Smyrna times., 1874-06-24
mise eIIUn e OUS
An Old Lawyers Story.


paratively young man, and still unmarried,
resided in a certain city Of Pennsylvania,
and enjoyed the reputation of being the clev
crest lawyer ever known there. 1t is not for
me to say the praise was merited but | GER
tainly founl my-et able to discover loOp-holes
of escape for tlo1e whom defended, (which
surprlz ID even my fellow lawyers. | possessed
by nature those qualities which would have
made me an excellent detective, and [ was
thorough student of the law. There was no
mystery about it, but among the more ignorant
classes had gained a reputation for more than
human knowledge. Perhaps it was not polite
for them to say that the devil helped me, but
they did.
However, began to tell you about Madame
Matteau.
Sne was an cd lady, who owned little
house in the suburbs of the city. She herself
was of American birth, but her husband had
been Frenchman. and so the title Madame
hal been bestowed upon her. She was now
widow, anl her d.ushter G ,briee, and son
Henri, were her only living relatives Her in
come was but slender, and she eked it out by
taking few DO .rders, generally steady old
people, who had known her for many years.
Th Sc respected and liked her; but the city
generally had prejudice against her. There
hal been two sIlden deaths in her house
Each time the victim was a stranger who came
at night, and was found dead in his bed in the
morning. Each time the jury was divided
some believelng that straRgulatiOn had been
the cause OF death, seme that the maa had
died i'll a ut.
1t was a terrible thing that two such deaths
should have occurred beneath her roof Mad
ame' friends pitled her. The rest of the little
world hinted that these were strangers, aud
that their trunks, with no one knew what
amount Of mOn"y and other valuable property
remained in Ma .anes possession. No one
said she was murIeresS, but every one said il
was very strange, in an odd tone, and nc
one since that second death had visited Mad
ame NJ .tteau.
I myself-perhaps because had admired
her great deal, and her daughter much more
hal always insisted that it was merely coin
cidence, and that in world in which apopexl
and heart dis'as' were SO common, it was n,
such marvel that tive men should have me
sudden DEATHS in the same house. But N,
faith in this theory was shaken when on
morning it was published over the city tha
anoth ,r transient board n had been found deat
in NJ lla NJ Matteau's house, and that she wa
arrese on suspicion of having murdered him
his watch and CHI lln having been found in he
possession.
Before had recovered from the shock O
this terrible piece of news, message came +
me from MadIme Matteau. She desired t
see me. OF course | went to her at once
She hld been taken to prison, and | foun
her in little room with a barred window, an
an insufficient fire upon the hearth. The log
had burnt in two upon the androns, and tn
white ashes were scattered over the hearth
Almost in them sat Madame Matte4u, in he
widow dress of sombre black.
She WAS chilly with grief and excitemen
and had drawn her chair close to the fire.
She shook violently from head to foot, an
her face was deadly pale as she turned it tt
ward me and held out her hand
70, thank Heaven, you have come u st
said know you can save me. Is it NJ
horrible? How could l kill man? WI
should /? Why do people come to my hou
to die? To die horribly, with black faces al
startling eyes, as if some one had choke
them? Ugh! and he was pretty young ms
the night before. Oh, good Heaven, how ho
rible !"
| sat down beside her. | took her hand.
" Madame Matteau," | said, "be cain
collect yourself. As your lawyer, l must knC
all. Tell me, from first to last, what happen
what was said, what was done. IF you
paused her black eyes had flashed up
me. | could not ask her whether she had a
confession to make. saw that she had NJ
Unless she was the best actress who ever live
Madame Matteau was innocent of any crime
If you have any suspicious" l addt
tell them all to me"
There is no one to suspect, sobbed
poor woman.
"In the house were Gabrielle, my daught
whom you have seen; old Hannah, the COG
Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp, friends of my p
dear husband 10 his boyhood-the best,
kindest people-Mr Gray, very old man,
feeble to leave the house; poor deformed N
Norman, and the librarian, Dir. Bassford. N,
of these could or would murder q mouse
how kind they are; they remain in my hou
they send me word that they have no doub
me. Oh, how can anybody p
And this man who" began.
"Yes," said Madame Matteau, q will
you; he was fair, young, handsomely dress
he asked Mr. Bassford at the depot if he kI
of auy one who could accommodate him.
Bassford brought him home. My only em
room was the one in which those other
strangers died. could not bear to put
n there; but Mr.. Bassford laughed at me.
n had supper afterward. talked long W
TO Gabrielle It was late when be retire