Litchfield enquirer., 1833-08-22

Curious AnecdOte. Tn 1747 man was broken alive on the wheel at Orleans, for highway robbery; and not having friends to bury his body, when the executioner concluded he was dead, he gave him to a surgeon, who had him carried to his anato- mical theatre as subject to lecture on. The thighs, legs and arms of this unhappy wretch had been brOken, yet on the sur geon's coming to examine him, he found him surviving, and by proper application of proper cordials, he was soon brought to his speech.
 The surgeon and his pupils, moved by the suffering and solicitations of the rob- Der, determined on attempting his cure; but he was so mangled, that his two thighs and ofhis arms were ampntated. Not withstanding this tnutilation, and the loss of blood, lie recovered. and in this situation the surgeon, by his own desire had him cor-. veyed in cart 50 leagues from Orleans, where, as he said, he intended to gain his livelihood by begging.
 Hisssituation was on the road side close bya wood, and his deplorable condition ex- cited compassion from all who saw him. In his youth lie had served in the army, and he now passed for a soldier who had ust his limbs by a cannou shot.
 A droyer returning from market, where he had been selling cattle, was solicited by the robber for charity, and being moved by compassion threw a piece ofsilyer. Alas ? said the robber. 's Iscanaot reach it-you see have neither arms or logs" (for he had concealed his arm which had been pre- served behind his back ]" 50 forthe sake of heaven, put your charitable donation into my pouch, and Lord bless you."
 The drover approached him, and as he stopped, to reach up the money, the sun, shining, he saw a shadow on tho ground which caused him to lookup, when he per- ceived the arm of the beggar elevated over his head, and his hand grasping short iron bar. He arrested the blow in its descent, and saizing the robber carried him to his cart, into which having thrown him, he drove of to the next town, which was very near, and Brought his prisoner before a magistrate.
 On searching him whistle was found in his pocket, which naturally induced a sus- apicion that he had accompiices in the wood !; the magistrate therefore instantly ordered guard to the place where the robber had been seized, and they arrived within half an hour after the murder of the droyer had been attempted. Tss.
 The guard having concealed themselves behind different trees, the whistle was blown, the sound of which was remarkably shrill and lond and another wlIislle was heard under ground, three men at the same instant rising over the midst. of a bushy clump of brambles and other dwarf. shrubs. The soldiers fired oIsthem, and they fell. The bushes were seaFched, and descent discovered inacave. Here were found three young girls and boy. The girls were kept forshe offices of servants md the pur- poses of lust; tho boy. scarca 10 yours ~ SeSs ,gas. .s e0H 10 one ot tha robbers. Ths girls.in giving evidence, deposed, 1, thai they had lived near three years in the cave, hat been Kept there by force from their captiv ity ;thatdead bodies were frequently car ried into the cave, stripped and buried and that the old soldier was carried on every dry day. and sat by the road side io two or three hours. 8s
 Onsthis evidence the murdering mendi cant was condemned to suffer second ex ecution on the wheel. As but one arm re nlained. it was to Do. broken by savera strokes. in several places, and ~ coup q grace being denied, he lived in torturos fo near fvesdays. When dead, his body VII burned 10, ashes and strawn before.s th. winds of Heaven. .-.-L L0nslon p0pey. s.ss