The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-10-22

sixteen loaded musixets including Copenhagen, and
the four pistols found on the deceased. These were
distributed amongst the front windows in the upper
stories, and the rest armed with pitchforks, old
swords, and cudgels, kept watch below. Edward
had taken care to place himself with cOmrade, at
window Immediately facing the approach to the
house, and now backed he was by such a strong
party, grew quite impatient for another chance with
his redOubted Copenhagen. All, however remained
quiet, until an hour past midnight, when it entered
into his teeming brain to blow the thiefs wind call
so, without warning any of the rest, he set his head
out of the window and blew until all the hills and
woods around yelled their echoes. This alarmed
the guards, as not knowing the meaning of it; but
how were they asonished at hearing it answered by
another at great distance. The state of anxiety
into which this sudden and unforeseen circumstance
threw our armed peasants, is more easily conceived
than described. The fate of their masters great
wealth, and even their fates, soon to be
decided, and none but Him who surveys and over
rules futurity could tell what was be the issue.
Every breast heaved quicker, every breath was cut
short, every gun was cooked and pointed towards
the court gate, every orb of vision strained to
discover the approaching foe by the dim light ofthe
starry canopy, and every expanded to catch the
distant sounds as they foated on tbe slow frosty
breeze.
The suspense was not of long continuance. In
less than five minutes the tramplng of horses was
noise OF thunder, and in due course, body ofmen
horseback according to the account given by the
ColonePs people, exceeding their number, came
up brisk trO and began to enter the court-gate
Edward unable to restrain himself any longer fired
Copenhagen in their faces of the foremost
dropped, and his horse made spring toward the
hall door. This discharge was rather premature, as
the wall still shielded part OF the gang from the
windows 1t was, however, the watchword to all
the rest, and in the of two seconds the whole
sixteen guns were discharged at them. Before the
smoke dispersed they all fled, doubt great
y amazed at the reception which they met with
Edward and his cOmrade down stairs to see
how matters Stood for it in their opinion that
they had shot them every one and that their horses
had taken fright at the nose and galloped off with
out them but the club below warmly protested "a
gainst their opening any of the doors till day, so
they obliged to betake themselves again their
birth up stairs.
Though our peasants had gathered little cour-
age and confidence in themselves their situation
was curious, and to them dreadful one; they saw
and heard part of their fellow-creatures moaning
and expiring in agonies in the open air, which was
intensely cold yet burst not 90 to administer the
least relief for fear of a surprise An hour two
after this great brush, Edward and his messmate
gain descended, and begged hard for leave to go
and reconnotre for few minutes, which after some
disputes granted. They found only four men
fallen, who appeared all quite dead. Que of them
was lying within the porch. Faith said Edward,
there's the chap that shot.'-The other three were
without at a considerable distance from each other.
They burst not follow their track farther, as the
road entered betwxt groves of trees, but retreaed
back into their posts without touching anything.
About an hour before day, some of them were a
larmed at hearing the sound of horses feet second
time, which however, was only indstinct and heard
considerable intervals, and nothing of them ever
: appeared. Not long after this, Edward and his
friend were almost frg ghtened out of their wits, al
seeing, as they thought. the dead man within the
gate, endeavoring to get up and escape. They had
seen him dead, lying surroundedby deluge of blood
and nothing but the ideas of ghosts and hobgoblins
entering their brains, they were indscreet
think of firing, but and told the tale of horror
to some of their neg ghbors The sky was by this
time grown so dark, that nothing could be seen witt
precision, and they all remained in anxious incerti-
tude until the opening day discovered to them, by
degrees, the corpses were removed, and nothing lef
but large sheets of frozen blood the mornings a.
arms by the ghosts and the noise of horses having
been occaSoned by some of the friends of the mer
that had fallen, conveying them away for fear of
discovery.
Next morning the news flew like fire, and tn,
three servants were much incommoded by crowd
of idle and oiicious people that gathered about thu
; house, some enquirng after the particulars, som
begging to see the BODY that lay III the parlor, ant
others pleasing themselves with porng overthe sheet
of crimson ice, and tracing the drops of blood tn
road down the wood. On the arrival of the Colo
mel, advertisements issued, and posted up in al
public places offering rewards for discovery of an
person killed or wounded of late. All the dead an,
n sick within twenty miles were inspected by medi
cal men, and most extensive search made, but t
: purpose 1t was to late all was secured. Som
I, indeed were missing but plausible pretences bein
a., e. ,l,,,r oIs l..
t. But certain is, sundry ofthese seen
more in the country, though many of the neighbor
e hood declared they such people as nobody coul
Is suspect:
:; The body of the unfortunate man who was she
ID in the pack, lay open for inspection fortnight, b,