The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-02-16
The Cardinals Corpse.

The robbery of Lord Crawford's body
las caused great excitement in England.
Mr.. Labouchere, who is never at loss
Tor an apropos story, relates the follow
ing incident: '.When Cardinal Spadello
died there was picus but warm dispute
IS to where he should be buried. His
family, who were all Princes del Spa
delli, demanded that he should lie in a
splendid mausoleum which had been
erected for members of their house on a
plot of conseerated ground within the
gardens of their palace at Villanuova,
near Naples. The chapter of S. JUSTINE,
whose Archbishop the Cardinal was,
claimed, on the contrary, that he should
be inferred in the choir of their Cathe-
dral; but the Benedictine monks of Vii
lanuova set up a much more decided
claim, on the strength of torn piece of
paper on which the Cardinal had at some
time or other scrawled in pencil wish
that he might sleep in certain cool nook
of the Monastery's battle-ground. The
relatives opined that this was a mere
aesthetic wish-the fugitive thought of .
moments reverie, and public opinion
was against them. 1t is said that the
torn piece of paper ought to prevail.
The truth is that Cardinal Spadello had
been very good man, and the people
wanted to see him buried in way suited
to the idea they had formed of his char
acter. 1t was said that for some time
before his death he had led an ascetical
life, though he was very rich, and the
monks coniectured that he might posi-
bly, work miracles if he was laid in their
ground. The Benedictines found it ex-
pedient to proclaim that they had won
the special favor of heaven; and they
caused door to be opened in the wall
of their burying ground, in order that
the faithful of both sexes might be adj
mitted to view the tomb once week and
deposit offerings on it. Cures of paraly-
sis, neurosis and internal complaints not
easily discernible to the diagnosis of
physicians, now became frequent in the
district, and it was thought kind thing
by local practitioners that the Cardinal
should never trench on their ground by
healing infirmities within their compass. -
The story then goes on to relate how
two brothers named Forconio, with three
kindred spirits named Ribaldi, Sacrip-
anti and Coquino, planned robbery of
the grave Ribaldi and Sacripanti re-
manned in the chapel. The two For
conios and Coquino having arrived in the
vault they commenced to examine the
coffin. 1t was an imposing structure,
more than three feet high, so that the
deceased could easily have sat up in it
had he been moved to do so. 1t was
covered with black velvet and sur
mounted by crown of ornamental
bronzework, richly gilt. The thieves
had brought implements for forcing open
the coffin, and they supposed that the
outer shell must contain two or three in
ner ones; but when they had forced the
lid they were greatly surprised, and, in
deed, startled, by seeing the embalmed
cardinal lying quietly asleep to all APP
pearances between the satin Innings and
with his head reposing on white satin
pillow. The sight gave them a turn.
1.-The Cardinal was attired in his scarlet
robes and laced alb; he had an arch
episcopal inter of gold cloth on his
head, and his hands, covered with red
gloves embroidered with pearls, held a
crozier. He looked very august. There
was a majestic calm about him which
gave Coquino twinge in the region of
his stomach, and made the two Forco-
MOS feel as if procession of cold rain
drops were sliding down their backs.
The three rogues stared hard at the Car
dinal. then recoiled and looked nervous
ly at one another. They said not word,
but the elder Forconio, unable to bear
the look of that solemn face, drew up
the Cardinals cape over it, and so con-
cealed it from view. Then he made a
sign to his accomplices, and, after some
trouble, they lifted out the sleeper and
laid him respectfully enough on white
sheet, which they rolled around him. In
another minute they had carried him up
stairs into the chapel, whence they
quickly bore him away to an ox-cart
waiting outside the burial ground.
Presto shouted Forconio, harshly, to
the pair of oxen, and with tug at their
collars the two animals moved on. But
they moved without the cart. To the
horror of the malefactors the oxen went
Flooding through the rain while the cart
stood motionless. The traces had been
unlocked. Forconio, who was limping
on in front with one hand on the yoke,
did not notice what had happened; but
four indescribable, agonized yells caused
him to turn ronnd, and the whole earth
seemed to give big heave under his
feet when he saw tall figure draped in
white standing up in the cart. sMadre
de Do" faltered the ruffian, in voice
which squeaked through his CONSTRUCTED
throat. His first impulse was to fly, but
his senses had no command over his
limbs and he stumbled. Raising himself |
from the muddy soil on one knee he
looked round. The Cardinal, crozier in |
hand, was marching straight toward |
him.
.sThere was heavy series of splashes
in the mud and some wild gasps. For
conio's accomplices rushed BY him, mad
with terror; but the cripple, less nimble
Of foot and more heavy of conscience,
went on stumbling from puddle to pud-
die, flame in both his eyes and his heart
humping outfrantic sobs. Down he went
again; but this time when he rose there
was hand upon his shoulder. He could
not bear it; one look round. one rlanco