Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1836-09-09
Novel and Atrocious Character.

Novel and Atrocious Character.
During the awful prevalence ofihe plague
in the northeast of Spain, in the autumn OF
1921. foreigner, who was vafiously said
TO be a Jew Turk, an Armenian, and
renegade, but whose acknowledged vocation
was that Of merchant, in which capacity
he had amassed large property, visited the
devoted city OF Barcelona. A letter from
thence gives the following account Of this
singular and airocions character
This man, who, from his long white
beard. might have been taken for patri.
arch, had been an eye witness OF all the
plaques that had desolated Of late years, the
Turkish empire. As soon as he had heard
that pestilence had broken out in any city,
he Immediately FASTENED to it. He used TO
account for these extraordinary journeys,
by the advantage he found in purchasing
his goods at a lower rate than usual in such
desolaied countries: but still il seemed mex
picable how lust of gold could so far o.
yercome the love Of life, and how the old
man. who was already SO rich. should con
tinually expose himself TO almost ine' table
DEATH Questions put TO this traveller, were
never answered clearly When he arrived
at such a theatre OF death. he wrapped him
self from head TO foot in tarred linen, cover
cred his hands with black leather gloves.
his face with glass mask, and thus guard
ed against infection, and provided with a
stick, which had an iron hook at the end,
he entered the infected houses there be
possessed himself Of whatever he found. SCI.
zed on hidden treasures, and the most valu-
able utensils. and tore the jewels from the
bodies OF the dead More than once he is
said to have FASTENED the effects OF the pesti-
lcnce, and TO have given the death blow to
the victims whose cries would have inter
rupted him in perpetrating his robberies. Il
chance led him into house which was still
free from contagion, he announced himself
as physician, and woe TO those who conn
dsd in his skill. Loaded with treasures b,
always returned TO Venice, where, admin ed
by every body on account OF the success Of
his enterprise, he waited for the signal fol
fresh booty like the carrion yulture.
The news of the distress of Barcelona be
came glad tidngs for this wretch, and hi
had already carried on his horrid trade a
mones, us q fortnight when he was detected
, n the very act OF slabbing a patient wht
was quite delirious. This patient was l
Young French merchant, who was believes
at Bal celona, on account OF his integrity
He had Just lost his wife and two sons, ant
was himself struggling against the distem
per which had hitherto spared this courage
Gus young man. who most tenderly devoie'
himself to his family He was murdere'
almost in the arms of his countryman, Cap
ID ,..ho ..,a. ,,.ar his friand in an adioininl
room. Hearing the door opened, he has
ems bnck 10 the patient; sees the villain sta
+ | his friend 10 the heart, rushes on him, seize
. him and throws him on the ground after
!. hard struggle, in which the old wretc
o showed much more strength than coul
. have been expected. Sir cried the wretcl
). finding himself overpowered, surely yo
!, will not kill me" "VilIan, wha, hast tho
n done 2" But he was so illl' "And thos
!. things which you had already stolen l'
d thought every body was dead; give me m
/. life; | will make you rich man." "Yo
;. dare TO offer me your blood-stained gold
i "Sir, be without fear; possess several rem
,d edies against the plague; will give you ;
many sequins as you can carryW "Ar
were you TO offer me two arrabos ~ "Yo
le shall have ten" said the murderer, and r
y ceived the Captains sword through b
3 heart.
The magistrates seized the body of Il
y pretended Israelite, and had 1t hung at Il
, corner of Regomin street They also Sc
6 officers TO the house in which he had live
> and ordered all they found there to be sol
y for the benefit of the poor.