The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-11-12
From the London Court Journal.
MYSTERIOUS STORY.

| Hc lOiloWluR etoIy NhS tGlhteu Oy bCU'
! crul Huron, in the winter Of lSl6-l7, ono
evening at Sir Sydney Smiths, in Paris.
The General stated that he had il from
Marshall Junot, Duke Of Abrontes who
was Governor Of Paris at the time il hap
pened, and must, there lore, nee essarily have
been well acquainted with ell the circum.
stancec attending H.
| In the year 1905, rs poor macon was
! returning one evening from his daily la.
bors he was met in an obscure street in
| Paris, by well dressed man, whose face
/ he nevor remembered 20 have seen before,
but who stopped him, and inquired of him,
10 what trade he belonged On being
answered that he was q mason. the man
said, that if he would wall a certain niche
which would be shewn 10 him, he should
receive as his reward fifty louisd'ors. The
stranger added, that ho must submit to
have his eyes covered, and to be carried in
that state for a considerable distance. To
all this tho mason readily consented partly
from curiosity, and partly from tho great.
ness of the reward offered 10 him for so
inconsiderablo work. The stranger i'm.
mediatoly placed a bandage over his eyes,
& having ed him by the band few PAGES,
they came to tho spot where carriage
waited Tor them, into which they bnth got
and 1t drove rapidly of. They soon got
out OF Paris;-at least so the mason con-
| jecturcd, from the noiso of the wheels 90.
ing over the stones having ceased. After
! having proceeded thus for about two hours,
the rafting Of stones returned, and they
seemed to the mason to have entered a
| mother town. shortly after which they stop.
| ped, and the mason was taken out Of the
carriagc,nnd led through several passages,
and up fight Of stairs, till they came to
! place where he heard the sound Of voices.
Here his eyes were uncovered, and he
found himself in large room, the walls,
roof, and floor Of which wero entirely hung
with black cloth, excepting niche on one
side which, was left open. by the side OF
il were placed considerable quantity of
stone and mortar, together with all the
tools necessary for tho work upon which the
mason was to be employed.
Tncro wero also several men in the room
whose faces were covered with masks.
One of these came up TO the mason, and
addressing himself 10 him, said, "hero are
the fifty lousd'ors which were promised
you; and there is only one condition TO be
exacted from you, which is that yoN must
never mention to any person what you may
see or hear in this place." This tho ma.
son promised, and at this instant another
man, who was also masked, entered the
room and demanded ifall was ready. Up.
on being answered in the affirmative, he
went out, and returned again IN a few min
utes with two other men both masked, and
one Of whom, from the whitcness Of his
hair, tho mason supposed TO be al old
man.
These three dragged in with thom q We
ry beautiful young woman, with her han
dishcveled, and her whole appearance be-
tokening great disorder. They pushcC
her with great violence towards the niche
into which they ut length succeeded il
forcing her, notwithstanding her struggling
and resistance. During this time she nev
er ceased alternately uttcring drcadiu
screams, and crying for mercy in the mos
piteous manner Once she got loose from
her prosecutors, and Immediately prostra
ted herself nj the feet of the old man, ant
, besought him to kill her al once 81 not lc
her suffer lingering death-but all IL
y vain.
When the three men had at last force,
! her into the niche, they held her there, &
COMMANDED the mason TO commence bi
work, and wall her up.
Upon Witnessing the dreadful scene, th'
mason fell on his knees, and entreated Z
to be permitted ios depart, without bein,
accessory to this act Of cruelty. The me-
however, told hun that this was impossible
They menaced him if he refused to per
form his promise, with instant death :
whereas, op tho other hand, If he compile
!. they said he should receive an addition;
fifty louisd'oTs when he had completed b
|. work.
This United threat and promise had sue
p an effect upon the mason, that he ins'on
ly did as he was commanded, and at la'
v actually walled up the poor victim, 80 al
render her escape impossible. She wi
Is then left to perish by slow degrees, witt
:, out light, air or sustenance.
When the mason had finished, he tecoi
cd the fifty additional louisd' 'ors; lis ey
Ia were again covered, he was led tbroul
, various passages as on his arrival; and
nnly put into the carriage, which drove
y. rapidly as before. When he was aga
taken out Of il, his eyes we're uncovered,
no he found himself standing on the exa
spot in Paris where he had first met q
d. stranger. Tie same man now stood b
side him, and addressed him, desired hi
ks not TO stir from the place where he tn,
vas for FIVE minutes, after which he W
o' at liberty 10 return home; adding, that
/. was a dead man If he moved before &
" time prescribed. lie then left him al
the mason having waited the five minute
'w proceeded straight TO the police officers,
= whom he told his story; and they consi
- cred the circumstance 30 curious,that tn
4 q L. 10