owed by the most distinguished nobility of both
sexes in great numbers, and lastly a countless multitude of God-fearing
people.

"The accomplice of the murderer, Levi Huesel Kurtzhandl, was the son of
wealthy parents at Prague; he was tall, and twenty years of age, with a
daring countenance, was passionate, had a bold eloquence and ready wit,
and was perfectly acquainted with the Talmud, which he had studied
eleven years. He had concealed himself with his Jewish bride nine miles
from Prague. After diligent inquiries, armed men were despatched there
who put him in irons, and brought him in a carriage to Prague on the
22nd of March. Although the commissaries, having formerly had similar
cases, doubted whether the least atom of truth could be extracted from
this flint, yet they confronted him with the witnesses. But
notwithstanding the affidavits of three witnesses, he acknowledged
nothing. He was threatened with the executioner and the rack, but that
had no more effect upon him than threatening a crab with drowning. For
he trusted he should be able to endure the rack, and so escape. Nay, he
was hardy enough to say, that this trial was carried on contrary to all
law and justice. Thus he was, according to law, condemned to the wheel
on the evidence of three witnesses, though without his own confession.

"He however hindered the execution of the sentence for seven months,
having by means of a Jewish relation brought the affair before his
Imperial Majesty Leopold. The proceedings were now delayed by Jewish
tricks, and so tardily carried on, that it might plainly be seen, that
the culprit was only seeking a delay of some years in order to obtain a
mitigation of punishment or to obviate it by a voluntary death. At last
the tribunal obtained an order that the accused should deliver in his
defence within fourteen days; his frivolous pleas were rejected, and
the sentence of the tribunal confirmed by his Imperial Majesty. He
however adhered to his declaration: 'I am innocent of the blood of the
murdered boy.' This he oft repeated before Father Johannes Brandstedter
of the Society of Jesus, an unwearied apostolical labourer, who met a
blessed death four days after Kurtzhandl, from the virulent poison he
had imbibed in the work of love by a sick bed. When he inquired of the
condemned whether he could meet death with resignation, and exhorted
him to the reception of the saving faith, Levi answered with a cheerful
aspect and without e