Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-07-23
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.

w. SiA "GidSCb ~ -SSePO
ishment After Being Captured-His
Attack on the Duke of Ormonde.
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
scoundres was born probably in Ire
land in or about 1918 During the civil
war he was active on the parliamen-
tary side, was made Il justice of the
peace by Henry Cromwell and received
large grants of land. These were CON
fiscated at the restoration, and Blood
forthwith began his career as des-
perado.
His first plot was to seize Dublin cas-
tie and the person of the Duke of Or
monde, the lord lieutenant, in 1868. A
| crowd was to he collected at the castle
gates, a pretended baker with 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
We're 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 a period of seclusion among the
Irish hills and in Holland. Flood 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 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-in-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 his master with assist
ance, and timely rescue was effected.
On May 8 In the following year Blood
made his great attempt to carry Off the
| Tower jewels. He set about the task in
quite modern style. Some three
weeks before the attempt he and wo-
man whom be represented as his wife
his real wife being then In the north
of England-visited the Tower, where
the lady feigned a 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 a
match between the young lady and his
nephew" This was agreed to, and
the visitors at once dined with the fam
ny, Blood prunouncing 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 O'clock on the morning of
May o.
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-
H1Tnffa nf tIn nPpoSiDr, nv
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 ir0u
hook being even attached to his nose
that no sound might pass from him
I that way" In spite Of threats he
/ struggled CALAMITY, was knocked down
stabbed and left for dead Parrot put
the globe in his loose hroaelas E.a1d
crushed up the crown and thrust fiji be-
Meath lls cloak while Uunt began ta
file tho segp,ar I'm two before putting it
in lag
At this moment Ike q bolt from jae
blue appeared Edwards son. newly mr.
rived from Flanders and cIeor tn greet
his fuuily. lie went first to Li. uasa-
er and sister, and the thieves slipped
out but Edwards, regainiug conscious
ness, managed to give the alarm. AMI
they Were taken. Said Tlc-l rni.o.
sophicallg, 1T was a bold attempt. but
1t was for a crown"
After this one imagines there would
he short shrift for Colonel Blood. and
we expect the march to Tyburn and ar
editying last speech" But he refused
10 plead unless in private t. the king
/ and was admitted to an interview. got
light side Of the merry mon
ed at accompliccs by the hun.
dr. r~ould ayenre his deo+b ,,os
graa.y forfeited estates and was
tLcacs-ur~ard frequent in the pres
ence chamber. Then he quarreled with
his patron, buckingham, and was cast
In damages for slander on the duke
He died in 1850 and was buried in Tot
NIL fields; but, a "sham funeral" ru-
NOR being started, he was exhumed
two days later and identified at an in.
nnest.-London Globe.
Settled the Ownership.
There was a quaint old Judge who