Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-05-29
an ynteresting Storv
THE DEAD ALIVE.

The SubIolneG narrative; published oI!Sl-
nally in Chambers Journal, is stated to have
Lcen translated from a foreign newspaper 1t
is necessary to remind the reader, that the
Island Of Mauritius, aprctaining at this day
to the English, was originally colonizcd by
the French, and that the population yet con-
sists in great measure, of persons of that
nation, to whom, BY a formal treaty between
the powers concerned, their ancient laws and
usages were preserved without any material
alterations.
About twelve years ago, the Sicur Clodo-
mir Frenois, rich merchant Of the Island.
was found dead and frigh,fuly disfigured in
his own habitaton. His body was discovered
living on tie floor, with the head and face mu-
tated by pistol and all doubt as to the
cause of the catastrophe was dislclcd by the
discovery of the fatal weapon by the side Of
the corpse, as also of piece oi paper in the
hand wiring Of the deceased. This pa*cr
contained the following words:
:; am ruined. a william haSlobbed ne Of
TWENTY-FIVE thousand livrcs sterling, dishonor
must he my portion and cannot survive it.
leave to my wife the task of distributing
amonc my creditors Tie means which remain
to us; and pray God, my friends, and my
cncmes, may pardon M self destruction.
Yet an other minute and shall be in cter-
nifty!
(Signed) CLapi%lR FREHolS."
Great CONSERVATION was caused l,y this
tragic event, which VAS tie more unexpected.
as the loss alluded to in tic abyv: note had
rcvcr been made public. The deceased had
been hel III g:eat esteem over the colony, as
maa Of stric: honor and pr"liy, and Was
universally lamcn,cd. His attached widow.
after eplcavoriny faithfully to fulfill hi; last
wishes, found her grief too ovcrpowcring to
permit her to minyle lonccr with the world:
and took the resolution to con>ccratc her re-
II aiming days 10 the services Of religion. Two
months after the sad end Of her husband, she
entered 81 convent, leaving To ;.nrphcw "f the
late merchant, a physician, the charge Of com.
ple.ing the distribution of tic effects 0. Ere
nois among his creditors.
4 inmate examination Of the papers oi
the Lcitlnct, lcl TO the discovery Of the
period at Which the unfortunate merchant had
been ruLE cd and this period was found to
correspond with the date of the disappearance
Of q man, named John Moon, being in the
employment Of Frcnois. uf this man, on
wis4m suspicion not unnatulally fell, nothing
Could be learned cn Inquiry; but shortly after
the division o! the late merchants property
Moon rearIearcd in the colony When taken
UP aud cyasaincd respecting the cause Of his
tlight, he stated that lic had been sent by lis
master TO France to recover Certain sums due
to tic lac,chs@t there, III which mission he
had been i.:sllcccssful He fi,rthcr avcrred
that ii Clolomir Frcnois in lis existing cor.
respundcnce had thrown any injurious s'lspi.
cionS upon him: Aloon) the whole was but
pretcNt to account for the deficiencies OF
which the merchant himself was the cause
and author. This declaration, made by a
man who seemed to fear no inquiry, and
whose worldly circumstances remained to ap.
p.arance the same as they had ever becn had
the effect of silencing if it did not satisfy, the
cXa'tlnators; and the affair soon fell, in a
great measure, out of the public recollection.
Things remained for a short time in this
condition, when one morning, Mr.. William
Burnett, principal creditor Of the late Clodo-
mir Frenois, heard u knocking at his gate at