Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-06-25
The Mysterious Deaths at Castellane.



catcher, and had some experience, too. NJ
field of operations. as usual thing, lay within
the confines of the Department Of the Lowe
Alps; and though served under the sub
project Of the Third ACCOMPLISHMENT, yet tn,
prc!rct of the Department called upon M,
when he chose. One m0rning-it was in til,
latter part Of May received note from III,
project ordering me to come to Dignc and Sc,
him with all possible dispatch. The miSsvt
came through the Office of our sub perfect 81
had nothing to d0 but get ready and start
| took an carly dinner, assumed the dress o
n peasant, Drowned my face and hands, ant
set forth. ] reached Dignc just at nightiall
and ~ soon as it was dirk waited upon tn,
project lie seemed to bC relieved when b,
saw me, and at once took me into his private
closet.
Now," said !, shave you got work fo
me z"
"Ics," said he, "Sit down and listen"
We sat down, and having tasted glass o
wine, he prOcccdcd:-
"Within few months pas: there have beer
some of the most mysterious murders commit
ted in this department and the department o
Var, that have ever come under my notice.
They arc done, mostly, on the road from Gas
tellanc to AupS. The first victim was Mar
scillcs merchant, who had come up to Castc
lane To purchase preserved fruits His body
was found on the roadside. near the line be-
| tween the two departments; and at first it was
supposed he must have fallen there and died
in II lit as TO mark Of violence could be found
/ upon him. Ills pockets had been riicd, how
ever. The next one was found near Annot
and under the same circumstances. lie was
merchant also, and from Nice Since then
five or six more have died upon the road il,
: the same mysterious way and no marks o
ll-usagc have been found upon any Of them
hut they have all been robbed"
Have most Of them stopped at Castcllanc:'
asked.
The perfect told me that they had.
And | suppose they must have put up al
some inn there =" | remarked
"NcS," said the perfect.
then supposed that some of the landlords
must bc concerned. But my companion in.
formed me that they had been narrowly watch.
cd, and that no shadow of evidence rested
against them.
But" said ], ais there not some poison in
=. this matter Some inkccpcr may administer
the potion, and then send All accomplicc after
the victim"
NO." returned the perfect, with shake
of the head. " Experienced physicians have
examined the stomachs Of several of the dead
men. but no trace Of poison has been found.
II is mysterious affair. The sub-pcrfcct has
done all he could, but without effect; and now
We mean 10 give the whole thing into your
hands. You must go to CNstellanc at once,
and there you can get such further iniorma.
tion as the sub-perfect can give you"
After comforting n while longer with the
project, he let me have suit of ordinary
tradcsmans clothing; and thus habited, l
went to hotel and put up for the night. In
the morning procured horse and -sOt out
reaching CaStcllanc before noon. During the
day pretended to be doing business Invent
to the WOODEN factory and examined lot Of
stuff; and also visited several places where
preserved fruits were put up. learned that
most OF the people who came there on business
stopped at an inn kept by man named Juan
FOntaix; 50 left my horse there, and en-
gagged lodging.
After dark | called upon the sub. perfect
lie told me that he had used all the means
within his power, but had been able 10 gain
no clue to the guilty party. Most Of the mur-
dcrcd victims had been from MarscilIcS, and
the excitement in that city was intense. Gen
tlarmcs had been sent out upon all the roads,
and secret police had also been upon the
watch. The last victim had fallen only four
days before, AID the decd was done fifteen
minutes after tho policeman had passed the
! spot.
| asked the sub-perfcct If he had any sus-
piciOnS. lie answered that all the suspicious
he had held fastened upon Juan Fontaix the
innkecper. 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 to let one Of his men know of my
! presence. Then returned to the inn, aud
finally entered into conversation with my host
upon the subject Of the mysterious dcoths.-
lie pronounced it wonderful, and assured mC
; that it had injured him moro than hc could
tell
"Parblcau:" hc exclaimed, "thcy'll be sus.
pccting me next, if they have not done so al
ready"
was soon satisfied that Juan Fontaix knew
nothing Of the guilty party. lie was very
fearful, and at times blanchcd and tremblcd
at the thought Of being apprchcndcd for the
crime. Most people would have seen in this
signs Of guilt; but | thought differently.
Spcnt all of the next day in the town, os-
tcnsibly engaged in business with the factories,
but in reality hunting some clue to the object
Of my mission. Night came again, but had
found nothing new, was perfectly satisfied
that the murderer had laid his plans so deeply
that no circumstantial clue could be found
, Ii would find him must catch him with the
proof upon him.
had given an assumed name at the inn,
and stated that belonged to TOulon. On the
next morning called Tor my bill, and inform.
cd my host that was oft for home. Then
went to the fruit prcscrvcr'S and told him the
same, stating that l must confer with my
partner before concluded my bargain. After
this went to the woolcn factory and saw the
business agent. Ills name was Louis Cazau-
| bon, and hc had come to Castcllanc about O
year before, lie seemed to be straightior-
ward business man, and yet he was the only
ono had seen whom really wished to sus.
poet. In convcrsing upon the murders he had
been little too free aud Off fhandcd treating
the subject more coolly than man with a
heart would be apt to do. But still ! had,
thus far, been able to find nothing against
him. On the present occasion told him, as
| had told the others, that l must return to
TOulon.
"If you have not ready money with you,
VIC can give you credit" he sakl
told him l had plenty of money, but l
was not fully prepared to pay the prices he
had demanded. lie said "Vcry well :" and
added that lsc should be happy to sell to me
when came again. babe him good day,
and then departed. AS soon as was alone.
began to suspect Monsieur Louis Cazaubon
in earnest When told him that had money,
but did not purchase because ho charged me