, 1864-11-25


About six months ago, NJ. Clodomir Frenos,
a rich merchant in the Isle of Mauritius, was
found in his house dead. and horribly mutila-
ted. His corpse lay on the ground quite disfg-
ured by firearms, and on the ground pistol was
found with which the suicide had been perpe-
trated The following letter was found on the
table by his side: 81 am ruined. A swindler
has robbed me of 925, 900 sterling. Dishonor
is all that is left me- and l cannot survive it. |
leave my wife the care of distributing to my
creditors what property we have left and beg
of God, my friends, and my enemies, to pardon
my DEATH Another moment and l shall be in
eternity. Signed, Clodomir Frenois." Great
was the CONSERVATION caused by the event His
wife, a prey to inconsolabe grief, entered into a
convent of penitents two months after the dread-
full death of her husband, leaving to nephew
of her husband, doctor, the division of what
remained of the stock. However, the heirs of
Frenois learned by letters from Portsmouth,
England, that theft committed in his house
had been the cause of his death search was
made, and coincided with the disappearance of
John Moon, an employee of the house, of whom
no more was, as yet, heard Some time after
the division of the property, John Moon again
made his appearance in the Island, and being
examined on the object of his departure, he
maiptained that he had been commissioned by
his master to go to France for the recovery of
certain debts, which were irrecoverable, and
that if Clodomir Frenois had thrown out any in
furious suspicious on him in his correspondence
it was to find pretext to justify the deficit, of
which he alone was the author. However
about fifteen days ago, Mr.. William Burnett
principal creditor of Clodomir Frenois, heard
some one knock at his door at five clock in
the morning. 1t was opened and his maid serfz
ant announced to him that stranger, who had
the greatest interest in Keeping incOgnito desired
to speak to him in private. The Hon. Mr.. Bur-
nett arose and went down to the parlor The
stranger who held in his hand a number of the
Morning Post, and whose face was turned while
reading it, had thrown himself in armchair,
as a ffiend Of the family might have done. Sir
said Mr.. Burnett to him, 'what can | do for
you?' The stranger turned and saluted him
courteousy. At the same minute Mr. Burnett
uttered piercing cry. He recognized his debt
or, Clodomir Frenois, whom he believed dead
and mutilated and whose funeral he had at
tended What passed between the unknown,
Burnett and his maid servant, remained enyel-
oped in profound secresy. William Burnett was
seen to go out several times in state of agita-
ton, and those who followed him him
ter the house of the magistrate charged with
criminal prosecution
Next day at the moment when John Moon was
taking tea under the palm trees in his garden
with fair Circassian, whom he had purchased
short time previously, the police arrested and
conveyed him to the State Prison. A short
time afterward, John Moon appeared before the
Criminal Court charged with robbery, breach of
confidence and burglary, in the house of the
late Clodomir Frenos. He smiled with the con-
6dence of a man who had nothing to fear. The
The President having asked if he confessed his
crime, he replied that the accusation alb
surd, that to condemn him certain evidence was
required, and that neither the wife of the de-
ceased nor any other employee heard of the pre-
tended robbery.
The President.-Do youaffirm your innocence.
Moon-I would proclaim it before the very
corpse of the deceased, my master, if that were
necessary.
The President, in an agitated voice.-Well,
John Moon, do so, since such is your wish, and
may God have mercy on your soul.
At this moment a door opened, and Clodomir
Frenois, the suicide, advanced toward the bar,
fixing terrible looks on the accused. muir
mur of horror arose in the assembly. John
Moon fell on his knees and confessed his crime
At the same time Sir John West, advocate of ac-
cused, arose and demanded proof of the identity
of the witness. Confessions extorted by ter
ror, said he 1cannot be recognized as sincere,
and the Judge on the bench ought not to allow
himself to be impressed by physical and organic
resemblances difficult but possible to find. Be-
fore accusing as the injured merchant, prove
JndJ you are SuCn anu Wy MudI dCClucuJ Juc
tomb, which received you, mutilated by balls,
has given you up full Of strength and health"
Clodomir Frenois the suicide,-Here is the
history of the past. 1t will suffice to establish
my identity
When l discovered the robbery committed by
the prisoner, he had fed, and all attempts to
reach him were frutless. In order not to wit
ness my dishonor, resolved to have done with
life At seven clock in the evening wrote
the letter which was found on my table, and !
loaded my pistol After having offered a short
prayer, placed the weapon my mouth and
my finger on the trigger, when heard knock
ing at my street door. l hid the weapon
went to open the door came in, whom l
recognized as the sexton He bore in his arms
corpse intended for my nephew, the doctor,
for the tribunal is aware of the scarcity of bod
les intended for dissection He was at first
troubled at meeting me. sis it my nephewwho
has asked that from you p said 'No sir; but
l offer it to him when found-for mercy's sake
don't speak of it; l should lose my situation"
A thought struck me. / gave two pieces of
gold to the resurrectonist, telling him that suf-
feed, and carried the dead man into my cham