a dozen
knockdowns and a general cramming of the station-house with
drunken vagabonds overnight. It is said that when the immense
majority for Caesar at the polls in the market was declared the
other day, and the crown was offered to that gentleman, even his
amazing unselfishness in refusing it three times was not
sufficient to save him from the whispered insults of such men as
Casca, of the Tenth Ward, and other hirelings of the disappointed
candidate, hailing mostly from the Eleventh and Thirteenth and
other outside districts, who were overheard speaking ironically
and contemptuously of Mr. Caesar's conduct upon that occasion.

"We are further informed that there are many among us who think
they are justified in believing that the assassination of Julius
Caesar was a put-up thing--a cut-and-dried arrangement, hatched by
Marcus Brutus and a lot of his hired roughs, and carried out only
too faithfully according to the programme. Whether there be good
grounds for this suspicion or not, we leave to the people to
judge for themselves, only asking that they will read the
following account of the sad occurrence carefully and
dispassionately before they render that judgment.

"The Senate was already in session, and Caesar was coming down
the street towards the Capitol, conversing with some personal
friends, and followed, as usual, by a large number of citizens.
Just as he was passing in front of Demosthenes & Thucydides'
drug-store, he was observing casually to a gentleman, who, our
informant thinks, is a fortune-teller, that the Ides of March
were come. The reply was, 'Yes, they are come, but not gone yet.'
At this moment Artemidorus stepped up and passed the time of day,
and asked Caesar to read a schedule or a tract or something of the
kind, which he had brought for his perusal. Mr. Decius Brutus
also said something about an 'humble suit' which _he_ wanted
read. Artemidorus begged that attention might be paid to his
first, because it was of personal consequence to Caesar. The
latter replied that what concerned himself should be read last,
or words to that effect. Artemidorus begged and beseeched him to
read the paper instantly.[1] However, Caesar shook him off, and
refused to read any petition in the street. He then entered the
Capitol, and the crowd followed him.

"About this time the following conversation was overheard, and we
consider t