Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-11
called forth the following narrative from Clodo

mir Frenois:
"My story will soon be told, and still suffice
to establish my Identity When I discovered
the robbery committed by the accused, he had
fed from the island, and speedily saw that
attempts to reiake him would prove frultless.
l saw ruin and disgrace before me, and came
to the resolution of terminating my life before
the evil day came. On the night IN which this
determination was formed, was seated alone
In my private chamber. had written the let
ter which was found on my table, aud had load.
cd my pistol. This done prayed for forgive
ness from my Maker for the act was about
90 commit. The end of the pistol was at my
head, and my finger on the lock, when O knock
at the outer door Of the house startled me.
concealed my weapon and went to the door,
A man entered whom recognized to be the
sexton Of the parish 10 which lived. He bore
o sack on his shoulders and In 1t the BODY of a
man newly buried which was destined for nv
nephew, the physician then living with me. The
scarcity Of bodies for dissection, as the court Ia
aware, compels those who are anxious to ACQUIRE
skill in the medical profession, to procure them
by any possible secret means. The sexton was
az fret alarmed when he met me.
Did my nephew request you to bring this
body7" said l.
"No," replied the man; ''but | know bia
anxiety TO obtain one for dissection, and took n
upon me to offer him this body. For mercv's
sake" continued the sexton, edo not betso .
me, or ! shall lose my situation aud my family =
bread" '
while this man was thus speaking, stranpe
idea entered my mind, and brought to NV dos
pairing bosom hopes Of continued lie and bnn-
or. | stood for few moments absorbed in
thought, and gave to the resurrectionist the ann
which he expected. Telling him TO keen his
own counsel, aud that all would be we'll, / sent
him away and carried the body to nv cabinet
The whole of the household had been sent out
OF the way on purpose, and / had time to carry
into execution the plan which had struck me -
The body was fortunately of the same stature
as myself, and like me in complexion. Il
knew the man; he had been q poor offender,
abandoned by his family.
" Poor relic of mortality" said I, with tears
In my eyes, "nothing which man NAV do can
now injure thee; yet pardon me if I rudelv
dlehgure thy lifeless substance. 1t is to pre.
vent the ruin OF not one but twenty families!
Aad should success attend my attempt, swear
tnat thy children shall be my children; and,
when my hour comes, We shall rest together in
the tomb to which thou shall be borne before
me-"
. ~ pOhhSh VI tuO narrative
me most lively interest was excited in court,
aud testified even by tears from many of the
audience. Ffenois then proceeded:
" | then stripped off my clothes and dressed
the body in them. This accomplished, | took
up the pistol, and, witha hand more reluctant
than when applied it to my own person, | &! ed
it close to the deceased, and at Unce caused
anch a disagreement as rendered 1t i'm possible
for the keenest eyes to detect the substitution
which had been made.
:" Choosing the plaiuest habit couli got. |
then dressed myself anew, shaved off the whisk.
ere which | was accustomed toSwear, and jok
other means to alter and disguise my appear
ance, in case Of being subjected By any acci-
dent to the risk of betrayal Next morning
saw me on board French vessel on my waY
to u distant land-the native country OF IN, an.
eestors. The expectations which had led me
to the execution of this scheme were not dis-
appointed IkueW John Moon was the man
who robbed me, aud shO nO6 stands at the bar
OF this court, and that be had formed connes-
tions in this Island which would, in all probaift
ty, bring him bick to il ss soon as the iutelli-
gence Of my dta!h gave him prom
ise OF security. Ia this I have not been
disappointed. | have been equally ior-
tunate In other respects. While my unworthy
SERVANT fomAineu mere III Imaginary SAFETY,
have brea successful in discovering che austter
ia which, not daring ct first to bstray the ap-
pearsnce of wealth, he had lodged the whole of
the stolen money. have brought it with me,
and alHo sufficient proofs, supposing his confes.
sion of this. day to be set aside altogether, to
convict him of the crime with which he stands
charged. By the same means," continued
ClOdomir Frenois, with degree of honorable
pride, in which oil who heard him sympatbized,
twill l be enabled to restore my family to q
place in society, aud to redeem the credit of q
name on which no blot was left by those who
bore II before me, and which, please God,
shall transmit unstained to my children and my
children's children"
The news of Clodomir Frenois's temperance
spread rapidly, and the high esteem in which
his character was held, led TO a universal re-
joicng on the occasion. He was accompanied
from the court to bis home by dense multi
tude, who welcomed him with prolonged shouts.
IL would be vain to attempt any description of
the feelings OF his vile, who was thus restored
to a beloved being for whose sake she had
quilted the world. She was released from her
ecclesiastical voWs, and rejoined her husband,
no mole to part till the grave really claimed
one or the other Of them.