The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-02
FIGHT AGAINST ODDS


Of Cork, about seven miles tc the
south Of the prosperous little town Of
Charieville. is situated the mansion
of Highfort.
In the year 1911 the occupant Of the
mansion and estates was Mr.. John
Purcell, q gentleman upwards Of 20
years OF age. but strong active and
hale.
Mr.. Purcell. who acted as his own
land agent, had collected rents
amounting to a considerable sum, and
decided to employ the evening Of the
l1th Of March. 1871, in writing up hts
books. The money remained in the
house, as there was no time to lodge
Il in bank, the nearest one then be
ing at Cork, some 80 miles dis
tant, and this must have become
known to some Of the lawless ban
ditti who infested the remoter parts
Of Ireland. The other members of
the family were away from home. and
as Mr.. Purcell foresaw that he would
be employed until a late hour. he or.
dered supper to be laid in q large
bedroom of the parlor, with which ii
was connected by two doors. After
telling the servant not to wait up and
that the table need not be disturbed
All morning, he partook of supper,
lished his accounts and then retired
20 bed.
According to his own calculation he
had been about two hours asleep when
he WAS awakened by an unusual noise.
After a short interval the windows
of the parlor were beaten in and sew
eral men-12 or 10 he reckoned-
sprang into the house in rapid sue
cession. The solitary but brave old
gentleman had only a moment to de-
liberate. and seizihg a carving knife
which providentially lay on the sup
per table, he resolved to resist to
the last and sell his life as dearly as
possible.
He was not certain by which of the
two dc RS the robbers would attempt
10 enter, but his doubts were soon
solved by hearing the guard remove
q 0Srde- dH-vtn from before one of the
doors. which was then smashed in.
Putting his back against the wall next
to the doorway, Mr.. Purcell, though
outnumbered. had one advantage over
his assailantE; he was completely in
the dark. and they stood revealed by
the light Of the moon pouring through
the broken window. The leader OF the
gang, in a loud voice, demanded his
money OF his life, and two men ap-
preached the door abreast. He after
wards stated that ''at this moment
only hesitated to decide whether q
back-hand or a right-forward blow
would be the most powerful" and de-
Gliding on the former he plunged his
knife into the breast of the nearest
man. who Immediately fell back with
: horrible scream and expired. The
leader now gave orders to fire into
the room. and a musket presented at
Mr.. Purcell actually rested against his
stomach. Observing. however, from
its oblique position that when fred
It could not injure him, he actually
pressed against the barrel in order
to induce a belief that the charge
would mortally wound him. The mus
ket was fired. and Mr.. Purcell, who
was unframed, instantly dealt a ter
rible wound to the rufian who fired 1t.
That man retreated, but another took
his place. and he also was wounded.
The rufaans now appeared cowed by
the unexpected prowess of their in
tended victim, and were about to re-
treat, when the strongest man of the
party forced his way into the bed
room and proclaimed his success in a
loud and triumphant tone. A terrific
struggle now ensued between the gal
liant old man and his new assailant.
A1r. Purcell was almost exhausted by
his previous exertions. but though his
opponent was young, fresh and vigor-
Gus, the latter received blow after
blow from the terrible knife, and
could not close with its wielder. The
robber again and again reiterated de-
mands for Mr.. Purcell's money, to
which he received only knife thrust
as response, but as these thrusts were
apparently taking no effect Mr. Pur-
cell, on hurriedly examining his
weapon, found to his horror that it's
point had been turned and blunted
and thus rendered useless. However.
in the encounter he had discovered
that HIS opponent possessed a sword,
and this he now strove to gain, but
when the vretched man expired in his
4 srasp during the struggle, Mr. Pur-
cell found that the knife had not
billed until it effected his deliver
fnce.
, The surviving robbers now hurried
ly departed, carrying off the wounded
men, and leaving two dead bodies in
pools Of blood.
It seems incredible that Mr.. Pur-
cell was over 70 years of age when he
made such a gallant struggle against
terrible odds. The news of the out
rage at Highfort and its successful re-
pulse created a great sensation. and
had far-reaching effects in inspiring
both the authorities and the resident
gentry to make greater efforts to put
an end to lawlessness and disturbance