The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-09-12
BEATRICE i ri cENCI.


+. !. BEATRICE BE ri )j cENcI. j: -:
In the ':,, year Of. 1899, occurred the
tragical story Of Beatrice: Cenoi, 50
familiar to all the world, and 90 close.
ly connected by tradition with the Cas-
tie St. Angelo. Her father, Count
Francisco Cenci, of Rome, vas the
500 Of Monsignor, Cenci, who as treasur:
er under the pontifcate OF Plus v,
had amassed an enormous fortune.
which he left to his only SOD, Frances
co; and this fortune francesca after
ward increased BY marriage with
Lucrezia Petroui, lady of . noble
Roman family. His life was infamous,
and stained with every species of vice
and crime, for all Of which, in the
then venal condition of the church, he
was enabled to purchase immunity by
the payment of:a large sum Of money.
Toward the close Of a life spent iu de.
bauchery and wickedness, and when
he had become an old man, he con-
ceived hatred of his children, which
seems to have possessed him like a
sort Of mania, and exhibited itself in
various forms Of violence and cruelty.
Supplications were accordingly made
to the pope to defend them from
their father and to punish him for
bis crimes. But the pope permit
ted francesca to- compound for his
crimes by the payment Of one hundred
thousand crowns, although he listened
to the prayers of the eldest daughter,
and, Withdrawing Ter from his vic.
lence, gave her in marriage to Carlo
GabbrielIi. By this act francesca
Ceooi was so enraged that he i'm.
prisoned his youngest daughter Beatrice
in his palace, allowing no one to ap.
proach her, carrying her food to her
himself, and often lnaicting blows up.
on her with stick. Worse than this,
he conceived an iooestuous passion for
her, and endeavored, now by blandish.
ment and now by violence, to ftighten
her into submission. But bis effort
was vain. She found means, however,
tosend to the pope supplication, i'm
ploring him to remove her from this
horrible position; but the pope turned
deaf ear to her entreaties. Madden.
ed by this violence and cruelty, and
incapable Of defending themselves
against him, the whole family then
sought to free themselves from their
tryact by taking his life. With the
assistance Of Monsignor Guerra, q
young eccles;astic, who was in love
with Beatrice, they induced two of
the vassals Of francesca Cenoi, named
Mario and OLYMPIC, whom, by his con.
duct, lie had made his enemies, to as
sassloate Kim. During the summer of
1898, he had gone to the Castle Of
Petrella, taking with him his family,
and there the plan was carried into ex-
ecutiou. After midnight, en- the night
of the 9th Of September, the two as
sassins were introduced into his cham.
Der, where he was sleeping profound
ly, overcome by potion mixed with
opium, which had been administered to.
him.. But they returned after . abort
time, declaring that they could not, in
cold blood kill an old man, while he
was sleeping. Beatrice then exolaim.
ed, "Since you have not courage to mur.
der sleeping man, I will kill my faith
er myself, but your lives shall not be
long secure" On hearing these words
the assassins took courage, entered
the chamber, and killed francesca by
driving nail through bis temples.
They then departed, and the: Others
wrapped the body 10 a sheet, carried it
out to an, open gallery overhaneing the
garden, and threw it down into an Ell.
der tree beneath, SO as to give, the i'm.
preston to those who might fnd him :
there that, while crossing this gallery;
10 the dark, and leaning against the.
small rails that bounded it, they had
given way, and he had been preeipitat-
I'd, down to his death BY accident. &c.,
indeed, 1T appeared the next day.
There we're no circumstances which
seemed :. to Indicate . violent DEATH.
and Lacrezia and Be,trice made fsign-.
ed lamentations, 50 that 40 = suspicion
attached to them. He was then buri.
ed With al The customary rites, aud
tho family returned to Rome. ~ =s:'...: Z
/ Doubts afterward grew up, founded
upon several susploious circumstances
which came to light, information Of
which Was sent to Rome. No step was
taken against the family for several
months; and 10 the mean time tho
, ungest son Of francesca died,