USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Ludlow > History of Ludlow, Vermont > Part 12
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at that time, for housewives to obtain fresh yeast of each other. On his way home, which was where Harold Ford now lives, the horse became frightened at a hog in the roadside at the place where Owen Donahue's family now lives, and, turning, ran back down the hill. The boy was thrown off, one foot caught in the stirrup, and he was dragged by the running horse till he reached the place where E. C. Ford's house stands, when his head struck a stump, killing him instantly. His funeral was the first funeral in Ludlow, south of the river.
March 24, 1847, Hannah, a little daughter of Pat Lana- han, about four and a half years of age, was drowned in the pen-stock that carried the water to the old grist- mill. It was a fulling-mill at that time. The child was play- ing with other children on the bulk-head which was above where the high, rail-road bridge now is, and fell into the flume back of the iron grating that stopped the drift-wood, and was drawn into the pen-stock. Joel Warner recovered the lifeless body at the mill.
Elnathan, son of Benjamin Warren, was accidentally killed by his brother, Horace, who struck the point of a scythe into his brain while mowing fodder corn. The ac- cident occurred in 1846. The father of the boys lived on East Hill, on the farm known as the Major Spaulding farm. On the day when the accident occurred, they had been given a stint to cut so much corn, and then they could go to a barn-raising that one of their neighbors, Surrey Burpee, was to have. Thinking that corn-cutters were too slow implements for the work, the older boy took the scythe which did the deadly work.
An incident is related of this Mr. Burpee, which is worthy of mention. While doing his haying one summer, some of his hay got wet several times. After a while, he got it dried sufficiently to go into the barn, when a thunder shower came up and again wet the hay. While the shower was in progress, Br. Burpee stood in the door of his barn, uttering terrible oaths, and wishing that the lightning would strike the barn. He got his wish.
Allie and Freddie, sons of Aleck and Bridget Snow, aged respectively six and nine years, were drowned Dec.
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19, 1881. They were playing on the ice on the factory pond near Pond street, and one of them broke through. The other went to his rescue, and he, too, went under the ice. They were bright little fellows, and the entire community sympathized with the bereaved parents.
Albert M. Marvin was killed a little above the Electric light plant on the North Hill road, Nov. 23, 1892. He was at that time occupying the farm on North Hill, known as the L. G. Fullam farm, and was drawing stove-wood to the village. His team started to run on the pitch above where the watering trough stood, and his body was found beside the road a short distance below. It was not known whether he was thrown from the load, or jumped off, hoping to be able to stop the team, as he did not recover consciousness
Nov. 5, 1851, Mary and Charles, children of Cyrus and Eliza Baker, aged respectively seven and four years, were killed while at play near an ox-cart body that was turned up on the edge. It fell upon them, killing Mary instantly, and injuring Charles so that he lived but three days. Mr. Baker, at that time, lived where Mrs. Ackley now lives, at the Lawrence mill near Grahamsville.
Richard Dunbar, son of Frederick Dunbar, was drowned at the upper end of the factory pond, Sept. 1, 1846. He was a good swimmer, but sacrificed his life to fulfill his pledge of safety to a smaller boy who had become fright- ened. We give great honor to the hero who yields up his life on the field of battle, but the heroism of this sacrifice is no less worthy of a tribute of praise. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Mrs. Mary Wing was killed on May 26, 1889. At the time of her death, Mrs. Wing lived in the tenement above D. C. Barney's marble-shop, which was reached by out- side stairs on the south side of the building. While des- cending these stairs, she lost her balance, fell, and was instantly killed.
July 7, 1900, Nathan Stowe, the ten year old son of M. J. Stowe, was killed on Main street in front of the Bank. He was riding a bicycle, and accidentally colliding with a team driven by Henry J. West, was thrown from his bicycle, run over, and almost instantly killed.
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MURDERS
Matthew Leonard was murdered in Ludlow, Sept. 3, 1848. He came to town from Concord, N. H., three weeks previous to the date of his death, and entered the employ of the company then building the railroad through this town. He was given the charge of a gang of workmen near Smithville, and lived in a shanty that stood on the west side of the road, between the covered bridge and the rail- road at Smithville. At this time, there were large gangs of Irish workmen, stationed along the line of the road, and the work was divided into sections. There was a large gang in Section Four in Cavendish, and another gang in each of the sections Eight and Nine in Ludlow. These men all came from Ireland, some from Connaught in western Ire- land, who called themselves Connaught men, and some from Cork, on the southern coast, who were called Cork- onians. These two classes had sectional differences in their own country, dating back, possibly, to the time when they were separate tribes under separate chieftains, and their jealous feeling was not laid aside here. When fired by American new rum, which was plenty for all classes in those days, this ancient feud broke out in furious affrays, which were annoying to people in the vicinty.
Mr. Leonard was a Connaught man, and was a very powerful man. People who knew him said that he was six feet and two inches tall, and as well built as any man that ever lived in Ludlow, but unfortunately, like many men of strong physical make-up, his appetites were equally strong, and the liquor so freely used in those times, often took away his discretion. On the day preceding his death, he attended an Irish funeral in Cavendish, and, as on all such occasions at that time, those attending were more or less under the influence of strong drink. Mr. Leonard had partaken freely of that demoralizing liquid that is the cause of ninety per cent of all the crimes perpetrated in this world, and on his way home, met a dozen or more of the Corkonians near Smithville, not far from the Cavendish line. Mr. Leonard saluted them with "How do you do, gentlemen?" and received from one of the others the
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reply, "How do you know we are gentlemen?" Mr. Leonard replied that he supposed every American was a gentleman. For some reason, this aroused their anger, and they began to throw stones, and this was followed by a general knock- down, in which Mr. Leonard came off victorious. That night, a gang went to his shanty, entered it, struck Mrs. Leonard, injuring her somewhat, and killed Mr. Leonard. Their son, Benjamin, was about a year old at the time, and his mother, fearing that all would be murdered, put little Ben into the stove oven. It was found afterward that several bullets were fired through the stove-pipe. The following men were arrested for the murder: Thomas Kennedy, John McGrath, Peter McGrath, John Bolton, Bryan Kennedy, John Ken- nedy, Michael Dougan, Patrick Graham, Michael Hautuet, John Castelous, Michael Castelous, David Caine, Thomas Lynde, Thomas Tubraty, Thomas Mahoney, Thomas Hayes, John Case, Michael Cashen, and Michael O'Brien.
An inspection of the record of the evidence and action of the court, shows that no one was convicted of the crime. The testimony was difficult to take, as the Irish brogue was hard to understand.
Mr. Leonard was buried in the consecrated burying- ground of the Catholics, at Claremont, N. H. In March, 1849, seven months after the burial, Sewall Fullam, at that time State's Attorney, had the body taken up to have the bullets removed from the body as states' evidence. The remains were found in as good condition as when buried, and the blood in the body seemed fresh.
Aug. 6, 1871, three Italian organ-grinders came to town. One of them, Angelo Maggiolo, after playing in the streets of the village, put up for the night at the house of Antoine Bordeau, who lived at that time in the old "Bee-hive" near the cemetery. The following day, Angelo was missing, but no alarm was given, as it was thought he had left the place during the night. Eight or ten days later, Rev. N. F. Perry, while out walking north of the cemetery, discovered the body of the missing Italian, buried in leaves. Even then the body was badly decomposed, and that fact led to its dis- covery. One of the other Italians was arrested on suspicion, and kept in jail for several months, but as no convicting
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evidence could be produced against him, he was set at liberty. Suspicion then fell upon Bordeau, but there was not sufficient evidence to warrant his arrest. A few years later, he died in Keene, N. H., and just before his death, he confessed to murdering Angelo Maggiolo on the morn- ing of Aug. 7, 1871.
We find record of but these two murders in town, where trials were held, but a third is said to have occurred here. At the time when the railroad was being built, one of the employees, John Hart, became possessed of the idea that he must whip Ephraim Warren, a carpenter in Ludlow, and a peaceable citizen. Mr. Warren lived at the time in a house that stood where Henry E. Howard now lives on Andover street. He was an unusually strong man, with broad shoulders, arms like piston-rods, and fists like wooden mallets. One night, Hart called at Mr. Warren's house, ac- companied by a gang of peace-breakers, and called for Mr. Warren, who replied from his bed, and asked what was wanted. "I came to whip you," says Hart. "All right" says Mr. Warren, "I will be out as soon as I can put on my pants." Hart stationed himself at the door, ready to deal the first blow, but Mr. Warren, knowing his errand, was on his guard, and took that advantage himself, as soon as the door was opened, and dealt Hart so powerful a blow that it killed him instantly. His friends buried the body in the filling at the west end of the high railroad bridge. Mr. Warren, fearing the consequences of his act, of course said nothing, but waited for the results. Hart, being a new- comer in town, was not missed, and his companions, not caring to reveal their own share in the matter, did not make it public. The information in regard to the incident has been gleaned from time to time from men who were living in town at that time, or were employed in building the railroad.
CLIMATE
Ludlow has many natural features of her own. The cli- mate, in the short summers that prevail here, is delightful, and the waters of the natural springs found on every hill- side, are as pure, cool, and bracing, as can be found in any
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part of the world. The winters are a drawback to the in- habitants of the town, especially to the farmers, as cattle often have to be fed from the first of September till June, and what is gained in summer has to be used up in winter. In most of the winters, the snow falls to a great depth, ranging from six to twelve feet. The mountain to the west of the town, stands like a huge snow fence, the snow on the west side of it, being blown over the pinnacle to the east side, where it remains till late in the spring, delaying the advance of nature from two to three weeks later than the starting of vegetation in the Connecticut valley. The winters are cold and blustering, and the snow is often piled into huge drifts over the highways, delaying travel from two to four days. There have been instances in town, where deaths occurred three or four miles out of the village, and the remains had to be drawn to the village cemetery on a hand-sled. There is but little sunshine in the winter months, and snow squalls are as numerous as mosquitoes in Virginia. People wait patiently but anxiously for the return of spring, which comes at a late date, and vegetation starts with a bound. Potatoes, corn, and small grains usually ripen before the early frosts in September. The annual visit of the birds is of about five months dura- tion.
Striking a balance between the good and bad freaks of the weather as compared with those of other places, many of the old inhabitants think Ludlow a good place in which to be born, live, and die.
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS
The following is a list of the Revolutionary soldiers who have lived in Ludlow, as nearly as can be ascertained : Josiah Fletcher, Ephraim Dutton, Moses Page (died Aug. 1, 1838, aged 85 yrs.), Jonathan Whitcomb (died June 6, 1842,) Lewis Caldwell, Emery Burpee, Cyrus Keyes, Levi Adams, Benjamin Whitmore, Hezekiah Haven, Ira Sweat, Thomas Weatherbee (died Oct. 28, 1848, aged 92 yrs.), Ephraim Heald (died Nov. 6, 1834, aged 92
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yrs.), John Spafford (died Jan. 27, 1840, aged 83 yrs.), David Bradford, and Frank Sinclair. Mr. Bradford was in " the battle of Bunker Hill, and while engaged, strayed from his comrades, and was surrounded by a number of the enemy. He was a large, powerful man, and he used the butt of his flint-lock gun over the heads of the British soldiers with such good effect, that he escaped unharmed. Frank Sinclair was born in Scotland, and, at an early age, joined the British army. After crossing the ocean, he con- cluded that he preferred his American cousins, so he de- serted from the British, and joined the American army. After the war closed, he settled in Ludlow, up the stream west of the Charles Esty place.
SOLDIERS OF 1812
The following soldiers in the Second War for Inde- pendence, have resided in Ludlow: Ira Hall, Daniel Keyes, Daniel Hemenway, Curtis Adams, Abel Adams, Daniel Sawyer, Sr., and Orris Brooks. Michael Gilligan served in the Mexican war, and Benjamin Barrett enlisted into the U. S. service for the same war, from Ludlow.
LUDLOW IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION
When, in 1861, President Lincoln made his first call for troops to maintain the Union, and put down the treason that had been brewing at the south for years, the patriotic sons of Ludlow promptly responded, and were ever ready to push to the front to defend the nation, and give equal rights and freedom to all men, black or white, throughout the whole length and breadth of the land. At a town meeting held June 30, 1861, the sum of two thousand dollars was appropriated to purchase outfits for the vol- unteers, and furnish each one with ten dollars in cash. Also to provide for their families during their absence, a bounty of one hundred dollars was offered in the fall of 1862, for nine months men, and when the call for three hundred thousand men was made in 1863, a town meeting
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was held Dec. 19, and the selectmen were authorized to offer a bounty of five hundred dollars, to fill the quota of the town. In the following May, still another town meet- ing was held, and the selectmen were instructed to fill the quota demanded to avoid a draft, and pay such a bounty to volunteers as they saw fit. The following is the list of soldiers enrolled from Ludlow, as nearly as can be ascer- tained : Volunteers for three years credit previous to call for 300,000 volunteers of Oct. 17, 1863:
Adams, Daniel O.
Fullam, Benoni B.
Adams, John W.
Fullam, Volney S.
Adams, Wayland
Fuller, Freeman H.
Balch, Edward E.
Gassett, Albert
Baldwin, James F.
Gassett, Oscar
Barrett, John
Gorham, James T.
Barton, Dorman
Gould, Elbert M.
Barton, Rufus F.
Greeley, Hiram
Bingham, Leonard P.
Green, Josiah M.
Bishop, Chas. Wayland
Grover, Martin E.
Bixby, Hiram P.
Hall, Artemas W.
Buckley, John M.
Hastings, Joseph L.
Burbank, Geo. B.
Haven, Lowell W. Haven, Prescott R.
Chapin, Wm. A., Jr.
Hemenway, Daniel D.
Clark, Jasper N.
Hemenway, Henry G.
Cleveland, Henry C.
Heselton, Abner C.
Clement, Wm. A.
Heselton, Moses P.
Colby, Henry W.
Howe, Oramel G.
Cooledge, Daniel F.
Keating, Daniel
Cooledge, John T.
Kelly, Francis
Cummings, Thomas R.
Kennedy, Patrick C.
Davis, Leander D.
Lawrence, Henry E.
Dodge, Lorenzo A. Dow, Chas. W.
Mandigo, Henry H.
Dunbar, Ervin M.
May, Albert A.
Dunbar, Jesse B.
Moore, Alonzo E.
Dutton, Henry F.
Moore, Armin E.
Eaton, Addison F.
Moore, Charles W.
Ellison, Sewall
Parker, Sylvester H.
Finnegan, Patrick
Parkhurst, Simeon L.
Gilligan, Michael
Barrett, William J.
Gould, Enos M.
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Little, Arthur
Perham, Salmon E. Pier, Orris Pollard, Henry L.
Sargent, Frank D.
Sargent, Henry H.
Sawyer, Alphonso
Sawyer, Geo. M.
Simonds, Erastus M.
Reed, Charles A.
Snell, Hyland Stickney, Fred B.
Reed, Joseph U.
Reed, Sullivan E.
Strong, Sylvester C.
Riggs, Henry H.
Wadleigh, Isaac N.
Roberts, Augustus L.
Wakefield, Freeman
Rock, Levi
Whitcomb, Asahel S.
Ross, Duane O.
Ross, Ulric T.
Whitney, R. Elmore Wyman, Chas. H.
Credits under call of Oct. 17, 1863, for 300,000 vol- unteers, and subsequent for volunteers for three years :
Bingham, Marlow
Pollard, James
Bingham, Leonard P.
Snow, Charles
Chapman, Wm. H. H.
Spafford, Geo. F.
Ingalls, Lucius
Wakefield, Freeman
Langdon, Samuel
Lockwood, Horatio S.
Volunteers for one year :
Archer, Albertus J.
Archer, Albert N.
Barlow, Frederick H.
Barnard, Frederick G.
Reed, Joseph U.
Riley, Thomas
Bell, Samuel Dailey, Timothy, Jr.
Root, Asahel J.
Fletcher, Hazen T.
Sartwell, Lyman R.
Frazier, James
Smith, Byron
Fullam, Benoni B.
Smith, Milo
Green, Edward H.
Snell, John
Hastings, James M., Jr. Hayes, John
Snow, Alex
Snow, Moses
Horwell, Chas. H. .
Taylor, Samuel R.
Withington, John
Kennedy, Patrick C. May, Edgar
McMorton, Peter
Moore, Francis A.
Reed, Jonathan H.
Wheeler, Edwin H.
Woodis, John P.
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Pollard, John B. Pratt, Augustus H.
Volunteers for nine months: Barnard, Frederick G. Bixby, Marquis J. Clark, Martin V. B. Fletcher, Hazen Horwell, Charles Hastings, James M., Jr.
Johnson, Daniel
Lamb, Zenal C. Osborne, Orlando S.
Pettigrew, Benjamin F. Ross, Surry M. Sargent, Darwin R. Smith, Milo
Snell, John
Sullivan, Michael Warren, Leonard R.
Whitney, Lysander
Wiley, John E.
Volunteers re-enlisted :
Adams, Daniel O.
Grover, Martin E.
Archer, Norman
Fuller, Freeman H.
Haven, Lowell P. May, Albert A.
Gould, Enos M.
Volunteers for three months:
Barber, Joseph
Bingham, Leonard P.
Lawrence, Henry E.
Bishop, Chas. W.
Levey, George
Bixby, Hiram P.
Pier, Orris
Buckley, John M.
Pollard, John B.
Buckley, Wm. H. H.
Sargent, Frank D.
Cleveland, Henry C.
Furnished under draft and paid commutation : Bailey, Martin
Bixby, Chas. C.
Coffin, Geo. H.
Procured substitute : Fullam, Leighton G.
Pettigrew, Elon G.
Hemenway, Chas. W.
Royce, Addison R.
Hemenway, R. N.
Walker, George E.
Kelsey, Wm. H.
Walker, Wm. H.
Patrick, William A.
Whitney, Henry A.
Entered service : Chapman, Albert Chapman, Alvin
Porter, James H. Wyman, Martin
Veteran reserve corps: Sargent, Francis D. Miscellaneous not credited by name: nine men.
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Gould, Enos M.
Merritt, Wm. H. Sears, Wm. L.
The boys who left their comfortable homes, full of life and courage, in the years of 1861 and 1862, in de- fense of their country's flag, little knew to what suffering and hardship they would be exposed. Three years shat- tered and thinned their ranks almost beyond recognition. Many were buried on the southern battle-fields by their comrades, others died the more lingering death by starv- ation, among the awful horrors of the southern prisons, while some escaped with barely the thread of life un- broken. Of those who were spared to return home, nearly all came back wounded, and many maimed for life. Now and then a man is found who served his country faith- fully for three years, and passed through the terrible baptism of fire unscathed, but such cases were very rare. Many of the Ludlow boys were members of the Vermont Brigade, so famous in history for the indom- itable courage of its men.
The war was expensive to Ludlow in money, as well as in the loss of her sons. The expense to the town was $26,802.30, and, added to this, the money and supplies furnished by the churches and private citizens, would doubtless swell the amount to more than $50,000.
A few of the old soldiers, who resided in Ludlow after the war, seem deserving of special mention. Hiram P. Bixby was born in Ludlow, Oct. 28, 1834, and enlisted in Company I, Second Vermont Volunteers, Oct. 7, 1861. He was wounded May 3, 1863, at Fredericksburg, Va., a minie ball passing through his right arm about midway between the wrist and elbow, and then entirely through his body, through the right lung. The ball struck him as he was turning his ramrod. Recovery from such a wound seems little less than a miracle. He died July 6, 1898.
Col. R. E. Hathorn was born in Londonderry, Vt., Nov. 3, 1843, enlisted in Company G, Eleventh Vt. Volunteers, Aug. 11, 1862, and was mustered out of the service June 24, 1865. He was engaged in the battles of Spottsylvania, Va., May 15 to 18, 1864, Opequan, Va., Sept. 19, 1864, Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, Petersburg, Mar. 25 to 27, 1865, and Petersburg Apr. 2, 1865. He was never wounded nor excused from duty except for a very short time, and
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was a faithful servant to his country. He became a resi- dent of Ludlow July 31, 1865, and was engaged in the harness business. He died Jan. 10, 1931.
Frederick A. Fish was born in Townshend, Vt., Apr. 5, 1842, and was mustered into the U. S. service in June, 1861. He served his country nearly four years, and was engaged in twenty-three different battles, among them Bull Run, Spottsylvania, and Antietam. He is credited with being one of the bravest soldiers in the service, and was never wounded, excused from duty, or absent from roll- call. It seems almost incredible that a man could stand as a target through so many battles, with tons upon tons of lead and iron hurled over and around him, and escape without a scratch. Thousands upon thousands of his friends and comrades lost their lives by his side, while he was spared. He was a resident of Ludlow for more than thirty years.
Hyland Snell was born in Ludlow, Vt., June 11, 1836, enlisted into the U. S. service in Company I, Second Ver- mont Volunteers June 11, 1861, and was mustered out June 27, 1864. He was engaged in the following battles: Bull Run, July 20, 1861, Lee's Mills, Apr. 17, 1862, Wil- liamsburg, May 5, 1862, Fair Oaks, May 31, and June 1, 1862, Golden's Farm, June 26, 1862, Savage Station, June 29, 1862, White Oak Swamp, June 30, 1862, Mal- vern Hill, July 2, 1862, Second Bull Run, July 30, 1862, South Mountain, Sept. 2, 1862, Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, and Fredericksburg Heights, May 3, 1863. In the last battle he was wounded in the right leg, which was injured for life. He was never taken prisoner, though he said he "had the offer of it several times." His comrades ranked him among the country's most fearless defenders. He died Oct. 20, 1904, at the age of sixty-eight years.
Many others are worthy of mention, but it would re- quire many volumes to do justice to all.
The private soldiers endured much hardship and suf- fering, aside from that inflicted by the enemy. They were often compelled to march thirty or forty miles in a day, sometimes ending the long, weary tramp through dusty
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roads, or, still worse, southern clay mud, at double-quick. Whether it was under a blazing southern sun, or a cease- less down-pour of rain, the task must be accomplished, and "Tramp, tramp, tramp" had far more meaning to the foot-sore and weary soldier, than to those who sung the words in the safety of their homes could conceive of.
Usually, they carried six day's rations in their haver- sacks, in addition to a heavy army blanket, a rubber blan- ket, half a sutler's tent, sixty rounds of cartridges, and a canteen of water, in all weighing about sixty pounds, be- sides a gun that weighed ten pounds. Even after one of these fatiguing marches, they must form at sunset for dress parade, and some must do picket duty, that the rest might sleep without fear of surprise by the enemy. After long marches, some would be so foot-sore and exhausted that they would lie down supperless on the wet ground, to forget their sufferings for a few short hours in sleep.
At first, a common soldier's pay was eleven dollars per month, board, and uniforms, but later, the pay was raised to thirteen dollars per month. He drew as daily rations, one pound of salt pork or beef, usually salt beef, one pound of hard-tack, a substitute for bread so hard that it often had to be pounded fine before it could be eaten, and one pound of coffee and one of sugar for six days. They drew one old- fashioned candle each day for a tent which usually ac- commodated four men, and twice a week, beans were cooked by the company cook and passed around. The diet became very monotonous and unappetizing after two or three years on the same bill of fare, and he was reckoned as fortunate whose friends remembered him occasionally with a box of more tempting fare. While in winter quarters, there was more comfort for the soldier, his tasks being few except drill parade two or three times a week.
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