The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-25

For Reasons Of stats Mono Of tho People
In the Affair wsro Ever pun-
ishad. "
Perhaps ono OF the most darinoly CON
csivsd and executed robberiSs In history -
that which occurred In the year 1873, whsn
the bold attempt WAS made By Col. Blood
and his associates TO gst away with the
crown. orb and sceptsr of English royalty.
says the jewelers. Review. Ons 10 almost
tempted to wish that the scheme, carried 80
far, had besn / success-a feeling engen-
tdsrsd, no do1bt. By the i~rstinctivs ssmpa-
thy that humanity feels with any who at
tempt 1 daring dsed. Blood Was no ordi-
nary thief or burglar. AZ his title indicates,
he had served his king and his country in
the army, and had been = gallant efacsr.
His oonfederatos wero ons Parrot, d silk
dyer, who had seen some fighting in tbs
civil war between roundhends and cavaliers.
and = young msn named Hunt. 1 son-in-law
Iot the colonel. Blood fancied he had 4
grievance against the king, alleging that he
Hhad not been sufficiently paid for his serv-
fixl6s. Hs had INDUCED In plots against tho
king and the duke OF Ormonde. which failing
hs bsthonGht himself OF the crown jewels a.
offering rich plumber as we'll AZ his coveted
revenge. His plan Was ingenious. Attired
in . pnrson's habit and accompanied by q
woman who posed as his wife, he visited
ths tower OF London, and requested to b
shown the reRalia. The wardsr, ! Mr.. Ed
wards, received them c~ourteously, and
conducted them to the jewel tower. While
they vera inspecting the symbols OF royalty
the woman pretended 70 be suddenly seized
with severe pain and fell in 4 faint. Sym
pathetic. yet cautious. Edwards ssnt hia
wife for restoratives. but did. not leave the
apartment. Mrs. Blood soon recovered
sufficiently to be able to stand, but ~ she
was still weak, she was invited into the
house TO rest awhile. The ''parson" and
his lady returned in three Or four days with
= gift Of some gloves - On evidence OF
gratitude TO their kindly hosts, and from
this spranR a friendship and intimacy which
ultimately eliminated in the proposition
hy Blood Of a r,atoh between bis nephew
Greatly his s%on-in-law) and that pretty
wards was immensely pleased with the idea,
and invitsd the parson and his wife to din
ner the next day, when the Anal arrange
ments were to be made, ostensibly for the
clgaRement Of the young people, but In re-
atty for the theft Of the regal jewels:
nephew" and two friends, Of whom Par
rot was one, appeared at the tower, and
were met by Edwards with a cordial greet
ing. Edwards was arrayed In purple and
tine linen for the occasion. or. a. we
should put il nowadays, he was gotten up
ner was ready they went into tho jewel
house, leaving the nephew at the door ~
= sentinel. Once inside work was quickly
begun. A cloak was thrown over Edwards
and a wooden. gag forced into his mouth,
an iron hook being used to close the nos
slightest noise. He was told that 10 resist
meant death, but, nevertheless, he kicked.
struggled, and tried in every way TO give
the alarm. He was then knocked on the
head with = mallet. = dagger WAS plunged
into his breast. and the conspiratols be-
into his breaches pocket. Blood hid the
G own under his clonk. and the third man
tried desperately to file the soepter in two.
1t being too long to carry away in ito en-
tirety. While all this was going on Ed
wards son, who had just returned from tn
sentinel, who asked him his business,
to which Edwards replied that he
belonged to the house. Surprising that
the young man wished to Soc his
father. the warden. Edwards went up
stairs and promised to send bis father
ately gave the alarm, and tho consrirators
took flight. The old man Edwa,d s, who
had only been feigning death, Immediately
pulled the Gag from his mouth and yslled
Murder! Treason" His daughter hoard
the outory and rushed to his side. Seeing
out upon Tower Hill and cried: 'rseason!
the crown is stolenr The alarm being thus
given. Blood and his companions found
themselves in danger. They nudged each
others arms and thereby aroused sus-
picion, whereupon they q1ickened their
the tower named Capt. Beckman were by
this time on the trail Of che fugitives, who
had gotten berond the main guard. Tho
alarm was egnin given and the sentry at
the d. awbridge challenged the men. Blood
drew q pistol and discharged il at the sol-
diately dropped. At the ward house,
for some u~nacyountabls reason, no
effort WAS made to stop the
thieves, and they gained the
street. They then led The mob in AZ
were tied At ST. GATHERINGS gate. Young
Edwards and Beckman wsre close at theil
heels, however, and Blood fired his pisto. q
Beokman. Beckman lodged the shot and
lmmediatslv Rrappled with his opponent,
from under whose cloak he wrested tht
crown. Edwards tackled Parrot and tool
the globe from him. Hunt and the Other
conspirator. however. had stood not upon
the order of their going IND had reached
the horses, upon which they gaiioped away.
A cart, however, turned abruptly in the
street ahead Of them. and into this they
ran Hunt being struck in the head by 4
pole and dismounted. Both wee captured.
The ending Of the story 10 as interesting az
the beginning. The king (Charles H.
heard the case himself. and affected to be
much. impressed by the Rallantry Of Blood
and his fellow conspiraSors. He was in
clined to be clement with them. bu,
when Blood who, by the wav. must have
had a q r. knowledge OF the kings chs &C
tsr) said in 4 ~nonchalant manner that he
did not care for his own life, and he OK.
peotsd to suff er the extreme penalty Of .he
law, but that he belonged to a band of men
sworn to Avenge any death among theie
number, and that il be were executed the
lives Of the king and his ministers would
not be worth five minutes purchase,
Charles gave way completely. He incon-
tinently pardoned the whole gang, aud In
addition settled Blood on an estate III Ire
land and gave him a pension Of f5OO q
year. All this for "Ieasons Ut state"
Poor old Edwards and his son, however,