A FRIGHTFUL AFFAIR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1526, 16 December 1886, Page 1

A FRIGHTFUL AFFAIR.

The following'horrible stprj is reported in an Italian! paper,, This incident occurred at S. Giovanni a Teduocioj a town near Naples. > A poor mad'woman,,falsely believed to have .hydrophpbia, was followed! in the streets by a mob intent on killing her. Especially one/man repea tedlytook-up -a.big ,_atone..wit.hboth bands and threw at at her.' The unhappy creature fell under the blows, rising only to fall again.* The crowd was; inspired by the brutal fury so easily propagated in a mob when it believes itself justified in executing summary justice. 'on Some miserable creature—a fury that is only increased by the sight! of blood. There, was actual 'rivalry as to who should give .the •; murderous final blow; Women thre.w stones, chairs,, whatever came./first I to'hand. Strong young men struck at the! poor 'ttaaniac with thick-;sticks.'• '■■!'Weak and dizzy with pain, ■ the 'Unfortunate orlature crawled alongy-her hair dishevelled, her face covered with; blood , and dirt. In this state she-reached the house of the head-policeman, -who atobd regarding the scene with'crossed; arms fcom.ltbe causeway by.,his, subordinates. The mob now proceeded to‘bind hbr. In fact,< a slip knot was. made in a; rope, and passed round her neck, and she was thus dragged' along, the .ground intpSficourtyard, her head; the pavement repeatedly. Tnen her feet were tied with another rope, and her bauds with a thin string., But the owner of the courtyard drove her put again, upon which the mob fastened her by the rope round her neck to. a ring on r the. closed door, and by the rope round Her feet to a post opposite. Now she was safe, and the mPb bejgan’to mock fieri having no longer any fear. At every movement of her body the slip-knot tightened/ti Someone, rather more humane than-his fellows, relieved her of this: rope,’on which she fell to the ground, striking .her head agajnei the edge of the causeway.• Finally it entered the liead of the chief policeman to send the mad Woman to the asylum ; .and after an there' arrived one of the wooden boxes used to transport the corpses. It was of coarse, destitute pfiali; that was necessary to, transport a living,-and, above-all a-wouhded, ..person. Into this-'box; or coffin tba; unhappy lunatic was dragged, by the hair, the cover wa« placed over her,, and . she wah carried, off j while for time were heard dull thuds as her limbs'; while she was struggling in delirium, struck the sides of the 1 wooden box, -The,;unhappy woman -had become iosAnb 'because ber liasbaifd', a m -sor, fell from a scaffolding and was killed bo'the spbt/i