The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-02-15
ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE
DON VINCENTE,

An extraordinary trial took place not
long ago, before the criminal court Of Gren.
ada. For some years past there has been
residing in the villiage Of Ugijar, charita-
bic individual, named Don Vincente de
Beptavally Sazar, whose whols fortune
was devoted to improving the condition of
the villages and relieving the wants of the
poor. To such an extent did Don Vincen-
tie carry his charity, that he denied himself
almost the necessaries of life, in order to
succour the necessitous, and he had been
known to take tAe cloak from his own back
to cover that of2 poor female who was
without one. Suddenly the peaceful inhab-
itsnts of this village were alarmed at ac-
counts of murders committed in their neigh
borhood, and all attempts to discover their
origin were vain. Ii was merely known,
from the circumstances attending them,
that they must have been committed by the
same hand. Suddenly, however the mys-
terry was to be revealed! Two peasants,
who had entered recess TO shelter them
selves from the sun, and eat their midday
meal, were much startled by the firing of a
gun, and running out. they saw the body
of murdered man, and the murderer over
him, rifing his pocket. They threw them
selves upon the assassin, and having secur-
ed him, were in the greatest astonishment
a. seeing that it was the charitable Don
| Vincente AS the denial of the crime be.
fore him was impossible, he admitted that
he was the author of all The murders which
had been committed, and stated that his on
ly wish was to obtain money, his own re.
sources being exhausted, for the poor
In his defence before the judges, he de-
clared that his first murder was that of Z
wealthy priest, which took place under the
following circumstances
In Don Vincente's village two young per
sons were 5etrothed to each other, but ca
lamty which occurred to the father of the
female prevented his paying the promised
portion with his daughter, and the marriage
was on the point Of being broken off. Do.
Vincente, hearing Of the circumstances, re-
solved to raise the money, and applied tc
several of his acquaintances for a loan, bu
received refusal from all. Shortly after.
wards he met the priest on his road, and
asked him TO lend him thirty ounces o
gold the priest, who knew him well, re
piled that he had hundred ounces in hi
portmanteau on the back Of his mule, anC
that he was welcome to it all but Don Viz
cente having afterwards, in his JOY, tolt
him for what purpose the money was in
tended, the priest laughed at him, and sait
! he was mad, and that for such purpose ht
should not have single ounce. Don Vim
cente, irrilated at this, shot him dead ; ant
: having taken his gold, gave the wedding
dowry, and distributed the rest in vGriou
acts of charity. Having committed thi
murder, he resolved to make the robbery o
the rich the means Of meeting the cOntinua
demands Of his poor pensioners, and as thi
was only to be done by taking life, h
committed murder after murder until he wa
detected. On hearing the sentence Of dealt
: pronounced upon him by his judges, he ex
claimed, "Oh, my God who will nov
take care Of my poor"