The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-11-27

4 lie nad been sent Nv nis master TO France to
recover certain sums due to the merchant
there, in which mission he had been unsuc-
| cessful. lie further ayerred, that if Clodo.
mir Frenois ir his existing correspondence
had thrown any injurious suspicious upon
him, (Moon) the whole was but pretext to
account for the DEFICIENCIES Of which the H,er-
cl,ant himself was the cause and author
This declaration, made by a man who seem
ed to fear no inquiry, and whose worldly
circumstances remained to appearance the
same as they had ever been, had tile effect
OF 'sitencing, if it did not satisfy the examin-
ators; and the affair soon fell, in great
measure, out Of the public recollection.
Things remained for short time in this
condition, when one morning Mr.. William
Burnett, principal creditor Of the late Clodo-
mir Frenois, heard knocking Mt his gate
at n very early hour. He called up one of
his servants, who went down and opened the
door, aud Immediately returned with the in
telhgence that n stranger, who seemed desi-
rous of keeping his person concealed, wish.
ed to speak with Mr.. Burnett in private
Mv. burnett rose, threw on his dressing
gown, and descended TO tho parlor. lie
saw there stranger of tall person, seated in
an easy and familiar attitude upon sofa,
with number of the Aorning Post in his
hand. The back of the visitor was turned
10 Mr.. Burnett as he entered. Rather sur
Prised 10 see stranger conduct himself SO
like an old friend of the house, Mr.. Burnett
said aloud:
Sir, may beg to know your business
with me 2
The stranger turned round and advanced
to salute his host warmly and courteousiv.
Mr.. Burnett started back, and uttered q loud
exclamation of surprise and alarm. Well
he might; for before his eyes stood his
friend and debtor, Clodomir Frenois, whom
he had beheld nearly year before, mutt.
lated corpse, and whom he himself, had fol-
lowed to the gtave!
What passed at that interview, between
Mr.. burnett, and his strange visitor, remain.
cd a secret. Mr.. Burnett was observed to
issue several times, pale and agitated, from
his dwelling and to visit the magistrate
charged with the criminal processes Of the
colony. In the course OF that day, while
John Moon was rcgaling himself with tea
under the palm trees of his garden, along
with Circassian female whom he had
bought sometime previously, he was arrested
npd taken TO prison by the officers of;astice.
On the following day he was brought be-
fore the criminal court, accused of robbing
the late Clodomir Frenois, the crime beng
conjoincd with breach of trust and violence.
Moon smiled at the charge with all the con-
fidence of a ;nan who had nothing TO fear.
The judge having demanded of him if he
confessed the crime, the accused replied that
the Charge was altogether absurd that clear
testimony was necessary 10 fix such a delict
upon him and that SO far from there being
any such evidence produceable, neither the
widow of the deceased, nor any one person
in his service, had ever heard the pretended
robbery even once mentioned by Frenois
during his life.
DO you tli,n affirm your innocence y re-
peated the judge, gravely, after hearing al
that the other had to say.
Il will avouch my Innocence replied
Moon. even before the body of my late mas
ter, IL that be necessary
(Such thing often took place under the
old colonial law)
John MooH, said the Judge, in a voice
broken by some peculiar emotion, it is be-
fore your late master that you will have to
assert your Innocence, and may God make
the truth to aPpearp
A signal from the Judge accompanied
these words, and Immediately door open
ed, aud Ciodomir Frcnois, tile supposed sui.
eide, entered the court. lie advanced to
the bar with slow aud deliberate step, hav.
ing his eve calmiy, sterDiy fixed on the pris-
oner, his servant, 4 great sensation was
caused in court by his appearance. Utter.
ing shrieks of alarm and horror, the females
present fed from the spot. Tho accused
fell on his knees in abject terror, and shud.
dering confessed his guilt. For time no
voice was heard but his. However, as il
became apparent that living man stood
before his court, the advocate Of the prison.
er gained courage to speak. He demanded
that tho identity Of the merchant be estab.
iished, and the mystery Of his existence he
explained. lie said that the court must moi
DO biased BY what might prove to be a
mere accidental likeness between person
living and one deceased; and that such al,
avowal as that Of the prisoner, extracted in
q moment OF extraordGnary terror, was no,
to be heid Of much weight.
j Before being admitted here as an accusel
\ or witness, continued the advocate, eddress
/ ing the resuscited merchant, prove who and
i wha. you are, and disclose by what chanct
(! the tomb. which 30 lately received yopl