The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-12
Bold Exploits Of Colonel Thorn
as Blood ia England
TRIED TO STEAL CROWN
The Darling Scamp Almost Succeeded,
Too, and Managed to Escape Pun
ishment After Being Cap
tured.

A daring. fearless scamp and one OF
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 ciyil
war he was active on the parliament
tary side was made a justice Of the
peace by Henry Cromwell and received
large grants Of land. These were con
fiscated at the restoration, aud Blood
forthwith began his career as des-
perado.
His first plot was to seize Dublin cas-
tie and the person of tlie fuke OF Or
monde. the lord lieutenant in 1868 A
crowd was to be collected at the castle
gates. pretended baker with a load
Of bread upon his shoulder was TO
stumble and upset the loayes, 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, bis brother-in-
law was arrested and executed.
After a period Of seclusion among the
Irish hills aud ID Holland. Blood cross
ed 20 England and Joined the fifty mon
archy men After one or two minor
deeds Of daring be planned and nearly
carried out desperate stroke ia 1910.
In that year the Prince Of Orange visit
ed 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-ln-law, strapped on horseback
to one Of the conspirators and hurried
toward Tyburn. so determined was
the prime mover in 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 bis master with assist
ance, and a timely rescue WINS effected.
On May in the following year Blood
made bis great attempt to carry Off the
Tower jewels. lie set about the task in
quite a modern style Some three
weeks before the attempt he and q wo-
man whom he represented as bis wife
his real wife being then Id the north
OF England visited the Tower. where
the lady feigned 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 civiIity. Blood
was courtesy itself, admired every
thing, but especially Edwards pretty
daughter and presently proposed a
match between the young lady and his
nephew This was agreed to. aud
the visitors at 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 a friend. and 1t was
arranged that the nephew should be
brought for inspection by his future
bride at Z o'clock on the morning Of
May 8.
Punctual to the day and hour. Blood
appeared with three companions Par
rot. Hunt and Holloway. Each had
sword stick in his hand, a 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 1
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 CALAMITY. was knocked down,
stabbed and left for dead Parrot put
The globe in his loose breeches. Blood
crushed up the crown and thrust it be-
meath his cloak. while Hunt began to
Hle the scepter IN two before putting it /
IN bag,
At this moment like bolt from the /
blue. appeared Edwards son, newly ar (
rived from Flanders and eager to greet
bis family He went first to his moth /
sr and sister, and the thieves slipped /
out. but Edwards. regaining conscious
ness. managed 70 give the alarm, and (
hey were taken. said Blood philo- /
1T was bold attempt. but (
[ was for a crown
After this one imagines there would (
be short shrift for Colonel Blood. and +
We expect the march to Tyburn and an (
adifying last speech But he refused +
10 plead unless IN private to the king
md was admitted to an Interview. cot /,
on the right side OF the merry mon
arch. limited at accomplish By the hun
dred who would ayenge his death, was
granted bis forfeited estates and was
Ihenceforward frequent in the pres
Bnee chamber Then be quarreled with +
bis patron Buckingham. and was east /
In damages for SANDER on the duke.
He died in 1850 and was buried in Tot.
lill fields: bat sham funeral" ru-
nor being started, be was exhumed /