Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-10-12

reer quite young, and was soou dis
carded by his family and youthful
friends. His wonderful exploits, his
almost incredible boldness and daring
and his thousand hair-breadth escapes,
Savored more Of the romance of past
ages than of the realities of the present
century; and no modern writer OF
fiction would venture to place an i'm
aginary hero in so many situations OF
peril, and expect to extricate him by
what would seem so many invented,
unnatural chances. He had a won
dertul faculty for Disgusting himself,
and could SO change his appearance in
a few minutes, that his most intimate
acquaintance might pass him without
recognition. Now as a priest, zeal
ously expounding the doctrines OF the
church-anon as beggar, beseeching
charity; now as Quaker, proclaim
ing non-resistant notions of peace
anon as soldier, fighting over the bat
ties of his country; now as peddler,
trying to dispose Of his petty wares
anon as huntsman, deeply interested
In the subjects OF game and poachers !:
now as gentleman, travelling to Kill
enmui-anon as doctor. prepared to
effect wonderful cures; he was con-
tinually rowing over the United King
doms, robbing men on the highway,
stealing horses, and changing localities
with rapidity that defed all attempts
at detectiod and arrest. He made
his assumed name of ThunderboIt a
word of terror throughout Great
Britain, and though small bills and
posters were out in every quarter,
describing his person and offering
large rewards for his apprehension,
yet, by reason of his rapid change of
places and complete disguises, he was
often enabled to lodge safely at an
inn where the principal topic of public
discussion was his own wonderful ex-
Iploits and hair breadth escapes, in
which deeply interesting conversation
to him, he sometimes joined, in a very
learned and editying manner. He
had fearful reputation for years be-
fore he became connected with his
subsequent partner in crime, Captain
LighttOot-so much so, even, that when
he confdentially announced his name
to the latter, who had himself been a
thieving villain all his life, the fellow
actually turned pale and trembled,
and would have fled had he not been
completely in the power Of his strange
companion.
John Martin, alias Michael Martin,
alias John Hendley, alias Captain
Lightfoot, was born near the city of
Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1895. OF his
early life it is only necessary to say
he was a good-for-nothiug thieving
rascal, and finally had to leave home
on account of his vicious habits and
prOpensities-his own family and all
his relations, who seem to have been
quite respectable people, being glad
to get rid of so worthless a fellow
When about twenty years of age, and
while roaming about the country a
regular vagabond, he stopped at an
inn, where he first fell in with John
f Doherty alias Captain Thunderbolt
who, it appears, not only knew him 10y
sight, but all about his character
The willy highwayman, who wanted d
r companion in crime, at once settled
in his own mind that the strong, 70
! bust, unprincipled, Martin was the
! man for his purpose. The redoubta
9 BILE robber was at this time passing
I himself off as Protestant clergyman
3 and his elegant attire, his tall, com
r manding person, his Strongly.marked
}. expressive features, and his peculiar
+ style of conversation, were sufficien
n to impose this deception upon all tn
Y inmates of the inn, including Martil
n himself. To the latter Thunderbol
did not reveal himself at once, bu
4 gradually wormed himself into his con
d tidence; piled him with liquor, an,
II then mystitied him by talking religion
d and robberies alternately. At last
q when he had thus inslduously draw
= all of Martins secrets from him, an
= felt that he ha him completely in hi
power, he made himself known, to tn
70 utter astonishment and alarm of tn
% man of lesser crimes. But Martin, i
n. such congenial company, soon recoy
W cred himself; and, lending a willin
,r ear, it did not take long for the higl
o wayman to persuade him to join h
W future with his. AS soon as he ha
g gained his consent to the compact, h
Of dashed glass of brandy in his fa(
or and named him Captain Lightfoot.
is On the second night of their cor
w. panionship tumult was heard in Il
If yard of the inn, and Thunderbol
i'd ever on the alert for danger, said
in was probably soldiers in pursuit
d himself. Then telling Lightfoot whe
ed to meet him, he opened the windo'
el- leaped out, and made his escape.
TO The first road exploit of Lightfo
Is was to rob, in broad daylight, par
at of gentlemen on their way to join
fs hunt. This he did under the dire
ne tion of his superior, who remained
ol- the back-ground-ready, however,
ot come to his assistance, if needed.
ds commanded the four men to dismou
nd and submit to search, which they di
ial He took what money and articles
value he found on their persons, co
his PEELED one of them to change his &C
,or and hat with him, and then, selecti
,an the best horse for his own use, 70
yer quietly away-a piece of impude
ks daring that scarcely has parallel
,ri. This was the beginning of a ser
till of exploits together, in which tt
A a seemed to strive to make each s
b;s ceeding one more audacious than
roct Thav dashed ahont tho on