Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-05-09
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-n's
Attack on the Duke OF Ormonae'

Attack on the Duke OF Or"o"ae'
A daring, fearless scamp and one OIL
the most reckless and brazen soldiers
If fortune that ever cut swain III
England was the notorious Coionei
Thomas Blood.
This choicest Of seventeenth century
scoundrels was born probably III ire
land in or about 1918. During the CIVIL
war he was active on the parliament
fairy side. was made justice OF the
peace by Henry Cromwell and received
large grants Of land. These were con
fscated at the restoration, ana bioou
forthwith began his career as des-
peradO. -
His first plot was TO seize Dublin cas-
flo and the person of the Duke OF Or-
I monde the lord lieutenant, In 1868. a
crowd was to be collected at the casue
gates. q pretended baker with loao
Of bread upon his shoulder was 10
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 De-
traved TO Ormonde, and, although
Blood himself escaped his brother-in-
law was arrested and executed.
After q period Of seclusion among the
Irish hills and in Holland, Blood cross
ed to England and Joined the fifty mon
archy men. After one or two minor
deeds of daring he planned and nearly
carried out a desperate stroke IN loIo.
In that year the Prince of Orange VISIT
ed England and was entertained by the
CITY of London. In his train on the &C.
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
10 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 his master with assist
ance. and a timely rescue was erected.
On May 8 in the following year Blood
made his great attempt to carry or the
Tower jewels. He set about the task IN
quite modern style. Some three
; weeks before the attempt he and wo-
man whom he represented as his wire
his real wife being then in 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 a 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 q
match between the young lady and bis
nephew" This was agreed to, and
the visitors at once dlned with the fam
ily, Blood pronouncing an edifyine
grace. After dinner they were shown
over the house. Blood managed to rio
Edwards of a case Of pistols by pur
chasing them for a friend, and 1t was
arranged that the nephew" should bt
brought for inspection by his future
bride at Z o'clock on the morning Of
May 9.
Punctual to the day and hour, BLOOD
= appeared with three companions-Par
: rot. Hunt and Holloway. Each had
sword stick in his hand, dagger In hi
belt and pistols In his pockets. Hollo
way remained outside to guard thu
door.
Blood, with a nice regard for the ell
, quette of the occasion, proposed tina
they should await the arrival of hi
- wife before joining the ladies and tina
Edwards should show them the crown
Jewels to while away the time Thu
Jewel room was entered and the door
as usual. closed Edwards was at ono
attacked, gagged and bound, an irol
hook being even attached to his nos
"that no sound might pass from hin
that way" In spite Of threats n
struggled CALAMITY, was knocked down
|
: the globe in his loose breeches. Bloo'
z crushed up the crown and thrust 1t be
9 meath his cloak, while Hunt began t
Z file the scepter In two before putting
in q bag.
= At this moment like bolt from tn
h blue, appeared Edwards son, newly al
rived from Flanders and eager to gree
e his family. He went first to his moth
u err and sister, and the thieves slippe
d out, but Edwards, regaining conscious
= ness, managed to give the alarm, an
they were taken. Said Blood philC
:, sophically, at was a bold attempt, bu
1t was for a crown"
After this one imagnes there woul
~ be short shrift for Colonel Blood, an
we expect the march to Tyburn and a
edifying "last speech" But he refuse
to plead unless In private to the kin
/ and was admitted to an interview, &c
- on the right side Of the merry MOI
arch. limited at accomplices by the hui
dred who would avenge his death, wa
granted his forfeited estates and wa
thenceforward frequent In the pre-
>, ence chamber. Then he Quarreled wit
his patron, Buckingham, and was cas-
in damages for SANDER on the duk
He died in 1850 and was buried In To
hnl fields; but, "sham funeral n
NOR being started, he was exhume
two days later and identified at an II
quest.-London Globe.
c. Air Is estimated to surround II
earth to O depth Of from 12O to n