MISCELLANEOUS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 2002, 7 January 1875, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

CAPTURE OP MONSIGNOR THBODOII BY, BRIGANDS. {

[HOME NEWS.I The Italian papers give particulars of the capture of Monsignor Theodoli, one of the Pope's c: ;i::tberlaihs, by brigands. He was staying at the Monastery of Trisulti, and, after the custom of Roman prelates, was taking a walk after dinner in the woods, through which a road had recently been constructed, when five ruffians, armed with guns, stopped him, saying, in the Ne ipolitan dialect, " We've been waiting for you for the last 10 days. Now, then, follow us." It may easily be imagined in what state poor Monsignor Theodoli found himself. There was however, no help for it. He knew that any resistance would be useless, and he fol lowed the brigands to the top of . a hill. The servants, and the monks of the abbey, who at the usual hour saw no Monsiunor return, became frightened, and walked through the wood to see what had happened to the old prelate. Their fright soon changed into terror, when, meeting a young lad, they received from him a scroll of paper on which Monsignor Theodoli in bis own hand had written, "I am captured by the brigands, who demand 50,000 francs, for my ransom. Get the money at once, and be prudent." The servant and the monks ran back to the abbey, mustered some 20,000 francs, and carried them to the top of the hill when they found Monsia;nor Theodoli seated under a tree, with his coat torn to pieces, and crying like a child. Poor old man ! His position as a prisoner was not quite so pleasant as that of the other "prisoner" at the Vatican, with whom he would willingly have changed places. The brigands refused the money, saying that a Monsignor was not worth a farthing less than 60,000 francs, and refused to liberate the prelate. Monsignor Theodoli, followed by his servant, and of course the brigands, was dragged about for two days and two nights, from hill to hill, from forest to forest, until, at last, the entire sum demanded made its appearance. Then he was set free. The family and servants of Monsignor Theodoli, in order not to compromise the life of the prisoner, made no mention of the fact to the authorities until the captured prelate had been set at liberty. Now troops and policemen are searching every hole and corner, and there is no doubt that the ruffians will fall into the hands of the law. Aggression sof this nature were once common, not only in the province of Rome, but in Rome itself, under the Papal regime. They are not, however, common now. Hence the deep impression the news has created. DISASTROUS FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. A terrible fire took place on October 27, at Over, near Winsford, by which a large cotton mill of Messrs Abraham Haigh and Son was burnt almost entirely to the ground, and nine lives were lost. Of the noble building, which at 4 o'clock on Tuesday was in a perfect state, and contained some hundreds of people busily at work, there remains.but a small portion of the outer walls, and the confused heaps of smouldering dtibris. The splendid machinery with which the factory was fitted is twisted by the great heat into most fantastic shapes. The greatest excitement prevails in the neighbourhood, and hundreds of people are assembled around the wreck. Up to the • present time eight bodies have been discovered. Soon after the fire broke out a poor woman flung her child from a window on the sixth storey, and when picked up it was quite dead. Another child of the same woman dropped into a tank, and was Bayed. The mother then threw herself out, and her head coming in contact with the brickwork, her skull - was smashed into the . brains and scattered on the bystanders congregated near. Another woman was seen hanging by her feet in one of the windows. Her heartrendering screams were soon silenced, for the poor creature was literally roasted, and the charred body fell when the window was burned out.. At five o'clock next morning five other bodies were found by two firemen in a tower burnt to cinders, and beyond identification. Others are missing, and it is supposed that their remains are in an unexplored part of the ruins. Six of the bodies lie in a room of a neighboring beerhouse, and present a most sickening spectacle ; the other two are at a cottage close by. The loss is estimated at L 150,000. It is stated that the building was insured, but for not anything like the full value. The details of the catastrophe are harrowing in the extreme. . Since writing the above another body, making the ninth, supposed to be that of a missing man, has been found.