Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-07-08
THE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS AT GASTEILARE,
From the Records Of a French Detective.


bad some renown as a successful
rogue-catcher; and l had some expert
ence, too. My field Of operations, as a
usual thing, lay within the confines of the
Department of the Lower Alps and
though I served under the Sub -Prefect
ofthe Third ACCOMPLISHMENT, yet the Pre-
feet of the Department called upon me
when he chose. One morning-it was
in the latter part of May received a
note from the Prefect, ordering me to
come to Digne, and see him with all pos
sible despatch. The missive came thro'
the office of our Sub-Prefect, so l had
nothing to do but get ready and start. I
took an early dinner; assumed the dress
ola peasant; Drowned my face and hands,
and set forth. reached Digne just at
nightfull, and as soon as it was dark 1
waited upon the Prefect. He seemed to
be relieved when he saw me, and took
me to his private closet.
"Now," said I, " have You got work
for me?'
"Yes," he replied. "Sit down and
listen"
We sat down, and having tasted glass
of wine, he proceeded:
Within few months past, there has
have been some ofthe most mysterious
murders committed in this Department,
and in the Department of Var, that have
ever come under my notice. They are
done, mostly on the road from Castellane
to Aups. The first victim was a Mar
seilles merchant, who had come up to
Castellane TO purchase preserved fruits.
His body was found by the roadside, near
the line between the two Departments !;
and at first it was supposed that he must
have fallen there and died in a fit, as no
mark of violence could be found upon
him. His pockets had been rihed, how
ever. The next one was found near An
not, and under the same circumstances.
He was a merchant, also, and from Nice
Since then five or six more have died
upon the road in the same mysterious
way, and no marks of ill-usage have been
found upon any of them but they have
all been robbed"
Have most of them stopped in Cas-
tellane ?" l asked.
The Prefect said that they had.
And 1 suppose they must have put
up at some inn there ?" I remarked.
Yes" said the Prefect.
then supposed that some of the land
lords must be concerned. 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 not some poi
son in this matter? Some inkeeper may
administer the portion, and then send an
accomplice after the victim"
"No," returned the Prefect with a
shake Of the head. " Experienced ply
sicians have examined the stomachs of
several of the dead men, but no trace of
poison has been found. 1t is a mysteri-
GUS affair. The Sub-prefect has done all
lie could, but without effect; and now we
mean to give the whole thing inte your
hands. You must 60 to Castellane at
once, and there you can get such further
information as the Sub-Prefect can give
you."
After comforting a while longer with
the PIefect, he let me have suit of or
dinary tradesman's clothing, and thus
habited, l went to hotel and put up for
the night. In the morning procured q
horse and set out reaching Castellane be-
fore noon. During the day pretended
TO be doing business. | went to the wool
en- factory and examined lot of stuff
and also visited several places where pre-
served fruits were put up. learned
that most of the people who came there
on business stopped at an inn kept by q
man named Juan Fontaix; so i left my
horse there, and engaged lodgings.
After dark called upon the Sub-Pre
feet. He told that he had used all til.
means within his power, but had beer
able to gain no clue to the guilty party
Most of the murdered victims had beef
from Marseilles, and the excitement il
that city was intense. Gendarmes ha,
been sent out upon all the roads, and Sc
cret police had also been upon the watch
The last victim had fallen only four day
before, and the deed was done only ff
teen minutes after the policemen ha'
passed the spot.
asked the Sub-Prefect if he had an,
suspicious. He answered that all tn,
suspicion he had held, was fastened upol
Juan Fontaix, the inkeeper. Nearly al
the murdered men had stopped at hi