The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-05-10
MYSTERIOUS Murders Detected.
FROM THE RECORDS OF A FRENCH POLICE.
MAN.

| MAN.
| had some renown as successful rouge
catcher, and had somo experience, too.
My field Of operations, as a usual thing,
lay within the confines of tho Department
Of the Lower Alps; and although ] served
under the Sub-perfect Of the Third Arron-
disement, yet the Perfect of the Depart.
ment called upon me when he chose. One
morning-it was in the latter part Of May
Il received note from the perfect, order
ing me to come TO Dgne and see him
with all possible dispatch. The missive
came through the office of our Sub perfect,
so had nothing to do but get ready and
start. I took an early dinner, assumed
the dress of a peasant, Drowned my face
and hands, and set forth I reached Digne
just at nightfall, and az soon as it was dark
I waited upon the Perfect. He seemed to
be relieved when he saw me, and took me
at once to his private closet.
"Now," said !, shave you got work for
mc2"
"Yes," he replied. "sit down aud lis
ten"
We sat down, and having tasted glass
of wine, he proceeded:
"Within a few months past there have
been some of the most mysterious murders
committed in this department, and in the
department of Var, that have ever come
und0r my notice. They are done, mostly
on the road from Castellane to Aups.-.
The first victim was Marselles merchant,
who had come up TO Castellane TO purchase
preserved fruits. The body was found by
the roadside, near the line Of the two de
partments; and at first it was supposed he
must have fallen there, and died in fit,
as no marks of violence could be found
upon him. His pockets had been rifed
however. The next one was fond near
Annot, and under the sans circumstances.
He was merchant also. and from Mice
Since then five or six have died upon tho
road in the same mysterious way; and no
marks Of ill.usage have been found upon
any of them; but they have all been rob-
bed"
"Havo most of them stopped in Castel.
lane" l asked.
The Perfect told me they had.
"And suppose they must have put up
at some inn there2" remarked,
"Yes," said the Perfect.
then supposed that some Of the land.
lords must be cont eerned. But my com.
panion informed me that they had been
narrowly watched and that no shadow of
evidence rested against them.
But" said !, is there no poison in this
this matterl Some iunkeeper may admin
lister the poison, ard send an accomplice
after his victim"
"No," returned the perfect, with shake
Of the head. Experienced physicians
have examined the stom achs of several of
the dead inen, but no trace of poison has
been found. 1t is a mysterious affair."
The Sub. perfect has done all he could, but
without effect, and now we mean to give
the whole thing into your hands. You
must 90 to Castelane at once, and there
you can get such information as tie Sub
perfect can give you.
After comforting awhile longer with the
Perfect, he let me have an suit of ordina-
ry tradesman's clothing; and thus habited
| wer t to hotel and put up for the night.
In the morning | procured horse, aud
sat out, reaching Castelane before noon.
During the day pretended to be doing
business. | went TO the wollen factory
and examined lot Of stuff; and also visit
cd several places where preserved fruits
are put up. | learned that most Of tie
people who came there on business, stop
lcd at an inn kept by man named Juan
Fontaix; so l left my horse there and Ell.
gagged lodgings.
After dark called upon the Sub per-
feet. He told me ho had used all the
means within his power, but bad not been
able to gain any clue 10 the guilty party.
Most or the murdered victims had been
from Marseillcs, and the excitement in that
city was intense. Gendarmes had boen
sent out upon the watch. The last victim
had f.lleH only four days before, and the
deed was done fifteen minutes after the
policemen had passed the SPOT.
asked the Sub.pefrcct if he had any
suspicious. lie answered that all the sus-
picion he had held was fastened upon Juan
Fontaix, the innkeeper. Nearly all the
murdered men had stopped at his house,
and he must have known something Of
their business.
babe the officer keep perfectly quiet,
and not even let one Of his men know of
my presence. Then / returned to the inn.
and finally entered into a conversation with
my host upon tho mysterious deaths. Ho
pronounced it wonderful, and assured me
that il had injured him moro than he could
tell.
"Par bleur he muttered, 'fheyll bo
suspecting me next, if they have not done
so already"
was soon satisfied that Juan Fontiax
knew nothing of the guilty party. He
was very fearful, and at times blanched
and trembed at the thought of being APP
pretended for the crime. Most people
would have seen in this signs Of guilt; but
l thought differently.
spent the next day in the town, osten-
tensibly engaged in business with the fac.
tories, but in reality hunting after some
clue TO to the object Of my mission. Night
came again; but had found nothing new.
1 was perfectly satisfied that the murderer
had laid bis plans so deeply, that no cir
cumstantisl clue could be found. II l
,.o,,II G.I H., 7 ,,,a, naInb b;co Nth