Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-07-12
to the gendarmes will bo on the son of

(Signed) "G1usEprE.
Giuseppe! The most noted and
bloodthirsty brigand Of modern
times, about whose crueltics and tor
lures SO many narrowing tales were
told by travf as, and upon whose
head heavy price had been set long
ago.
Lady Methwick piteously besought
her husband to send tho money at
once.
"They will kill my darling boy. and
you-you-will have sent him to his
death!''
Her daughters, the Hon. Agatha,
Ondine and Clovis, added their ago.
nized entreaties; indeed SO carried
away were they by their feelings that
they actually offered to go without
new hats and dresses for the next
twelve months, in order to contribute
to the ransom money. But his Lord
ship did not believe in giving way at
once. Doubtless a lesser sum would
be accepted, and while negotiations
were in progress and there was q
| chance of the ransom being ultimately
paid. he did not think his son would
be in any danger. So he sent an offer
of $4,000. The reply to this was curt
refusal, and a postscript added IN
Robert Spenceley's handwriting was:
'Father, send soon; feel sure they
will not take less" But still Lord
Methwick would not give in without
another effort to reduce the amount,
and he increased his offer to G2500.
The day came when Giuseppe's re-
ply was due, but it did not arrive,
and pcnt.up anxiety caused his lord
ship two sleepless nights and two mis-
erable, irritable days. On the third
morning, among the contents of the
post-bag was small PARCEL, the hand
writing of the address of which was
Immediately recognized. With trem-
bling fingers Lord Methwick tore open
the package, and there lay disclosed
the bold brigand's staggering reply
a cardboard box containing q mans
ear packed in sawdust, and inside the
lid these words were scrawled:
''No less than e4000. Part of his
Excellency is sent free So that he may
hear your decide which was final"
In after years that day always re-
mained impressed with startling vivid
ness on his Lordship's memory. What
with his wife's continual fainting fits;
his three daughters in consecutive
Mysteries, their conscious intervals be-
ing employed in upbraiding him in
such severe terms that one would have
thought that the poor man had him
self cut his sons ear off; his own
mental anguish as he remembered that
the future head of his house would
never be able to hear both sides; the
horrid possibility of getting the wan
derer back for nothing-a piece at
time; and the fear that at that mo-
ment further tortures might be in
course of 1nfiction-he often mar
yelled, not only that he survived it, but
that reason did not altogether forsake
her tottering throne.
And the climax was reached when,
in the softening shades of twilight,
Lady Methwick and her three daugh-
ters, dressed in black, went in solemn
procession to distant part of the
grounds, where, beside ripping
stream and beneath spreading tree,
the gardener had already dug a grave.
There, with fresh bursts of tears and
passionate sobs, the box of sawdust
with its precious freight 49,. -olemnly
buried, and q cairn built over and
about its resting place.
The outgoing evening mail carried
two letters, one to the brigands agree
ing to their terms, and the other to n
friend of the family, who happened to
be Consul in the near eighborhood,
inclosing draft for $4,000, and beg
ging him to put himself in instant
communication with Giuseppe, and
obtain the captive's release.
The Consul did as he was desired,
and, in compliance with instructions
from the robber band, who were evi.
IDENTIFY taking every precaution against
being trapped, proceeded alone one
evening carrying parcel of 4000s =
ereigns to an indicated spot on the out
skirts of forest. Here he was met by
sunburnt, black-bearded giant, pic
turesquely attired in his native dress,
who carried rifle, while couple of
revolvers and poniard adorned his
sash. Motioning to the Consul to fol-
low him, he proceeded but few PAGES
into the forest, then halted and blew q
long. low, peculiar whistle on his fin
gers.
Approaching footsteps were imme.
diately heard, and there emerged from
among the trees the whilom prisoner,
alone. AS he ranged up to the side of
his deliverer the gold was handed over,
carefully counted, and then. with a
low bow, the robber turned on his
heel, at once disappeared, Without
having uttered q word, and the Consul
and his purchase were free to depart.
Methwick Hall was ablaze with light
on the evening of the heirs return to
his ancestral home. The female oor-
tion of the family had spent tho day
in alternately laughing and crying for
Joy, and were now in state of intense
excitement, anxiously awaiting the re-
turn of the carriage from the station.
Presently tho sound OF wheels was
heard drawing up to the door, and
mother and sisters rushing out, fell
uron Robert, hugged him and kissed
him and half dragged, half carried him
! into the house, but it was not until
/ after they had been for some time as
sembled in tie library nat there
| flashed acrO-A their minds the repoaro