The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-09-02

Blood, soldier OF CAPTAlr Bloop
fortune, born In Ireland about 1878.
When parliament Went to war against
King Charles OF England this young
adyenturer joined the Parliamentary
army and won reputation for reck-
less courage. After parliament had
overthrow and beheaded the king
and had put Oliver Cromwell In charge
of England's government, Colonel
Blood found himself without any oc-
cypation thrilling enough to satisfy
him. But his time came soon after
Charles H. tson OF the beheaded mon
arch) mounted the British throne.
Blood then stirred up an insurrec.
ton in Ireland, planning to begin the
rebellion with the capture Of Dublin
Castle and the selling OF the Duke OF
Ormond, lord-lieutenant OF Ireland 1t
escaped. Many OF his friends and
fellow-rebels were hanged Blood
vowed revenge upon the Duke OF Or
mond for these executions.
lie fed to Holland, but soon ven
tured back TO England. There he pro-
ceeded to work out his revenge. Or
mond was driving home, on the night
OF December q, 1870, through the dark
London streets. when his carriage was
surrounded by Blood and party OF
unknown men. Ormond was seized,
dragged from his coach and hustled
off in the direction OF Tyburn Hill
Wondon's official place OF execution
and the spot where some of Bloods
friends had been hanged).
Blood coolly informed the duke that
they intended to hang him from the
gibbet on which the conspirators haa
perished. The threat would have been
carried out then and there had not a
party Of Ormond's followers ridden up
in hot pursuit and rescued their strug-
Cling master.
Blood once more escaped unsus-
pected. His next plot was the most
daring of all Disguised as q clergy
man and followed by one or two ac-
completes, he wandered into the Tow
er OF London. From room TO room he
and his friends went, gazing in open
mouthed wonder at the sights, as any
party of simple country folk might
have done. At length they came to
the apartment where the crown and
orb" and scepter and other royal
jewels OF England were Kept.
At signal, Edwards, the guardian
of the treasure, was attacked. lie de.
Tended himself and was nearly muir
dered, Leaving Edwards bound on
the floor, Blood snatched up the Jew
eled crown Of England. hid it under
his long clerical cloak and strolled
peacefully out OF the room One OF
his followers stole the orb" and fol-
lowed him.
. But the alarm had been raised. The
thieves We're chased and caught Thus
England was spared the unspeakable
humiliation OF losing its royal crown
by thief. Blood was thrown into
JAIL No one doubted that he would
be put to death at once. People won
dered what tortures would be inflicted
on the man who had dared to lay I'M
holy hands on the royal regalia
But Blood's luck held good. He
managed to get word to King Charles
II. that II he were executed there
were hundreds of friends who would
avenge his death. He is also said to
have been in the secret employ of the
dtssoiute Duke of Buckingham, who
was favorite of the king and who
hated the Duke Of Ormond 1t was
even whispered that Buckingham had
inspired Blood's attack ON Ormond
and that he perhaps counted ON pay
ing some OF his own ducaf gambling
debts out of the sale of the stolen
crown jewels.
In any case, instead of ordering
Blood's immediate execution. Charles
II. actually visited him In prison. No
one knows just what took place dur
Ing the interview or what royal scan
dals Blood threatened tofexpose II lee
were killed. To every ones surprise,
Charles not only set Blood free, but
placed him in high favor at court and
granted him pension of $500 a
year.
For the next ten years Blood was a
parsonage OF Importance in London
The thief and blackmailer waxed rich
(while poor Edwards was refused
even a petty reward for his plucky de-
tense Of the crown jewes) AT last,
the lucky man went too far lie
spread scandalous stories about his
patron, Buckingham-probabIy by
way OF blackmail- was arrested.
He was released on bail. In Au-
gust, 1880, he died under somewhat
suspicious circumstances while wait
Ing to be tried