Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-03-06
Miscellany.
Beatrice Cencl.

auiiion Opi the Castle St. Augelo. Her
father, Count Francesca Cenci, Of Rome,
was the son Of MOnsigpor Cenci, who as
treasurer under the poniifcate Of Plus V.
had amassed an enormous fortune, which
he left to his only son, francesca: aud
this fortune francesca afterwards iucreas-
ed by marriage with Lucrezia PetrOni, a
lrdy of noble Roman family. His life
was Infamous, and stained with every
specie Of vice aud crime, for all OF which,
10 the then venal condition Of the church,
he was enabled to purchase immunity by
the payment of large sums Of money. To-
ward the close Of life spent in debauch-
cry and wickedness, and when he had be-
come and old man, he conceived hatred
of his children, which seems to have pos
sessed him like a sort Of mania, and ex-
hibited itself 10 various forms of violence
and cruelty, Supplications we're accord
ingly made to the people to defend them
from their father, and to punish him for
his crimes. But the pope permitted
francesca to compound for his crimes by
the payment of one hundred thousand
crowns, although he had listened to the
prayers of the eldest daughter, and, with
drawing her from mis- violence, gave her
IN marriage to Carlo Gabbrielli. BY this
act francesca Cenci was so enrag'd that
he imprisoned his youngest daughter Bea'
trice in his palace, allowing no one to ap'
proach her, carrying her food TO her him
self, aud often inAicting blows upon heI
with stick. Worse than this, he con.
ceived an incestuous passion for her, and
eudeavored, now by bandisement and
now by violence, to frighten her into sub.
mission. But his effort was vain. She
found means, however, TO send to the
pope a supplication. imploring him to re-
move her from this horrible position; but
the pope turned deaf ear to her entreat'
les. Maddene1 by this violence and
cruelty, and incapable of defending them
selves against him, the whole family ther
sought to free themselves from their ty
rant by taking his life. With the assis
taace of Monsignol Gccrra, a young eccl
esiastic. who was in love with Beatrice
they induced two of the vassals of Fran
cesco Ceuci. named Mario and 0impio
whom, by his conduct, he had made hi
enemies, to assassinate him. During tht
summer of 1898 he had gone to the castle
of Petrella, taking with him his family
and there the plan was carried into exc
cutiou. After midnight, on The night o
the 9th of September, the two assassin
we're introduced into his chamber, wher,
} he was sleeping profoundly, overcome b,
potion mixed with opium, which ha'
been administered to him. But they re
turned after short time, declaring tha
! they could not, in cold blood, kill an OLE
. man while he was sleeping. Beatrice
] then exclaimed, " since you have not cour
; age to murder sleeping man, will xii
{ my father myself, hut your lives shall no
be long secure On hearing these word
9 the assassins took courage, again entere'
6 the chamber, and killed Francesca b.
9 driving nail through his temples. The.
9 then departed, and the others wrappe,
s the body in sheet carried it out to a
. open gallery over hanging the garden, an
Q threw it down into an elder tree beneath
. so as to give the impression to those VIII
Q might find him there that, while crossin
Q this gallery in the dark, and leanin!
y against the small rails that bounded it
3 they had given way, and be had bee
. . precpited down to his death by accident
. So indeed, 1t appeared the next day
8 There we're no circumstances whic
0 seemed indicate a violent death. and Lu
9 crezia and Beatrice made feigned lamen
0 tations, SO that no suspicion attached t
them He was then buried with all tn
customary rites, and the family returne
to Rome.
Doubts afterwards grew up, fouude
upon several suspicious circumstance
which came to light, Information of whc
was sent to Rome. But no step was TAX
en- against the family for several months
and in the meantime the youngest son c
Francesca died, leaving only two brothers
Giacomo and Bernardo. Monsignor Guel
ra, alarmed at the aspect matters wer
taking, and fearing that Mario and Olin
: pio might be induced to confess, now hire
assassins to murder them. But they SUE
ceeded only In assassinating OLYMPIC
Mario who escaped, socn afterward wa
imprisoned in Naples for some misdeec
and then he confessed the crime, and dc
signated his accomplices. Gacomo an
Bernardo were accordingly arrested an