
he lived in tortures for near FIVE days. When
dead, his body was burned TO ashes and atrewn
before the winds Of Heaven.