Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-11-05

ger on his vessel: and they fastened at
once to call upon the elder Edwards.
They passed Blood's pretended
nephew at the door, and proceeded di-
rectly to the keepers room. The SEN
tinel Immediately notified his accom-
plices of the approaching danger, when
they made haste to gather such treas
ures as they could conceal, and beat
hasty retreat.
But no sooner had they left the room
than Edwards, who had shrewdly
feigned insensibility, raised himself
from the pool of blood in which he had
been lying, and shouted for help with
all his remaining strength.
The robbers had, in their hasty flight,
left the door of the room open, and his
cries were heard by his daughter, whs
was passing along the hall to the draw
ing room, to which she had been sum-
moned to meet her brother. Fastening
to the room from which the cries pro-
ceeded, she took in the situation ut
glance, and ran shrieking to the room
where her brother and Capt. Blackman
were in waiting, exclaiming that her
father had been murdered and the crown
stolen. Young Edwards aud his COM
panDn FASTENED to the jewel house. and
lifted up the wounded man but, at his
earnest request, they left him and went
in pursuit of the robbere, who were
straining every nerve to escape. They
had made their way out of the building,
and crossed the court yard without mo-
lestation, and reached the drawbridge
over the moat. Here they came upon
sleepy sentinel, who halted them !;
but Blood discharged pistol at his
head, when the frightened man, though
unhurt, fell, and the fugitives passed
over him, cleared the outer gate, and
nearly reached the park, where fast
horses had been provided for them.
But the two pursuers had not been
idle, and were rapidly gaining on them.
Just as Blood cleared the last gate
Capt. Blackman came up with him, and
they grapled. A fierce struggle en-
sued, but the Captain succeeded in
overcoming his antagonist, and the
crown was wrenched from his grasp.
As the daring man saw his hopes thus
disappear, and escape impossible, he
quietly surrendered, and playfully re-
marked TO his captor, " 1t was gallant
struggle, however unsuccessful. TWAS
a struggle for a crown" Parrot and
the other accomplices, who had the orb
and other jewels, were soon overtaken
and captured. and ultimately the woman
who had so effectually aided the plot in
its inception was arrested. Thus ended
this bold attempt to steal the English
crown-an attempt with few parallels
In any age.
The Kingwas enraged at this iusolent
attack on the emblems of royalty, and
ordered Blood to be Immediately exam
ined in his presence.
Before the King, Blood preserved
the most insolent effrontery. He as
sured his Majesty that he feared nothing
human or divine. He was in their
power, and expected to suffer. But, he
said, he was allied to one of the most
powerful organizations In the kingdom,
consisting of thousands OF men who had
solemnly sworn to stand by each other
and avenge their wrongs. He men.
toned several mysterious assassinations
which had recently taken place, and
deolar.d that they had fallen by the
hand of the avenger; and that the
brotherhood had a dagger for every
man who harmed one of its members.
He said he would not threaten, but he
would say, in all kindness, 20 his
Majesty and his Ministers, that, if he
suffered, their fate would assuredly be
the same as those he had mentioned.
As he said this, he was looking di-
rectly at the King, and, Doticing that
he was affected, he proceeded to say:
"But, if your Majesty would spare
the lives of a few men, you might
oblige the hearts of many; and your
Majesty viii find that those who are so
bold and daring in mischief can, if par
doned and received into favor, perform
eminent service for the state"
The weak monarch was frightened at
Blood's revelations, though they were,
in all probability, false; and the fear
of violence, and the he. oe of gaining the
favor of the powerful faction Blood was
supposed to control, induced him to deal
very leniently with the criminal. True.
he was returned to prison bat COM
Portable quarters were assigned him,
and his restrictions gradually removed,
until finally he was fully released, all
proceedings against him dismissed, and
he was even granted large estates in
Ireland. His influence with the King
became very great. and he soon took up
his residence in London, and was adj
mitted to the best society, where he was
courted and hattered because of his IN
| huence with the Crown.
He died in 1890, leaving property
valued at S25O,OOO. All his accom-
plices in the great crime suffered death.