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

charmed lives. They boldly entered
the city of Cork, put up at an inn, and
actually spent three days there in
drinking and carousing on the money
they had stolen On their way thither
Discovering at last that they were
suspected, they lett suddenly and on
foot. At Doneraile they found an
advertisement in the house where
they took lodnings, giving an exact
description of their appearance. The
next morning, Lightfoot saw several
persons, among them soldiers, ap-
preaching the inn; and waking Thun.
derboltsWho was sleeping with his
clothes on, they rushed down stairs,
the latter knocking down the land
lord who attempted to stop them
They started across the fields, and
the soldiers pursued and fired at
them. 1One ball struck Thunderbolt
in the calf of the leg, and so impeding
that it was only with the greatest
difficulty he succeeded in making his
escape. They finally concealed them
selves in wood, and Lightfoot cut
the ball out of Thunderbolt's leg, and
both remained there several days,
till the latter was able to travel again.
After this they had the audacity to
enter Clonmel and attend the Crimi-
nal Court, where some United Irish
men were being tried, whom they
even talked Of liberating. They next
pushed on to Dublin, stealing horses
and robbing travellers every few miles
of their journey. At Dublin they rob-
bed four priests, and were pursued
by party of soldiers. Lightfoot
outran them, and Thunderbolt plung-
ed into the river and escaped by
swimming.
After numerous adventures of a
like nature, both in Ireland and Scot
land, Lightfoot, against the advice OF
his partner, set off alone to rob a
stage-coach full ofpassengers in broad
daylight. He succeeded in cutting
off several trunks, but got nothing OF
value. On returning to Dublin, in
search of his companion, he heard he
had sailed for the West Indies; and
finding the country getting rather too
warm for himself, he embarked for
America, and landed at Salem, Mas
sachusetts.
lie now made an effort to reform
his vicious habits, hired himself out
as laboror, and worked steadily for
more than a year; but at length fell to
drinking and quarrelling, and got his
discharge. About this time he heard
of the death of his father, and received
from his brother few hundred dol.
lars as his share of his fathers estate.
With this money he went to Ports.
mouth, New Hampshire, and purchas.
ed small brewery. He here tailed
in business, and was sold out by the
sheriff. Becoming disgusted, discour-
aged and reckless, he returned to the
road, and perpetrated series of rob
berries in this country, which, for ro
mantle daring, rivalled those il
his native land.
Being at length in Boston, on the
day of a military parade, and hearing
that tie Governor of Massachusetts
was to give dinner party at Med
ford, he had the audacity to go thithel
watch the house for the leaving of tn,
guests, and actually succeeded in rob
binga Maj. Bray on his way home from
the festival. He followed up thi
robbery with one or two others, an(
was at last apprehended in Spring
field. He was subsequently taken t
Cambridge, tried, convicted, and cor
demned to be hung.
After his sentence, he was put i
t irons and confined in a dungeon. 81
: managed to cut his irons, knock dow
| the turnkey and got out of prison-bu
t was again arrested before he coul
make his escape. The extreme pei
: atty of the law was finally carried ir
| to effect, on the twenty-second {
/ Dec, 1922. Thus ignominiously pei
!, ished this bold, bad man, in the yer
1 prime Of early manhood, being onl
/ six-and-twenty years of age.
$ OF the fate of Thunderbolt nothin
e is positively known; but about th
e period he was supposed to leave Ir
n land, Scotchman, answering his de
: cription, srriyed at small town
g Vermont, by the Boston stage. Th
l. man, who gave his name as John Wi
s son, remained in the place for thre
d or four years, teaching school in tt
e winter season and gradually gettir
e into the practice of medicine. I
was always mysterious kind OF
l. man, would never give any account
le his early life, and invariably left Il
t, room whenever stranger was to
it ushered in. He next settled in t
Of town of Newfane, Windham count
re and set up as a physician and surgeo
", but finally removed to Brattlebo
where he subsequently married, SEP
OF rated from his wife, and at last die
ty leaving one child, son.
a During his last illness he wou
C. not suffer his clothes to be removed.
in not even neckerchief. A After
to death, it was discovered that the C;
lie of his leg was withered by reason
at an old wound, that his neck was mu
d. scariied, and tn at he had co
of heel.
NJ Among his effects were two doub
at barralled guns, four horse-pistols,
ng duelling pistols, a number of swor'
de a dozen walking-canes, and a gre
mt variety of powder-horns, shot-ba
. bullet-pouches, &c.
les DR.. John Wilson may have be
ey devoid of any crime, but busy 8
nc- picion pointed to his dead body
he the mortal remains of the lost 10
an. DOHERTY. the terrible CAPTAIN III