The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-03-13
A NOTORIOUS RASCAL
Bold Exploits of Colonel Thomas
Blood In England.
TRIED TO STEAL THE CROWN
The Daring Scamp Almost Succeeded,
Too, and Managed to Escape Pun
ishment After Being Captured-His
Attack on the Duke of Ormonde.

! the most reckless and braZen soldiers
Of fortune that ever cut a swath In
England was the notorious Colonel
Thomas Blood.
This choicest Of seventeenth century
scoundrels was born probably In Ire
land in or about 1913 During the civil
war he was active on the parliamen
tary side. was made a justice OF the
peace by Henry Cromwell and received
large grants Of land. These were con
Iiscated at the restoration, and Blood
perado.
His first plot was 10 seize Dublin cas-
tie and the person Of the Duke OF Or
monde, the lord lieutenant, In 1868. A
crowd was TO be collected at the castle
gates, n pretended baker with a load
Of bread upon his shoulder was to
stumble and upset the loaves, and In
the scramble which would probably en-
sue among the castle guards the gates
were TO be seized, but the plot was be
trayed TO Ormonde, and, although
Blood himself escaped, his brOther-in-
law was arrested and executed.
After period Of seclusion among the
Irish hills and in Holland, Blood cross
cd 10 England and joined the fifty mon
archy men. After one or two minor
deeds OF daring he planned and nearly
carried out desperate stroke In 1910.
In that year the Prince OF Orange visit
cd England and was entertained by the
city Of London. In his train on the oc-
caSiOn was the Duke OF Ormonde,
against whom Blood nursed undying
hate. The duke was dragged from his
coach in st. James street by Blood and
his son-in-law, strapped on horseback
to one of the cOnspirators and hurried
toward Tyburn. SO determined was
the prime mover I'm the affair that his
enemy should die that he hurried on
toward the gallows TO arrange the rope.
The dukes cOachman gave the alarm
and followed his master with assist
anCe, and timely rescue was effected
ON May I'm the following year Blood
made his great attempt to carry off the
Tower jewels lie set about the task I'm
quite n modern style. Some three
weeks before the attempt he and wo-
man whom he represented as his wife
his real wife being then In the north
Of England-visited the Tower, where
the lady feigned n sudden Illness. She
and her companion were invited into
the private apartments of Edwards,
the aged keeper, that she might rest
and recover.
Three or four days later they return
ed with present OF gloves as an ac-
acknowledgement Of the civility. Blood
was courtesy itself. admired every
thing, but especially Edwards pretty
daughter and presently proposed n
match between the young lady and his
nephew" This was agreed to, and
the visitors ut once dined with the fam
fly. Blood pronouncing an edifying
grace. After dinner they were shown
over the house. Blood managed to rid
Edwards OF case OF pistols by pur-
chasing them for friend, and 1t was
arranged that the nephew" should be
brought for inspection by his future
bride at o'clock on the morning OF
May 9.
Punctual to the day and hour, Blood
appeared with three comprehension
rot. Hunt and Holloway. Each had a
sword stick In his hand, dagger in his
belt and pistols In his pockets. Hollo-
way remained outside TO guard the
door
Blood, with nice regard for the eti-
quette OF the occasion, proposed that
they should await the arrival of his
wife before Joining the ladies and that
Edwards should show them the crown
Jewels to while away'the time. The
Jewel room was entered and the door,
as usual, closed. Edwards was at once
attacked, gagged and bound. an iron
hook being even attached To his nose
that no sound might pass from him
that way" In spite of threats he
struggled gallantly, was knocked down.
stabbed and left for dead. Parrot put
the globe I'm his loose breeches. Blood
crushed up the crown and thrust ii be-
meath his cloak. while Hunt began 10
file the scepter In two before putting II
In bag.
At this moment, like bolt from the
blue, appeared Edwards son. newly ar
rived from Flanders and eager to greet
his family. He went first TO his moth
er and sister. and the thieves slipped
out, but Edwards, regaining conscious
ness, managed 10 give the alarm. and
they were taken. Said Blood philo-
sophically, "1t was bold attempt, but
IL was for crown"
After this one imagines there would
be short shrift for Colonel BLOOD. and
we expect the march 20 Tyburn and an
edifying last speech" But he refused
10 plead unless I'm private to the king
and was admitted 90 an interview. got
on the right side OF the merry mon
arch. hlnted at accomplices lay the hun
dred who would avenge his death. was
granted his forfeited estates and was
thenceforward frequent i'm the pres
ence chamber. Then he quarreled with
his patron. Buckingham, and was cast
In damages FOR slander on the duke.