The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-21
From the New Orleans Picayune.
A Leaf from the Diary of an Old Detec-
tive

tive.
MADAME, it is my duty to arrest you p
"You dare not"
The lips were white with passion rather
than fear, and the lady stood before me
like loness at bay. Even then / could
not help but note the splendid beauty OF
this grand lady. Tall and slender, eyes
black and fasbing-almost lurid now
the spectacle she presented, standing
there in the middle of the apartment. was
more the appearance of queen than o
hunted criminal.
II must," replied. 81 do not doubt
your innocence. Looking into your face,
it is strange that any one could couple it
with guilt; but 1 am constrained to do
my duty, madame, however inimical it
may be to my feelings
"Will you allow me to change my
dress ?" she said in tone almost pleas
ant. The hard lines around the mouth
had relaxed, and the passionate glow on
the face gave way to a pleasant smile.
"Certainly l will wait for you here"
II wish also to send messenger for a
friend will you permit him to pass %
"CertainIy."
This was my first interview with Eu-
genia Cornile. I had seen her for months,
the leader of our gayest and most fash
ionable society. In her splendid mansion
she dispensed tho most profuse and ele-
giant hospitality.
A Spanish Iady-a widow she had rep
resented herseIf-and had been resident
here almost year. No one ever suspec-
ted her of being aught than what she
seemed, until one day I was ordered to
arrest her as murderess.
1t was now alleged, said Mr.. F., that
this young beauty was no other than the
woman who had poisoned her husband in
Havana, and fled with all his wealth. An
immense reward was offered for her ap-
preheuson, and the circumstances that
had come to our knowledge pointed her
out beyond all doubt as the person we
were in search of. Yet the person who
recognized her the evening before at the
theatre advised US to be careful lest she
should escape us. laughed ct the idea.
Mr. /. and myself were surely sufficient TO
arrest lady. We were old enough in
the ways of cunning to defeat any such
attempt When the lady left me 1
stepped to the window, and said to MIR.
l., who was waiting at the door:
"The lady desires to send messenger
for friend-sutfer him to pass.''
Almost at the same instant the door of
the apartment the lady had entered open
ed, and youth apparently mulatto boy
came out and passed hurriedly through
the room into the hall, and from thence
into the street. It was, no doubt, the
messenger, thought, and ! picked up a
book and commenced reading. Nearly
an hour passed, and still the lady did not
make her appearance, nor did the boy re-
turn. The friend she had sent for must
live at some distance: thought or the
lady is unusually careful about her toilet; /;
and so another hour went by. At last l
grew impatient; and knocked at the door,
"Madame, l can wait no longer"
There was no reply. knocked re-
peatcdly, and at last determined to force
an entrance Strange fears harassed tie,
began to suspect, knew not what. 1t
took but moment to drive in the door,
and once in the apartment, the mystery
was revealed. The robes of the lady lay
upon the floor, and scattered over the
room were suits of boys wearing apparel,
similar to that worn by the mulatto boy.
On the table was a cosmetic that would
stain the skin to light delicate brown.
was folcd by surety the lady had
escaped in the disguise of messenger
1 should have detected the ruse, felt hu-
inflated and determined to redress my
error. knew she would not remain in
the city an instant longer than she could
get away. / hurried to her bankers, but
found that she had drawn the amount due
her an hour before.
"Who presented the check~ J asked
of the clerk.
ga mulatto boy. 1t was made payable
to bearer"
There was yet chance. The French
steamer left within an hour, it was pos
sibIe she would seek that means OF escape.
Jumped into cab and arrived there ten
minutes before she left the wharf-just in
time TO see an aged decrepit gentleman
into tho cabin. There were few passen-
gers mono OF Inem answered Ilie oescrip-
Lion of the person [ sought. stood on
wharf tho watching the receding vessel
until it disappeared. 1 was in the act of
turning away when hackman approach
with the remark:
"Mr. F.. did you see that old man on
board? He had long, white beard, and
hair that fell on his shoulders"
eyes"
"Woll, there's something curious about
him"
"Why ?"
"Why, sir, when he got into my car
riagc he was mulatto boy, and when he
rot out he was an old man."
l will not repeat the expression l used
then-it was neither refined nor polite
for knew the vessel would be far out at