THE CATTLE SLAYER AND THE MURDERER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 761, 17 November 1876, Page 3

THE CATTLE SLAYER AND THE MURDERER.

—o —- f There lately died in Hungary a Jew, a cattle slayer by profession, with? whose life thei’e is connected an incident which deserves to he recorded,; bearing testimony as it does to coolness in a moment of extreme danger, and the extraordinary presence of mind, at a time when, although most heeded it is generally absent. In the village of Motositz, in Hungary, there was one. Juda liob, who Idled the situation of teacher—and an excellent teacher he was—cattle slayer, and precentor. . Lob lived economically, and managed to save a good bit of money out of his salary. This he entrusted to the custody of the warden of the congregation, who was an inn-keeper. One day Lob I’ead in a Jewish paper the announcement of a vacancy in some congregation which held out better prospects than the office he now filled. He applied for the post and received it, and gave notice to his congregation, and received before his departure, together with his salary, his savings, which were kept by the warden in a closet. They were handed to him in the presence of several customers. He was further presented with a flask of brandy, a loaf of bread, and a piece of baked meat, all of which he put into his pockets and took his departure. The village is situated net far from the highway, and in, order to reach it a tract of woodland had .to he passed. Lob was just about passing a thicket along a lonely path, when he Beard himself called by his name and bidden to Stop. He turned round, and, to his horror, saw a powerful, rough-looking fellow who, hatchet in hand, was running after him, and Whom he had known as a suspicious character. The pursuer had been present when Lob’s salary was handed to him. “ Jew,” said the fellow in the Sclavonian language, “ you have money about you. I was present when you received it I must have it or you must die.” “John,” said Lob, trembling, “I know yon. You have blackened your face, still I know you live in Motositz. I saw you often in the tap-room of my warden.” “What,” said the rolffier, “ you know me and my name ? Then, Jew, you must die, that I may not be betrayed by you.” As all the eloquence and entreaties of Lob were of no avail, and when he saw that John was about to strike, he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the. flask of brandy and said, “ Now, John, since it cannot be altered, and you have made up your mind to kill me, X have a request to make. Do not torture nie long.. Do .it quickly, witli one blow. Here drink. It will steel your arm for the stroke, and let me, in the interim say my last prayer.” Tim wretch agreed to this. He greedily snatched.the flask from. Lob’s hand, and was just draining it, when, in a trice Lob drew from a side pocket his large slaughtering knife, and with one swoop his practised hand cut John’s throat. He fell to the ground snortingly. Lob hastened back to the village and reported the incident to the Syndic, The latter sent forthwith to the wife of the fellow and she said that her husband had gone oiit, taking with him a hatchet, and promising her to come home laden with rich spoil. The house was then searched, and , articles long missed were found, showing that he must have been guilty of many robberies and burglaries. Teacher Lob was extolled in the whole village as a courageous man; and received from the Syndic a .gold watch and a chain in acknowledgement of the .Service rendered to the neighborhood bv freeing it from so dangerous a character. Juda Lob died some time ago full of years. He left behind a soli who is an officer in the Austrian army.—Jewish Chronicle,