Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-06-24
CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.


In l747, n man was broke alive on the
wheel at Orleans for a highway robbery
and not having friends to bury his body,
when the cxccutioncr supposed he was dead
he gave him 10 surgeon who carried him
to al anatomical theatre as subject to lcc-
ture on. The thighs, legs and arms OF this
unhappy wretch had been broken, yet, on
the surgeons coming to examine him he
found hun surviving and by proper applca-
ton Of proper cordials, he was soon brought
to his speech.
The surgeon and his pupils, moved by the
Juiicrings aud solicitations of the robbcr,
determined on attempting his cure but he
was 80 mane led that his thighs aud one of
his arms were amputated. Notwthstand
ing this mutillatiOn, and the loss of blood,
he recovered, and in this situation, the sur
geon by his own desire, had him conveyed
IN cart SIS leagues from Orleans, where,
as he said, he intcndcd to gain his livelihood
by begging.
His situation on the road side close BY a
wood, and his dcplorablc condition excited
compassion from all who saw him. In his
youth he had served in the army. and he
now passed for 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 compassion threw him piece of silver.
| Alas p! says the robber, i cannot reach it;
you sec have neither arms nor legs, (tor
he had concealed his arm which had been
preserved, behind his back,) so for the sake
Of heaven put your charitable donation into
my pouch, and the LORD bless you.'
The drover approached him, and as he
stopped to reach up the money, the sun
shining he saw a shadow on the ground
which caused him to look up, when he 81 "
tho arm Of the bcggar elevated above his
head, and grasping short iron bar. lie
arrested the blow in its descent, and Selling
the robber carried him to his cart, into
which he threw him and drove off to tho
next town which was very near and brought
his prisoner before magistrate.
On searching him, whistle was found
in his pocket, which naturally induced a
suspicion that he had accomplices in the
wood the magistrate therefore instant "
Il ordered guard to the place where the
robber had been seized, and they arrived
, within half an hour after the murder of the
, drover had been attempted.
, The guard having concealed themselves
Ochind diferent trees, the whistle was
! blown, tho sound of which was remarkably
5 slirll and loud and another whistle wa,
heard under ground, three men at tho same
instant rising in the midst of bushy clumJ
of bramblcs and other dwarf shrubs tho
j soldiers fired on them and they foil. Tn,
bushes were searched and descent discov
cred into cave. Here were found three
: young girls and boy. The girls were
kept for the Offices Of servants and Tho
: boy, scarcely twelve years Of age, was sol
to one Of the robbers. The girls, in gvin:
, evidence. deposed that thoy had lived nea
three years in tho cave, had been kept there
by force from the time of their captivity
that dead bodies were frequently carriet
) into the cave. stripped and buried; an,
, that the old soldier was carried out every
dry day and sat by the road side for two o
[ three hours.
. On this evidence the numbering mendi
cant was condemned to suffer q second OK
ecution on the wheel, AS but one arm re
" manned 1t was TO be broken in severn
q places, aud finishing stroke being denied
Il no lived in torture for near five DAYS
}. When dead his body was burned to ashe
g and strewed before the wind.