The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-08-14
The SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY,
Misreilanm
rhe scourge Of the Highway.

The Scourze Of the Highway.
In the year l774 man named Joseph
Richelot was broken alive on the wheel,
at Orleans, for highway robbery; and
as there were no relatives or friends to
claim the body, the executioner, when
he thought life was extinct. gave it to q
surgeon, who carried it to the anatom-
ical academy for dissection. The legs
and arms of the wretch had been fear.
fully broken and nangled, but yet, when
the surgeon applied his knife, he detect
ed signs Of life, and by the application
of powerful excitants and stimulating
cordials, the highw,yman was brought
to his senses, and to the power of speech.
The surgeon and his pupils were kind.
hearted, aud deeply moved by the suff-
erings and the earnest solicitations. Of
the culprit, they resolved to attempt his
cure. ~
They would thus lose the subject for
dissection, but the experience Of hand
ling such case in treatment would be
valuable. So dreadfully mangled was
he that they had to amputate both his
legs at the hip joints, and take off his
left arm at the shoulder. His right arm
had been fractured above and below the
elbow, but the bones had not been shiver-
ed, and with extreme care that important
limb had been saved. Notwithstanding
the mutilation-a mutilation and blood
loss that would be surely fatal in nine
hundred and ninety nine cases in thou
sand-the man recovered. A man with
not even the stump of leg, and with
only one arm! He begged that he might
be taken further from Paris, where he
could gain o livelihood by begging
They might be sure he would henceforth
lead an honest life He swore he would
rather die than steal again. The good
doctor, willing to do anything in his
power. put Richelot into a cart, and sent
two OF his students to convey him fifty
leagues away TO the west, beyond Poi.
tiers. s8s5s5
The man was full forty leagues away
from the nearest place where he hal
ever been known He took situation
by the roadside, close by ragged cliff
Of rock, and dense wood, where his
deplcrable condition excited the COM
passion OF all who saw him. In his
youth be had served in the army, and
clad iu an old huzzsr's jacket and helmet,
he passed for soldier who had lost bis
limbs in battle. Time passed. By-and.
by peddler, who had set out from Lu-
signan on his way to vitray, with a full
pack, and much money, was missed.
Other men mysteriously disappeared
in that same section. The police scar.
ched for the robbers. but could not find
them; and yet they were we'll assured
that these oft-recurring disappearances
were not the result of accident. There
must be robbers and assassius some
where.
The celebrated jean Coquelle, with 9
platoon Of his well.trained detective
force. came down from Paris, and spent
two months IN the provinces, but failed
to uuearth the mystery.
S~1sOue day drover, returning from
market, where he had been selling cat
tie, came upon the poor, legless beg ga
by the wayside, and was solicited TO
charity.
Being moved to compassion by the
sight Of so much misrepresentation the
wretehea man seemed to be both legless
and armless-the drover threw him q
piece OF silver.
.sAlasr' said the mendicant, in piteous
tones, ''you see I cannot reach your
bounty. / have neither an arm nor q
leg, If you will be so kind as to put
your generous donation into my pouch,
will bless you. To- night my poor,
faithful Lizette viii come with Moulard's
cart and take me home, where your sill
yer shall find US meal such as We have
not tasted for many day."
The drovsr got down from his cart,
and approached the beggar, and as he
stopped to pick up the money, the sun,
suddenly breaking from behind q cloud,
threw.a strange shadow upon the swart1,
cansing the traveller to look up, when he
caught sight of Q good, stout right arm,
I; belonging to the wendicant, raised above
his head,- the bravny hand of which
grasped short iron bar, with knot.
ted knob on the end, He, arrested the
blow in its descent, and being man OF
immense muscular power, he lifted the
beggar. and carried him to his cart, and
having thrown him into it, he drove of
to Che next town, where he brought his
prisoner before magistrate.
On searching him silver whistle, Of
curious construction, was found in his
pocket, which naturally led to the sus-
piciou that be might have aecomplices
in the woods, whercupon the magistrate
called sufficient guard, under command
Of an experienced officer, and sent them,
with the drover for guide, to the place
where the murder was attempted. Not
more than an hour hail elapsed since the
drover had left with his prisoner when
the spot was reached, the distance from
The village being not quite league.
The geus d drmes concealed themsel-
YES in the bushes, after which the whis.
tie was blown, the sound being exceed
ingly sharp, clear and penetrating; and
directly an answering whistle was heard,
seeming to come from under ground |;
nor was this all hardly had the note OF
the whistle died away, when three men
arose to sight from q thick tangle Of
shrubs and vines close at hand.
The soldiers, with muskets cooked
and presented, advanced, and ordered
the men 10 surrender. One OF them
turned to fee, and was Immediately shot
down, upon which the other two, seeing
that they we're fairly caught, threw down
their arms. When they had been Sc
cured the place where they had appear