Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-05-23
THE THREE HUNCHBACKs.

| The following amusing and seemingly incredible
narrative we extract from late French publication.
1t is neatly told, land viii be read with interest
Three brothers, all humpbacked, and all aecu.
ratey alike in appearance, lived at Besancon. One
of them killed man in chance medley, but not be-
ing taken on the moment, the prosecutors could
only swear that one of the three brothers had done
the deed. Rather than put an innocent man to
death, the judgelet the guilty one escape, but to
avoid further Inconvenience of the kind, ne ban
ished all from the province One settled IN Parls,
starving in England, returned and paid visit to
their fortunate brother.
The master Of the house was abroad when they
knocked, and the poor wife was troubled more
than little by the visit. ''My husband is very
Jealous" said she to them while she was giving
them something to eat "You must 60 to the
farthest part of the town, and never come here a.
gain; but III make your brother look to your
wants" While she was speaking she heard her
husbands knock, and cried out, Follow me, if
you value your lives. . -
She ordered the servant not to open the door
till she should return, and then conveyed the broth
Her husband scolded for being kept out so long,
but o good dinner restored him to good humor,
and at night he went out to pay visit.
The wife then went down to the cellar, and there
found the two poor brothers dead, one lying here,
the other there. What was to be done? She sent
for strong Auvergnat, brought him down stairs,
showed him one corpse which she had previously
taken out of the cellar, and promised him a Louis
or on his return, after having thrown it into the
Seine. He made no scruple about the matter, but
popped the bodyinto the SACK took it to the bridge
and shook it into the river. Returning for his re-
ward, the wife disputed his claim, as the body was
still lying outside the cellar door. Here the stupef-
ed man saw what he firmly believed to be the corpse
he had thrown from the bridge, and resigning
himself to destiny, he got it into bis sack and went
through the ceremony the second time. Coming
back, he was terrified and enraged by finding the
twice drowned corpse knocking at bis own door
care these your tricks, master?' said he. "Ah,
Monsieur Ghost clever as you are, LII settle you
the third trial"
So saying, he forced the poor husband into the
sack, carried him to the same spot and effected the
third discharge This time he returned in triumph,
ignorant of her husband fate, and having no more
corpses to remove paid him twice what she had
convenanted and gave him glass OF wine into the
bargain; gsH;. ,,oa h.,,+h madame said he .svon
are better than your promise, but I earned it. Il
found the humpbacked rogue or his ghost knock
ing at the door after had thrown him in for the
second time"
"Oh, wretch l' cried the poor woman. ''you have
drowned my husband?"
While she was screaming and he standing in a.
maze, the gend 'armes entered, secured both and
sent them to prison. Next day they were brought
before the magistrate of the quarter and examined.
The poor wife concealed nothing the Auyergnat
was not called on for an explanation and while
both were waiting sentence Of death the three
brothers, in full Life, but with very pale faces were
near the bridge had saved the three. The unmar-
ried men had been only dead drunk in the cellar,
and the submersion, and the consequent pulling
and hauling and ejectment of wine and water, had
recovered them from their drunken lethargy before
the natural time. Ontheir first appearance before
the magistrate, they could give no explanation Of
their visit to the river, and the husband had no