February 27, 2004

'The Murder of Mr. Grebell: Madness and Civility in an English Town'

By NINA C. AYOUB

Dubbed the "sanguinary butcher," but not for his trade, John Breads is still the talk of Rye, England. For more than 250 years, says Paul Kléber Monod, residents of the Sussex port have recalled Breads and his crime. Indeed, says the historian, the murderer is still being punished.

The basic facts are these:

In the early hours of a March morning in 1743, Breads, a meat cutter and former innkeeper, stabbed and killed one of Rye's leading citizens. However, Allen Grebell