Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-08-18
MI 7 s. G z IL A NJ x.
HE LAST TRIAL OF FIDELITY

The reign of Napoleon, worried and
ransacked as it has been by the writer's
Of memoirs, recollections and histories
is mine that still contains multitude
of rich, and as yet unexplored veins.
The history of the secret associations
that sprang up during the latest days
of the empire, would form most Gu
rious and interesting volume, and there
would be no lack of materials to fill it.
The Society Of the United Brothers a.
lone would furnish pages of the most
absorbing interest, while nothing could
appeal more forcibly TO the imagina-
ton than the strange and dramatic ep-
isodes connected with its existence and
the details of its mysterious limitations.
Perhaps hundred incidents might be
related as striking and well conceived
as the following:
An officer Of the French army, ha-
wing incurred the suspicion of resent
ment ofthe emperor, thought il expe-
dent to abandon his country, and take
refuge in one Of the Austrian provinces
and here he became advised Of, and
initiated into a society, whose object
was to hurl to the ground the COLOSSUS
whose arm smote and governed the
whole continent of Europe with scep-
ire of iron. One day a letter was
brought to him, containing the usual
signs and passwords ofthe society, and
requiring him TO repair on the follow
ing night to a secluded spot in the for
est, where he would meet some Of his
associates. He went, but he found
nobody. The orders were repeated
four times, at intervals of few days
and four times the officer sought the
appointed place, with no better success
than at first. On the fifth night of his
appearance at the rendezvous, after
waiting some time he was on the point
of returning, when loud cries suddenly
arrested his attention.
Drawing his sword he FASTENED to
the spot whence they seemed to pro-
coed, and was fred upon by three men
who seeing that he remained unwound-
ed, instantly took to fight; but at his
feet lay bleeding corpse, in which by
the feeble light Of the moon, he in vain
sou ght for tokens Of animation. He
was yet bending over the man, when
a detachment of chasseurs, summoned
apparently by the noise OF the pistols
that had been discharged by himself,
arrested him as the assassin. He was
loaded with chains, tried the next day
and condemned to die for his supposed
crime. His execution was ordered TO
take place at midnight. Surrounded
by the ministers of justice, he was led
at slow pace by the light of torches
and amid the funeral tolling of bells,
to a vast square, in the centre ofwhich
was a scafod, environed by horsemen
-beyondthese were numerous group
of spectators who muttered impatlently
and, at intervals, sent forth cry
Of adherence.
The victim mounted the scafiold, his
sentence was read, and the last act of
the tragedy was on the point of fulfil
ment when a officer let fall word of
hope. An edict had just been promul-
gated by the government, offering par
don and life to any condemned GRIMM
al who should disclose the members q
secret tokens of particular association
the existence of which was suspected
II was that Of which the Frenchman
was member. He was questioned,
but he denied all knowledge; they ur-
ged him to confess, with promises of
additional reward-his only reply was
a demand of immediate death-and his
initiation was completed. All that pas
sed was a terrible trial of his fidelity
those who surrounded him were men,
bers of the society, and every incident
that has been described, from the first
summons to the last fearful moment of
expected death was only a step in the
progress of the fearful experiment by
which they sought to determine the
trust worthiness of the neophyte.