The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-03-17
COURAGE OF AN AvARICIoUs WOMAN.

COURAGE OF AN AVARICIOUS WOMAN.
The following occurred near Calais, in France,
the 29th November last The account of it was fur
nshed to the Gazette des Tribunaux by a correspon-
dent at Bouonge
a widow named Boulanger aged u.s. is the sole hhab
liant of lonely and isolated house. situated in the ham,
let called the Beau-Maras, belonging to the district of
SAINT Pierre les Calais the house being not far distant
from CALAIS
The widow Boulanger only possessing, as regards
fixed property small house, purchased by her about
two years ago, together with garden, which she Cu-
tivated HERSELF she also kept cow and pig. Being
excessively avaricious she generally believed by those
in the neighborhood to have amassed considerable
mount of savings On Monday, the 29lh of November
last two smugges knocked at the door ofhe house, 81
baying entered into conversation with the widow, and
endeavored gain her confidence. She told the sran,
gers she had two sons, (which not the case) who
would return and the visitors hearing this ie>
fired.
AT II o'clock the same night she suddenly arous
cd from sleep by noise caused by heavy blows which
shook the house, On going down. shu perceived that
the assaains were hacking the door with knife, t&
she recognized their voices those of the two smug-
glers who had been at her house the same evening"
She Immediately made preparations for defence, and
armed herself with block Of wood. The robbers now
redoubed their eforts they hurled large stones against
the door, took two pronged forl: from the cows sa>
Bile, and with endeavored to break in the pannels.
Atlengtk two pannels in the lower part of the door
gave way, and opening made sufficiently wide
to enable to push his head through first, and to
squeeze his body afterwards But the intrepid woman
sationing herself near the door, with the block of
wood in her hand threatened break the head of the
first man who should attempt to come through The
robbers did not dare make the attempt but they thrust
the fork through the hole the door, and tried to strike
the widow withit She however seized hold of the
fork, succeeded in Wrestling from them, and thus OBJ
tanned another weapon ordeence against the assaants.
Seeing the mpossblly of efecting entrance through
the hoe the robbers endeavored beat down the door
altogether, but in vain. The widow Boullnger barricaS
ded it with the kitchen table, supported by the block OF
wood of which che had at first made use.
Desparng to surmountthis obstacle, the assail>
ants to the window and broke the panes of glass;
but they found the window defended by iron bars,
which they in vain tried to remove. All this time the
robbers uttered the most frighnl imprecaons and me-
naces death against the unfortunate widow who in
vain called for assistance for Sod alone could hear her
voice in the midst of the storm. and he did not forsake
her, but inspired her with all the energy of which she
stood in need in order to escape from her perous stu-
alon. The assassins showed her their knives, and
cried out that they would cut her throat in the middle of
the Kitchen and that they would leave nothing but the
four walls ofthe building. Being stopped by the iron
bars of the window they went into the garden and com
menced an attack on the door of the kitchen, which
communicated herewith but it resisted their attempts
Al
outside shuerslof window close BY and broke in the
panes ofgass, bat ag2n discovered an nsurmountabe
obstacle in the shape ofiron bars.
The robbers next entered the cows stable, ard began
to break through the pasade which separated the stable
from the Kitchen They succeeded without much diff
Guilty but their progress being stopped by portion OF
the woodwork the palisade, and by cupboard built
against il they returned into the yard climbed upon the
bakshOuse and thence upon the roof ofthe house where
they mounted the chimney and detached large mum.
Der of stones which they threw down the chimney in
order that they might fall upon the poor old woman who
had made such resistancei they failed in their
object Not daring to go down tho chimney, which is
very wide they tore off the thatch order to effect an
opening through the roof buGearing lest they should
be unable to penetrate that way they finally re,descen.
dcd into the yard
THESE various obstacles only irTated the robbers;
they searched every where for instrument whee-
with to break down the door which had been the OBJ.
ect of their first attack and having found in the stable
thick block of wood they took it and used tas bat.
terng ram against the door which could not have held
out long against this new missile Certain of success,
the robbers uttered exclamations of joy; their victim
would Gas they thoughD soon be in their power we'll
as the treasure which she possessed The unfortunate