Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1894-1895, 1895-07-19

W VIC SOhtdi iuSS VIII De Ou Tue SUI VI
your Excellency.
(Signedl ''GIUsEPPE
Giuseppe! The most noted ard
bloodthirsty brigand of modern
times, about whose crueltics and tor
lures so many narrowing tales were
told by travellers, and upon whose
head heavy price had been set long
ago.
Lady Methwick piteously besought
her husband to send the 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 60 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 i'll giving way at
once. Doubtless lesser sum would
be accepted, and while negotiations
were In progress and there was a
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 a curt
refusal, and a postscript added IN
Robert Spenceley's handwriting was:
'Father, send soon; feel sure they
IL Il
Methwick would not give in without
another effort to reduce the amount,
and he increased his offer to e25O0.
The day came when Giuseppe's re-
ply was due, but it did not arrive,
and pent-up anxiety caused his lord
ship two sleepless nights and two mis-
cradle, irritable days. On the third
morning, among the contents of the
pcst-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 mans
ear packed in sawdust, and inside the
lid these words were scrawied:
''No less than $1,000. Part Of his
Excellency is sent free SO that he may
hear your decide which was final"
In after years that day always re-
NAMED 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 fortunes might be in
course of tndiction-he often mar
yelled, not only that he survived it, but
that reason did not altogether forsake
her lettering throne.
And the climax was reached when,
in the softening shades of twilight,
Lady Methwick and her three daugh-
tiers, 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 grave.
There, with fresh bursts of tears and
passionate sobs, the box of sawdust
with it's precious freight was solemnly
about its resting place.
The outgoing evening mail carried
two letters, one to the brigands agree
ing to their terms, and the other to
friend of the family, who happened to
be Consul in the near neighborhood,
inclosing a 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 eYi-
IDENTIFY taking every precaution against
being trapped, proceeded alone one
evening carrying a parcel Of 1000 SOW
ereigns to an indicated spot on the out
skirts of forest. Here he was met by
a sunburnt, black-bearded giant, pic
turesquely attired in his native dress,
who carried a rifle, while couple of
revolvers and poniard adorned his
sash. Motioning to the Consul to fol-
low him, he proceeded but a few PAGES
into the forest, then halted and blew
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
low bow, the robber turned on his
heel, at once disappeared, without
having uttered word, and the Consul
and his purchase were free to depart.
Methwick Hall was ablaze with light
on the evening of the heir S return to
his ancestral home. The female por-