The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-05
Mistellanrons.
A Remarkable Case Of Spirit Rsvela.
tion.

any recorded, occurred ut Odessa IN the
year 1912. An old blind man named Nh.
chel had for many years been accustomed to
get his living by seating himself every morn
ing on u beam in one of the 'timberyards,
with wooden bowl at his feet, into which
the passengers cast their aims. This long
continued practice had made him we'll known
to the inhabitants, ind, as he was believed
to have been formerly soldier, his blindness
was attributed to the numerous wounds he
had received in battle. For his own part,
he spoke little, and never contradicted this
opinion.
One night, Michel by somO accident foil
in with little girl ten years old, named
Powleska, who was friendless, and on the
verge Of perishins with cold and hunger.
The old man took her home and adopted
her; and from that time. instead Of sitting
in the timber yard, he went about the streets
in her company, asking aims at the doors Of
house. The child lied him "father," and
they were extremely happy together. But
when they had pursued this mode Of life for
about Eve years, misfortune befell them.
A theft having been committed in u house
which they had visited in the morning Pow.
leska was suspected and arrested, and the
bind man was left once more alone. But
instead Of rcsuming his former habits, he
now disappeared altogether and this cir.
cumstanoc causing the suspicion to extend
to him. the girl was brought before the mag
is,rate to be interrogated with regard to his
probable place Of concealment.
"Do you know where Michel is?" said
the magistrate.
"He is dead ~ she replied, shedding o
torrent Of tears.
As the girl had been shut up for thrco
days, without any means Of obtaining in
formation from without, this answer. to-
gcther with her unfeigned distress, natural
ly excited considerable surprise.
"who told you he was dcadT' they in
quircd.
"Nobodyw
"Then how can you know IL? 7"
al saw him killed -
"But you have not been out Of tho pris-
on"
1 al ..,- "a a.khalass ~ ...H
"But how was that possible? Explain
what you mean!"
al cannot. All that can say is, that l
saw him killed."
"when was he killed and how?"
alt was the night was arrested"
THAT cannot be he was alive when you
were seized! !"
"Yes, he was he was killed an hour Of.
ter that. They stabbed him with = knife"
"wherc were you then?''
al can't tell but saw it."
The confidence with which the girl assert
ed what seemed to her hearers impossible
and absurd, disposed them to imagine that
she was really insane or pretending to be SO.
So, leaving Michel aside, they proceeded to
interrogate her about the robbery, asking
her If she was guilty.
"Oh, no 2" she answered.
"Then how camo the property to be found
about your"
al don't know saw nothing but the
murder" 81.
"But there are no grounds for supposing
Michel is dead; his body has not been
Cound.i"
alt is in the acqueduct." ,
"And do you know who slew him"
"Yes-it is woman Michel was walk.
ing very slowly, after ! was taken from him.
A woman came behind him with large
kitchen-krife; but he heard her. and turn.
cd round; and then the woman flung a
piece OF gray stuff over his head, and struck
him repeatedly with the knife; the gray
stuff was much stained With the blood
Michel fell ut the ei hth blow, and the
woman dragged the body to the acqueduct
and let it fall in wi hout ever lifting the
stuff which stuck to his face"
As it was easy to verify these latter as
sertions, they despatched people to the spot,
and there the body was found, with q piece
of stuff over his head, exactly as she de-
scribed. But when they asked her how she
knew all this. she could only answer al
don't know
"But you know who killed him !"
"Not exactly; it is the same woman that
put out his eyes; but perhaps, he will tell
me her name tonight and If he does, /
will tell it to you" ....
"whom do you mean by hep"
.wby, Michel to DO sure !"
During the whole Of the following night,
without allowing her to suspect their inten-
ton, they watched her /; and it was observ.
ed that she never lay down, but sat upon
the bed in o soit Of lethargic slumber. Her
body WIS quite motionless except at inter
vals. when this reposs was interrupted by
violent nervous shocks which pervaded her
whole famc. On the ensuing day, the mo-
ment she was brought before the judge, she
declared that she was now abe 10 tell them
the name Of the assassin.
"But stay" said the magistrate; "did
Michel never tell you when he was alive,
how he lost his sight?"
'No-but the morning before I was ar
rested, he promised mo to do 50; and that
was tho cause of bis DEATH"
elbow could that boz" ID
alas, night Michel came to me, and he
.o;n,.l A., the man hiddan hahind thu acaf.