The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-03-23
The Strange Story of Martin Guerre.

Martin Gusr1e- young B'seayan, lhaifleu
Berthande7'' Ro!s, q girl Of Antiques, as dis
tiugulshed for good sense IS for beauty Inc
pewly.uuitsd pair were in comtrrtaoic cir
cumstances, Ueipg in rank above the psasau'
class. They were a harmonious couple, tne
only drawback being that they had no chil~
6rsn for several years. In the tenth year.
however. a son was born, whom they named
Sspzi. Not loug afterward Martin quarIssd
with his father about some corn, and the dis
mite became so bittor that be concluded to
70 away for time until the paternal anger
sheuld cool. Hs did not expect to be absent
long, but eight years passed away before be
was heard of, his wife enduring mis- absence
with exemplary patiencs.
At the expiration of the above mentioned
period. a person appeared who claimed to be
Martin Gusrre, and was recognized as such
by bis wits. her relatives, and by the people
generally. Hs protractsd desertion of his
family was forgiven and forgotten, and every
thing went on harmosiously for three years,
during which time two children were bora
TO Berthande. one of them, however. dying
soon after its birth. The so-callsd Martin
managed his affairs energetically. selling land
and doing other things which fell IN his way
After a while, for reasons that are not fully
set forth. Peter Gusrre, an uncle of Martin,
became satisfied that the man was not Mar
tin. Other residents Of the vicinity came to
the sans conclusion, and at length found
ground for convincing Berthaude that she
had been shamefully imposed upon. The
so-cGllsd Martin was arrested and taken be-
fore the provincial judge. He denounced his
acCusers as wicked conspirators. saying that
Peter Guerre had fabricated the charge to get
possession Of his property. and had drawn in
Berthande through the weakness of her un-
derstandiug. lie gave a clear and circum
stsutiaI sccount os the reasons which led him
to go away and prclsng his absence. He as
serted that no had been in the French and
Spanish armies during the period. aud show
ed that. notwithstanding the changes that
increased age aud exposure to the weather
had made in his appearances. be was at once
recognized by his wife. by Peter, and other
people who had known him. He related
infinitely the circumstances of the marriage
OF Martin Guerre. described his father-in~
law. mothsr>in-law, and the guests ct the
nuptials. and narrated other incidents in bis
life
Berthande. being called TO the stand, cor
ro5orated everything to which ne had testi.
fed She mentioned ous circumstance that
had happened to Martin of which the wit
ness had made no mention. This was his
supposed suffering from witchcrsft. The &C
cnsed, being questioned. mHds replies which
agreed exactly with the woman's statements.
Aud thus apparently demonstrated his iden-
tity with Martin. He therefore demanded
That she siouid 90 tried for perjury. An in
F-stgatiou, however, showed that she Was
thoroughly an honest woman.
Nearly one hundred and fifty witnesses
were called to give evidence in regard to the
respondents Identity. OF these nearly forty
Gu h., loI Nartin (rnarra
from infancy. aud were sure that this prison>
er was Martin. They appealed also to GER
tain scars and marks on his person as proof
Of the correctness Of their judgment. On the
other hand. there were a great many witt
Leases equally confident that the person be-
fore them was Arpaud Du Tihl, also called
Pansette. Sixty remaining witnesses, who
had known both Guerre and Du Tihl, said
they looked so much aliks that it was inn
possible tn determins which was which. The
judges decided that the prisoner was Du TIhi,
and sentenced him TO death by decapitation.
From this the condemned appealed to the
Parliament of Toulouse.
On the second trial the parties were cons
fronted in open court. The accused man~
tained so steady a face. spoke with so much
assurances and made answers so apparently
truthful. that the members Of the tribunal
were much inclined in his favor, aDd equally
Prejudic"d against his accusers. Thirty new
witnesses were examined. nine or ten of whom
believed that the defendant was Martin GU
ere seven ar eight were positive that he
waa Arraud Du Tiih. aud the remainder de-
ciai ed that they could not decide. The par
iiamrut was IN much trnuble. 1t did not
wish, 10y cUucuTring with the judge, to con-
',emu a man who might be innocent, neither
I'D !. feel justified III acquitting a possibly
atrocious criminal. Nothing remained but
TO sift the evidence more carefully.
1t appeared that forty~fve witnesses had
clearly identified the prisoner as Du Tlih. =
Among them was his mothers brother. Most
~ ihsss persons said that Guerre was q little
taller than the prisoner and darker n COM
plexlon; had slightly crooked legs, round
shoulders. turned~up chin, a large and fat
nose. and two scars on his face. The prisons
er, on the contrary, was we'll proportioned,
and had large and straight legs. aud chin
and nose differing from these of Guerre. He
had. however, the two scars on his face. A
shoemaker who bad been employed by Guerre
testified that his foot extended to the twelfth
mark ou the rule, while that Of the accused
reached no farther than the ninth. Another
man swore that while Guerre was an expert
wrestler, the prisoner knew nothing about
the art. Three persons deposed to direct and
indirect Acknowledgements on the part of the
respondent that he was Du TIlh. There was
also heresay evidence 10 the effect that Gu
erre was stili alive in Flanders, and that he
had n wooden leg. 1t was remark ed by some
that Guerre, being a Biscayan, had the ac-
cent Of his province. whereas the accused
could not speak the Basque. but took pains
to mingle few words which he had learned
of it with his French, repeating them in a
Ill 4
of testimony to the wicked character of Du
Tilh
If these charges seemed strong. the oppo-
sing evidence was not less formidable. Four
sisters Of Martin Gue,re, who were brought
up with him and were persons of good repu>
tation, were sure that the prisoner was their
brother. Two Of their husbands also recog-
nized him. Several of the guess at Martins
wedding. and who had seen warts and other
marks on Martin. which the accused likewise
had. were equally decided in their dentif>