he robberies of this noted chief became more audacious and extensive
every day, and at last he established a kind of "black mail" among the
Jews, at their own request. Accompanied one day by only two of his
comrades, he did not hesitate to attack a cavalcade of forty-five Jews
and five Christian peasants. The booty taken was only two bundles of
tobacco, the robbers returning some provisions on a remonstrance from
one of the Jews, who pleaded poverty. Schinderhannes then ordered them
to take off their shoes and stockings, which he threw into a heap,
leaving to every one the care of finding his own property. The affray
that ensued was tremendous; the forty-five Jews who had patiently
allowed themselves to be robbed by three men, fought furiously with each
other about their old shoes; and the robber, in contempt of their
cowardice, gave his carbine to one of them to hold while he looked on.
His daring career at length drew to a close, and he and his companions
were arrested by the French authorities, and brought to trial. The
chief, with nineteen others, were condemned to death in November, 1803,
and Julia Blaesius to two years' imprisonment. The former met his fate
with characteristic intrepidity, occupied to the last moment with his
cares about Julia and his father.--_From the Foreign Quarterly
Review.--An excellent work_.
* * * * *
RESTROSPECTIVE GLEANINGS.
* * * * *
OLD MANSIONS.
We are in the habit of passing by our old stone manor houses without
knowing that they were important village fortresses, and substitutes for
castles. That this is the fact is beyond all doubt, for Margaret Paston,
writing to Sir John, says, "Ry't w'chipful hwsbond, I recomawnd to zw
and prey zw to gete some crosse bowis and wydses (windlasses to strain
cross-bows,) and quarrels (arrows with square heads) for zr howsis her
ben low, yat yer may non man schet owt wt no long bowe." From hence we
learn that the service of the long bow was connected with elevation in
the building.
* * * * *
LEGAL CRUSHING TO DEATH.
At the assizes in Sussex, August, 1735, a man who pretended to be dumb
and lame, was indicted for a barbarous murder and robbery. He had been
taken up upon suspicion, several spots of blood, and part of the
property being found upon him. When he was brought to the bar, he would
not speak or plead, though often ur
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