Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-27


President, by the very side of bis wife, re
calls to mind the remarkable assassination
of William, Prince of Orange in the city
of Delft, in 1884, so vividly described By
Motley in his Rise Of the Dutch Republic
The account possesses so much interest tC
the general reader at this time, thst We
give the material portion of it below.
Cardinal Granville and Philip of Spain
set price upon the head of William,
Prince Of Orange, in the following words
"THE BAN.
GWe expose the said William of Nassau
IS an enemy of the human rsce, wing his
roperty 70 sll who may seize it. And if
any of our subjects, or any strA ger, should
be found sufficiently generous of heart to
rid us of this pest, delivering him TO us,
alive or dead, or taking his life, we will
cause to be furnished 70 him, Immediately
after the deed shall nave been done, the
sum of twenty-five thousand crowns in
gold. If he have committed any crime,
however heinous, we pronke to pardon
him and if he be not ahesdy noble we
will ennoble him for his valor."
In consequence of this Infamous offer
five attempts we're made 10 ,sssssinate
William, Prince of Orange, wtbin the
period of two years. Sslseds anc Bszs
sought 10 poison him in 1882, but we1> de-
tected. Bazs committed suicide in prism,
and the wretched Sslseda was condemnei
and torn to pieces by four horses hitched
to his limbs. In 1888 Pietro Dordogno
was executed for seeking to assassinate the
Prince.
In 1884 Hans ban zoon was executed foI
attempting 10 destroy the Prince by means
of gunpoWder concealed under his house
and under his seat in the church. "He
confirmed" says Motley, the historian
Ethst he had discussed the details of the
enterprise with the Spanish Ambassador
in Paris"
LeG9th, a French officer, WIS also bribed
to pois n the Prince, but afterwards re-
vealed the plot to him and remained his
faithful friend.
Thus the Span sh government had made
five unsuccessful attempts 70 sssassinste Its
great adversary, and the greatest states
man and purest patriot who ever lived In
Europe. A sixth and too successful at
tempt speedily followed. Balthszsr &C.
rard, native of Burgundy mean, in
siynitcant-looking creature had intro
duced himself to the Prince as the son Of q
man who hsd been put to death for his de-
votion to the Princes cause snd church.
The assassin disguised his horrid design
under the cloak of intense and devoted
friendship and fervent piety. He told the
guard who stood before the Princes door,
that be needed some money TO purchase
-, ~ e. &C N ha ahln
to attend the church when the Prince wor-
shipped. The guard communicated the
fact 10 his master, who instantly sent Bal
thazar a purse. The assassin took the
money and bought pair of pistols on the
following morning from 8 soldier, who
stabbed himself to the heart, on hearing Of
the horrid use to which the pistols had been
applied.
On Tuesday, the 10th of July, 1884, the
Prince, with his wife on his arm, followed
by the members of his family, were going
to dinner when Gerard presented himself at
the doorway and demanded a passport.
The Princess, struck with the pale and
agitated counteDsnce of the man, anxious
" questioned her husband concerning the
stranger The Prince csrelessly observed
that sit was merely person who came for
a passport" and ordered the Secretary TO
write one. The Princess observed in an
undertone that she had never seen so vii
lsinous a countensDce. At two o'clock the
company rose from the table and the Prince
led the way to his private apartments
alone. AS be reached the second stair, 8
man emerged from the recess, and stand
inc within foot or two of him discharged
a pistol full st his heart. Three balls en-
tered his body. The Prince exclaimed in
French, 20, my God, have mercy upon my
soull o, my God, have mercy upon this
Door peoplep bis master of horse csught
him in his srms as the fatal shot was fired
He was laid on a couch in the dining room
when, in few minutes, he bTeathed his
last in the arms Of his wife and sister. The
murderer succeeded in making his escape
through the side-door, and sped swiftly VI
the narrow lane. He was soon oVertakeD
and boldly owned the deed. Upon being
questioned by the magistrate, he manifest
ed neither despair nor contIition, but rather
exultstion. When falsely informed thsi
his victim was not dead, he showed nC
credulity or disappointment. He had dis
charged three poisoned bdLLsi into the Prince'i
stomach, and he knew that death mus
have already ensued. He confessed tha
he had brooded over the commission OF th'
deed for seven years, and that if he were :
thousand leagues away be would return IL
order TO do it again, if possible. He wa
put to the rack, and endured his torture
with constancy. aEcce homo p he exclsim
ed from time TO time, as be raised his blood
streaming head from the bench. His judge
believed him to be supported by witch
craft, and sent for the shift of q sorcerer Il
destroy the charm. Sentence was thel
pronounced against Gerard. 1t was de
creed:
That his right hand should be burneC
off with red-hot iron.
That his flesh should be torn from hi
bones with pincers in six different places
That he should be qusrtered and disem
/ boWelled alive.
That his heart should be torn from hi
bosom and flung in his face.
That he should have his head taken of
The fearful sentence was literally eXecu
ted ON the I4th OF July, the wretch sur
rorting its horrors with astonishing fort
| tude. His lips we're seen to move up
the time his heart was thrown in his fac
"Then," said locker on, he gave upth
ghost"
The parents of Gerard received the thre
seignories of Lievremont, HOrtol an
DaupmartiDe, and took their place at ono
among the landed sristocracy.
William of Orange, at the period Of b
death, was aged ffty-one years. He WI
buried on the Sd of august, st Deli
amid the tears of whole nation. New
was more extensive, unaffected, legit
mste sorrow felt at the death Of any b.
man being. In all respects he was Il
first statesman of his age. He chsrsct'
remains undimmed, even when compare