Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-05-11
A Partial Parallel to the Murder
of President LincOln-'Fhe MUIR
der rOfWilliaMls Prince Of Orange.

The cold-blooded murder of our beloved
President, by the very side of his wife, recalls
to mind the remarkable ASSASSINATION of Will
1884, so wildly described by Motley in his
Rise of the Dutch Republic. The account
possesses so much interest to the general read
or at@his time, that we give the material por-
ton of it below. . ..f . .. stl 7ai
Cardinal Granville and Phillip of Spain set
Il price upon the head of William, Prince of
Orange, in the following words r a"
s.. 'ruE BAN. b., a#.
"We OK pose the said William of Nassau,
as an enemy of the human race, giving his
property to all who may seize it. And if any
found sufficiently generous Of heart To rid us
of this pest, delivering him TO us, alive OF dead,
or taking his life, we will cause to be furnished
been dGne, the sum Of twenty-five thousand
crowns in gold. If he have committed any
crime, however heinous, we promise to pardon
him; and if he be not already noble, we n'll
,nnoblc him for his valor.'
In consequence of this infamous offer five
attempts were made to assassnate William,
Prince of Orange, within the period of two
years. Salseda and Baza sought to poison
him in 1852 but were detected Baza COM
mitted suicide in prison. and the wretchcd Sal
seda was condemned and torn to pieces by four
horses hitchcd to his,limbs. In 1883 Pictro
Dordogno was executed for seeking to assas-
sinate the Prince. ...t. ...u.. .D.
In 1884 Hans Hunzoon was executed for
attempting to destroy the Prince by means of
gunpowder concealed under his house and un-
der his scat in the church. "He confirmed"
says Motley the historian, shat he had dis
cussed the details of the enterprise with the
Spanish Ambassador in Paris. lie Goth,
French officer was also bribcd to poison the
Prince, but afterwards revealed the plot to
him, and remained his faithful friend thus
the Spanish Government had made five un-
successful attempts to assassinate its great ad-
versary, and the greatest statesman and purest
patriot who ever lived in Europe A sixth,
and too successful attempt, speedily followed.
Balthazar Gerard, a native Of Burgundy--a
mean, insignficant-looking creature-had in
troduced himself to the Prince as the son of a
man who had been put to death for his devo-
ton to the Princes cause and church. The
assassin disguised his horrid design under the
cloak of intense and devoted friendship and
feryent piety He told the guard who stood
before the Prince door, that he needed some
money to purchase some shoes and stockings,
so as to be able to attend the church when the
Prince worshipped. The guard communica-
ted the fact to his master, who instantly sent
Balthazar 8 purse. The assassin took the
money and bought pair of pistols on the fol
lowing morning from soldier, who stabbed
himself to the heart, on hearing of the horrid
use to which the pistols had been applied. "
On ,Iuesd, y, the 10th. Of July, 1884, the
Prince, with his wife on his arm followed by
the members of his family, were going to din
ner when Gerard presented himself at the
doorway and demanded passport The
Princess, struck with the pale and agtatcd
countenance of the man. anxiously questioned
her husband concerning the stranger The
Prince carelessy observed that lit was merely
a person who came for a passport" and or
dered the Secretary to write one. The Prn-
cess observed in an nnder-tone that "she had
never seen so vilainous a countenance" At
two o'clock the company rose from the table
and the Prince led the way to his private
apartments alone As he reached the second
stair, a man emerged from the recess, and
standing within foot or two of him dis
charged pistol full at his heart. Three balls
entered His body The Prince exclaimed in
French, 10, my God, have mercy upon my.
soul! o, my God, have mercy upon this poor
people!" His master of horse caught him in
his arms as the fatal shot was fired. He was
laid on couch in the dining room, when, in
a few minutes, he breathed his last in the arms
of his wife and sister. The murderer suc-
ceeded in making his escape through the side.
door, and sped swiftly up the narrow lane
He was soon overtaken and boldly owned the
deed. Upon being questioned by the Magis-
trates, he manifested neither despair.nor con-
triton, but rather exultation When falsely
informed that his victim was not dead, he.
showed no credulity or disappointment He
had discharged three poisoned balls into the
Princes stomach, and he knew that death
must have already ensued He confessed
that he bad brooded over the commission Of
the deed for seven years, and that if he we're
a thousand leagues away he would return in
order to do it again, if possible. He was put
TO the rack and endured his tortures with con-
stancy "Ecce Honor he exclaimed from
time to time, as he raised bis blood-streaming
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