The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-06-09
A WASTED LIFE.
THE STORY OF AN IRISH ELoPEMENr.

reSpecJaOle Iamlly, and possessed an excel
lent education. He was very popular in the
adjoining counties of Carlow and KILKENNY.
and was Familiarity called Fitzy Cranesbor-
ough, perversion of his right name. which
is also called Nasboro
As Knaresborough was approaching man.
hood, an incident occurred which, ha6 he
paid due heed to, might have saved him from
com mitting deed which laid waste his
whole life. This incident was that three
young ladies, sisters and heiresses. were one
day seized and forcibly carried of by three
young gentlemen of fortune residing In Car
low. The abduetors and their victims were
pursued and overtaken. The girls were re-
stored to their friends, and the young men
were committed to prison. The unfortunate
offenders were brought to trial, and all three
were hanged in Carlow
Instead of being warned bv their terrible
fate, hardly had KaneShorough arrived at
manhood, with all the world opening before
him in which to choose a wife, than he fell
madly in love with a young heress. She
professed to return his love, and as usual her
relatives refused their consent to her marry
ing man of inferior fortune to her own. In
this extremity he carried her off-presumabIv
with her consent.
Nothing, however, more strikinpIv Illus
trates the waywardness of women than the
abduction cases which were so frequent at
that time throughout Ireland IF an heiress
gave her consent TO the abduction. man felt
secure that he could not be punished for what
was then made hanging offense Only the
woman's testimony, however, could save his
life. Quite as often as not girl would give
her Gdmirer every encouragement even 90
ing so far as to secretly apprise him as to
when it would be most convenient to herself
to be carried off, and then, when he was ap-
pretended and brought to trial, calmly swear
his life away by denying that she was con-
senting party to the abducting
KnaresbOrOugh abducted his heiress but
her family started in hot pursuit of the couple
and succeeded in recovering the girl. Knares-
borough made his escape. A reward was
offered for his apprehension, but without
effect
Word came to him, however, in his placeof
concealment, that the heiress would give tes-
timony in his favor even at the risk of Offend
ing her family. When a woman took this
part, marriage inevitably followed, and in
the majority of cases. the runaway eoupIe
lived happy ever after. Accordingly at the
the approach Of the next assizes, Knaresbor-
Oueh gave notice that he would surrender
and stand his trial. He kept his word, and
returned to the town of Carlow on horseback
the day before that appointed for the COM
mencement Of the assizes
When near to Carlow, he reined in his
horse, and walked him, looking about as if
in expectation of some event or person. At
last he beheld the object so ardentIy desired
"a carriage, and in it the young lady he had
abducted He drew up and spoke to her.
She greeted him cordially, and after laughing
and joking together they parted. He was
most light-heaTted, for she had kept her an
pOintment with hm-she had smiled upon
him-and confident of aequittal, he rode
straight to the Jail of Carlow and surrendered
himself
The next day he was put upon his trial.
The young lady appeared--smiled upon him
as usual-but testified against him, and so
proved the case against him.
This most unexpected circumstance turned
his gayety into anxiety and his astonishment
and horror rose to the highest pitch when he
was convicted and sentenced to death. Sure
ly the great bard had some show of reason
when he said
'Frailty, thy name Is Womaur1
KnaresborOugh's family and friends par
ticipated in his natural surprise and alarm.
They had interest in high quarters, upon
which they thought they might rely for re-
versal or a Communication of the sentence, and
they took every means in their power to in
sure his safety. They entreated the concsr-
renee Of the jury by whom he had been con-
xrfpF tod IN, IL
for mercy in his favor, but found them mex
orable.
The friends of KnaresborouZh further as
certained that the finding of seuiltv" had
resulted, not so much from the view of the
evidence taken by the jury, OF their horror of
the deed proved, as from a determination to
retOrt upon Kilkenny, the conviction and ex-
ecution of the three Carlow boys for a similar
ohense to that of Knaresborough's
His friends then resorted to other expedi-
ents to save him from the scaffold. Among
other proceedings was memorial to the
Judge by whom he had been tried and SEN
tenced,to to recommend the young man to mer-
cy, and they judreiously accompanied their
memorial by sum of six hundred pounds.
The money was not returned. The Judge
reported favorably, and the sentence of death !
was changed to one of transportation for life. |
Even this sentence was further commuted, /
or at least the execution of it was indefinitely
postponed. 1t was accompanied bv the con- /
dition that Knaresborough should be brought /
into court at every assizes for the county. for
the town or city, in the prison of which he 1
should happen to be confined. He was sent /
to Dublin to undergo punishment at New |
gate. KnaresbOrough was condemned and |
imprisoned in 1890. He was then a hand 4
some STRIPPING, He remained in prison so 4
long that his real name was forgotten by all I
but few of the old-time prison officials. 4
He was called by the many prisoners who
came and went "The Mysterious" Even
the crime for which be suffered imprison-
ment was forgotten, but was believed to be
some political offense. He passed from youth
TO middle age, and it was remarked that al
though he was always dressed with the dis
regard of appearances observable in prison
ers generally, be must have belonged to the
upper classes.
For years knaresborough submitted wi tn
put murmur to the required exhibition of /
himself in court, but at length he protested
against being so paraded, and refused to
1oey the summons directed to the TAILOR to
produce his person before the judge in CON-
mission. 1t happened that Norbury presided
over the commission when Knaresborough's
-efusal to appear in court was announced.
When informed that KnaresbOrough was de-