The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-03-05
TEaa2 a0NEE.Y ExN.

y
name ''rAnge Garden on the route /
from Laon 10 Soissons, between Laffaux
and Chariguon, was formerly an obscure
hovel called Saule, wv. low, whose is~
olated situation made it lit place for the
preparations of crimes.
In 100 this tavern was purchased by
one Mr.. Calland, the owner of the farm
of Vauxrain He caused the old build
ing TO be torn down, and the present one
10 be erected on the same site But in
pulling down the tavern and digging the
foundations for The new one what was the
surprise Of the new proprietor to find a
great number of dead bodies buried under
the soil of the court, under the barn and
cellar, some of which appeared to have
been buried at no very distant period
Unfortunately. the supposed author of
the supposed assassinations had been dead
some years, and the earth covered alike
the criminal and his victims.
Mr.. Calland sought for all the informa-
tIon which could be likely to solve the
mystery Of this horrible affair. Below
are a couple of facts which he has made
known to many of his friends. He says:
five years when peddler one day entered
and asked if wine was sold there as for
merly. Afterwards he inquired if the
landlord was still alive. Upon replying
that he died two years before had bought
the place, he said to me
81 fear nothing now | can with safe
ty relate to you the horrible deed / wit
messed here ten years ago. Having come
to this place in the evening for lodging,
the master said to mel have only one
hay loft to offer you, as the beds in the
house are ali full l was too tired to 60
farther, and 1 accepted. After l had
gone up in the hay loft, heard them take
away the ladder by which | had ascen, =
ed. This seemed very strange, and made
me feel 50 uneasy that l could not close
my eyes to sleep all night. Towards S
midnight, 1 heard plaintive and stifcd
grOans In the court | threw off the hay
with which [ had covered myself when
lay down, and approached the badly Joint
ed window of my confinement, and per-
ceived distinctly through the cracks, by
the light of a candle placed near the en-
trance of the lower door, the tavern keep
er and his son numbering traveller who
begged most piteously for mercy, offering
them all he possessed, to spare his life.
Soon the light disappeared and l could
hear nothing more. The tortures / expe.
rienced were horrible. / expected every
moment that my time would come next
to be massacred. At length day dawned,
and the ladder was put back in its place
l descended and paid my bill, went away
and said nothing about the robbers dem
This is the first time | have ever told
what l saw that horrible night"
''But," said to him, ''why did you
not make a declaration as you passed
through Scissors ?''
sob, could not do it very well, as
my time was limited l was obliged to be
back in the country at a certain time, and
if had made declaration, il would have
detained me perhaps a month or two"
To this fact, Mr.. Calland adds the fol-
lowing, the circumstances of which he
relates thus:
Gone day person from q neighboring
town came to me and said:
''Did you know that he of whom Won
bought the tavern was a very wicked
man? You recollcct that the little gar>
den behind the house WAS enclosed by
hedge; beggar from the community of
l., was one day resting himself in
the shade of this hedge, the thickness Of
which prevented him from being seen by
the father and son, who were wedding in
the garden. They worked for some time
without speaking, when the son suddenly
broke silence aud said to his father
Tomorrow, you know that l depart.
shall go away from this country, and
never RETURN"
care you always afraid, then, of see
ing ghosts :" asked the old man.
81 can no longer endure this life that
we lead and L have not the courage to as
sist you in assassina;ing poor travellers
who beg Of you in vain for mercy"
VERY well, you are free them replied
the father.
Hero the conversation ended, but the
next morning it was reported that the son
of this bad man had died suddenly in the
night. The father had poisoned him for
fear that in an excess Of dread or remorse.
he might betray him. In regard to the
father, he died in his den, without being
disturbed"
For destroying the sad souvenirs at
tached to this place, Mr.. Calland gave it
the name of the Guardian Angel" in
the place Of the ''Saule,'' which it for
merly bore, and which it received in 1850
from Piedmontese, who driven from his
country for his crimes took refuge in this
isolated place, covered with willows and
brambles. This outcast built cabin of
branches and mud by the side of the road,
and begun the kind of life, which was
continued by his successor, until the old
building was pulled down and the stage
hotel erected.