The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-07-27


residing in the Grand Square"
Charles Darancount was ere long, as his
friend De Valmont had been before him,
to prison on the charge OF muir
dering the st. Maues. The strange fate
which had thus caused suspicion TO fall on
the very dearest friends of the deceased,
made the case most remarkable in the eyes
of all men. Charles Darancourt was
brought fairly to trial. He defended HIM
self with equal calmness and ability decla-
ring the brooch to have been given to him
in a present by the Count dc St. Maure.
On the other hand the collector proved that
the Count had ever seemed 10 regard the
brooch as the most valuable of his family
Jewels, and had once refused it, in the wit
ness's hearing, 10 his own son. There
was on the very face of it improbabllty In
the notion that man of small fortune like
Count should give away jewel OF such
value as a meIe friendly present. 1t was
further proved that Ernest de St. Maure had
been last seen entering the prisoner house,
on the night before his disappearance and
being called forward TO tell what they knew,
Charles Darancourts three servants were
found to have been sent out OF the way on
various crrands, on the night in question.
A chain of presumptive evidence oil TINS
nature was established against Darancourt,
and in despite Of the talent with which ne
defended himself he was condemned 10 die
for the murder of St. Maures.
Charles Darancourt solemnly protested
his innocence, and continued to repeat the
assertion during the interval spent in await
ing The fulfiiment Of his sentence. The Ia
tai day at length came and the prisoner was
led out to the scaffiod to die an ignominlous
death in the presence of assembled thou
sands, who looked on with strangely MIN
gled feelings of pity and satisfaction, caus-
ed by the ambiguous and mysterious nature
of the case. The majority Of the specta-
tors c;suld not bring their minds to believe
in the commission of such wholesale muir
der BY one man,and tha! man an ingenious
youth and a dear friend with the sufferers;
But the decision OF the law, though IL couiu
not remove doubt, wassnG 10 be opposed.
When all was ready on the scafod, and
eternity Immediately before him, Charles
Darancourt pulled from his bosom a sealed
packet, and handed it to the priest IN attend
ance, with directions that it should be given
after his death TO his father. The fatal cord
was about 10 be fixed, when loud shou
arose from the populace, and the crowd was
seen opening up TO permit the passage oil
horseman, accompanied by several soldiers
A respite !" was the cry. The populac(
already excited by this event were Still
more so when they beheld the horsemar
spring 10 the scalfold, embrace the prisoner
and then advance TO address themselves. l
was Theodore de Valmont He spoke a
,me length to the multitude, telling then
that, on hearing Of Darancourrs condenna
| lion. he had flown to Paris, and had detailed
| the whole circumstances 10 the emperor
who had been thus moved 10 grant a res
pite. 81 knew my own innocence" con
tinued Theodore, land | could not doub
that my beloved friend was equally innocen
as myself. Our intimacy with the untor-
tunate deceased has well nigh brought deatt
on both of us, for that intimacy is our sole
crime. The mystery which hangs owe
this sad story heaven will clear up in III
good time" The shouts of the peopi'
rose ioyfully in the air, for the words of d.
Valmont carried conviction with them.
What were the feeling of Charles Daran
court on being thus snatched from the grave
H. retained all his calmness, 80 merely utter
ed few broken sentences, expressive o
qualification to heaven for his Liberation
from the charge of being murderer and
robber. He then turned mildly to the prizes
and requested the restoration OF the packet
The priest was about to comply, when on
Of the attendant officers snalched it tlon
the holy fathers hands, declaring il to b'
his duly to retain and show it to his suPe
rors. The prisoner quietly remonstraie'
against the seizure of papers relating onI,
to private family affairs. But the office
was obstinate. Darancourt and De Valmon
were then conveyed to prison, as the resPlJ
ordered till the emperor's will should b
lurthe. known. On reaching the prison
Charles Darancourt Immediately communi
Gated with his friends, and protested anew
against the seizure of his papers. The au
thorities did not listen TO his request.
Well might DarancOur! struggle for the re
possession Of that fatal packet! Believing
death inevitable, Darancourl had there mad
a conlession-and what confession
confession of five cool and deliberate mur
ders effected by him without an accomplish