A JEWISH HERO.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 912, 26 January 1881, Page 2

A JEWISH HERO.

In a little village in Hungary there lived many years ago a Jew 7 who gained his living by carrying goods from place to place. He was so upright and honest that it w r as commonly said of him, “ You might fill his waggon with a load of ducats without securing them in any way, and not miss a single coin.” Summer and winter, rain or fair, he might be seen driving his horse and well-laden waggon, sometimes here, sometimes there, gaining his livelihood and that of his wife and children literally by the sweat of his brow. He was so strong 100, and powerfully made that often without assistance he drew the unfortunate animal out of the heavy bogs, which still exist, and render the roads in that part of the country in rainy weather almost impassable. One day a carriage drawn by two horses appeared in sight, while the carrier with his heavy load was painfully toiling through the deep mud, “ Get out of the way,” cried the coachman of the empty carriage. “It is you who should give place,” said the Jew, “ for you have two horses and no weight to carry. 4 ’ —‘‘ Dog of a Jew ! Take that!’ exclaimed the coachman, hitting the carrier a heavy stroke with his whip. Our gigantic friend could not stand this, and seizing a piece of wood which was beside him, he hit the coachman an unfortunate blow which killed him on the spot. Much concerned, he placed the body within the carriage, returned home at once, and communicated the occurrence to the chief of the police, giving himself up as guilty of murder. Committed to prison, he quietly awaited his trial, while general consternation reigned throughout the community in which the honest carrier was held in high esteem. Friends were not lacking, who spared neither money nor trouble in their efforts to save the unfortunate man ; his hitherto blameless life and the fact of his having had no intention whatever of

committing murder, also pleading strongly in his favor. The day of trial arrived; the examination began; sympathy for the prisoner was so general that the very questions put to him were worded in such a manner that he might easily have cleared himseif from the charge of murder.” “ No, gentlemen,” he said, “it may be that in the eyes of human justice I am not guilty and do not deserve death, but I cannot live with such a heavy weight upon my conscience ; therefore I beg

to be allowed to suffer capital punishment as the only expiation of my crime One favor only I ask, that my remains may be interred in our own cemetery, that I may sleep amongst my own people, and may be buried quietly in the early morning according to the rites of our religion.” His request was granted, but there were tears in many eyes when sentenced was pronounced. A few days later a small, sad procession was seen quietly wending its way to the Jewish cemetery, people of all creeds uniting to pay this last respect to one who, although he had died the death of a criminal, was none the less innocent, and as true a hero as many of those who have played a leading part in the world’s history. —Jewish World.