Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-11-20
the money was deposited, and oblige her


which threatened her superior. she resolve
without delay, to give the alarm to the
neighborhaod, by tolIing The convent be!
the customary signal when assistance is *
qnirel by night in religious houses. A,
she hurried to the beifry for that purpose.
she heard the bell the abbess ring violent
~, which seemed 10 her the signal of death
and made her accelerate her pace. In ID
few moments the great bell of the conven
gave the alarm to the vicinity, and tn
townspoeple soon came ihronging to the
gates of the convent to afford such assis'
ance as might be necessary.
The nuns, terrified at signal which
they knew betokened fire, or some no les.
disaster, came running out Of their cells IL
confusion. The robbers, finding them
selves discovered took to flight. Those IL
the garden succeeded in effectiug their es-
cape; but the rutfian within the walls was
not so fortunate, he was arrested, consigu-
ed into the hands of justice, and soon after
paid with his life the forfeit of his inIquity.
The abbess was found in swoon in be.
but un,njured except by the effects of rh.e
fright. She related that she had been n
W kened by cold hand which had graspe.I
her throat;t TO hor horror che porcoiv ed thns
1t was that OF man, who, wi h threats, in-
CURED for the money that was kept in the
convent. Being unable to speak from the
force with which he compressed her threat,
he relaxed his hold little, when she took
the opportunity of seizing the bell rope
at the head of the bed; almost at the same
instant the great bell of the convent hega a
TO sound, on which the robber ran off wi h
precipitation.
A convent Of monks near Messina was,
during the occupation of the Island by the
The British, the scene of a similar outrage
The plate Of the monastry was reported Ia
be of great value, but the number of stout
friars who inhabited it, seemed sufiicien,
to guarantee the safety of their property
We had at that time, in our service, reei.
ment formed of Calabrian refugees, driven
from their own country by the fear of pam
lshment for crimes of every description,
principally those connected with brieand-
age. These lawless people, unable to toll
crate the restraints imposed BY regular
discipline, deserted in great plumbers, often
in parties together. Some retired to their
own country, others took up in Sicily their
former profession of robbery, retiring to
forests and faStness which the mountains of
Sicily present at every step; the military,
unable to follow them to their retreats. were
often eluded or Safflsd by them. A band
OF about twenty of these deserters formed
The plan of plundering the convent, though
tenanted by about twice The number of stout
and resolute monks. So early AZ seven o..
clock in the evening, soon after dusk, while
The brethren were at supper, the whining
voice OF a mend,cant dolefuily suppIicating
s.-- alma, mas heard al the door One of
1he fraternity told him frorn the window to
wait until they had finished their meal.
when they would give him the remnants.
As the brethren were fond Of good living,
and safe long al table ii WIS sometime be-
lore their promise was fulfilled. At length
a serving brother opened the door with a
huge dish Of fragments in his hand He
was instantly ovsrthrown by the rush of
twenty desperadoes, well armed with mus
ket and sabre. Leaving four oftheir mum.
Der with their pieces cooked, to proven, the
escape ofany ofthe surprised brotherhood,
they lost no time in commencing the work
Of Piliage. The rich candlesticks, lamps.
silver vessels, and other valuablss, were
unceremoniously torn from the affairs If
the monks, to be deposited in The profane
haversacks Of their assailants. In a few
moments the late quiet chapel rssembled
place taken by storm. The good monks
were sans facon knocked down in all direc-
tons. Here was fat brother trampIed
under foot, there another running about
with broken head. But fortunately. ere
these desperate ruffians put finale to their
work by cutting the ihroats Of the terrified
brotherhood, the convent bell was heard
loudly summoning the neighboring peas
ants to the assistance Of the Pious pace I'M
der pillage. Imagine the rage Of these dis.
appointed Williams; they we'll knew that the
whole country. reused by the alarm, would
in lew minutes surround the mpnastry.
and that there was no chance Of their es-
Gaping with their booty.
To secure their persons was now their
chief object, and they made of in all di
rcctions. but, previous to flight, snrsged at
being thus baffled, they resolved to avenge
upon the unhappy triar whose
prudence and vigilance had defeated their
and for this purpose ascendsd
the belfry. The poor man had indeed IA.