The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-09-06
rHE rIMEs NEw BLooMFIELp Pa sErTEMBER 8. lssl.

Giuseppe Immediately hastened to the
president of Justice. He demanded a
summons for Jeronlmo It was granted.
He complained without reciting the
particulars, that Jeronimo had paid him
back deposit, and in a hundred ducats,
had given him thirty bad. Jeronimo
denied It. 81 gave him back the same
which he deposited, with me-" There
was law ct Padua termed the " law of
wager" The substance of this was,
that the party accused had 1t in his OPP
tion to clear himself by an oath of his
| Innocence.
"Will you take your wager 2" said
Giuseppe.
Yes, sir" replied Jeronimo.
The holy evangellsts we're according
ly presented to him and Jeronimo swore
upon them that he had not touched, still
less changed the ducats, since they were
deposited with him. The president ac-
cordingly gave judgment in his favor,
being compelled thereto by the laws of
Padua. And Giuseppe, with horror at
the united fraud and perjury of the man
whom he had hitherto deemed honest
and respectable, left the court and with
drew to his home.
This trial excited universal interest
and rumor in Padua. The president of
the law had acquitted Jeronimo not so,
however, public reputation. Giuseppe
was man of established character,
Jeronimo's fame had been long blem-
ished. The previous reports, therefore,
were now considered as fully confirmed
into certainty. The magistrates, accor-
dinghy deemed it necessary to point the
attention of the police to him and to
his future dealings and Jeronimo here
after became q marked character. The
police of Padua were administered with
that discrete cunning for which the
Italians are celebrated. Some of its
officers very shortly contrived, in the
disguise of foreign merchants, TO make
deposit of good and marked money
with Jeronimo, and shortly after re.
deemed it back. The money was re-
stored as required. 1t was Immediately
carried, as before, in the case of Guisep-
pc, to the public assay, and the result
was that the greatest part of the number
of the coins were found to be base.
Jeronimo was next day arrested and
thrown into prison. His house was
searched in the same instant. The search
most fully confirmed what indeed now
required but little confirmation. In the
secret drawers were found all the instru-
ments of coining as well as all the ma
terials of adulteration. An immense
quantity of base coin was likewise found
in different parts of the house. All
Padua was now in arms. They clamor-
ously demanded justice on man who
had not the temptation of poverty to
commit crimes here is man said they,
who has raised his head above all of us,
and lived in luxury and splendor, year
after year, upon the fruit of his crimes.
He has even sat upon the public bench
of magistrates, and administered the
laws of Padua; if justice be not made
for the rich, if its objects be the defence
of all, let him now be brought to trial,
and meet with the punishment which he
so well merits. The magistrates, in
obedience to the popular camor, and at
the same time acknowledging its justice
somewhat hastened the trial of Jeron-
imo. He was brought forward, accused
and witnesses examined, he had nothing
to allege which could weigh single
grain against the mass of evidence pro-
duced against him. He was accordingly
unanimously condemned. The trial
was holden on Monday; he was found
guilty the same day, and ordered for eX-
ecution in the public square on Friday
following, the interval being granted for
religious preparations.
Who was now so unhappy as Jeron-
imo de Vincente, and what vicissitude
in his fortune and reputation had a very
short time produced Within those
few months he had been the wealthiest
and most respected in Padua. The no.
blest families sought the hand of his
only daughter in marriage his wife was
the pattern and exemplar of all the
ladies of the city and neighborhood his
house was full of the richest furniture
and paintings in Italy. Now the officers
of justice were in possession of it, and
performed the vilest Office in the most
magnificent chambers; whilst, with the
ordinary insolence of such rutfians, they
scarcely allowed corner of the house
to his unhappy wife and daughter
And where was Jeronimo himself. In