Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-07-16

l VsueuNs
A great many years ago, while va.
conparatively 4 young man, and still un-
married, I resided in : certain city in Penn
sylvania, and enjoyed the reputation Of be.
ing the cleveress lawyer ever known there.
Itis not for mo to ray the praise was mer-
ited, but I certainly found myself able to
discover loop holes Of escape for those
whom defended, which surprised even my
fellow lawyers. i poscssed by nature
those qualities which would have made an
excellent detective, and I was thorough
student Of the law There was no mystery
about Il, but among the mop ignorant
classes I had gained arsputation for more
than human knowledge. Perhaps. it was
not polite fE them 70 ~ that the devil
helped me. but they did.
However, I began to ten you about Mad
anne Matteau:
She was an old lady. who owned little
house IN the suburbs Of the city. She, her
self, was Of American birth, but her hus-
band had been . Fenchman, and SO the ii.
tie, Madame, had been bestowed upon her.
She was now widow, and her daughter
Gabrielle and son Henri were her only liv.
ing relatives. Her income was but slender
and she ekcd it out by taking few board
ers, generally steady old people, who had
known her for many years. These respect
Cd and liked her; but the city generally had
a prejudice against her. There had been
two sudden deaths in her house. Each
time the victim was stranger who had
come at night. and was found dead in his
bed in the morning. Each time the jury
was divided--some believing that strangu-
lation had been the cause Of death, some
that the man had died ia fit.
II was a terrible thing that two such
deaths should have occurred beneath her
roof Madame's friends pitied her. The
rest Of the little world limited that these
were strangers, and their trunks, with no
one knew how much money and other val
liable property, remained in Malame's pos
session. No one said sne SEas murdress,
but every one said 1t was 'very strange, in
an odd tone, and no one, since that second
death. had visited Madame Matteau., ~
], myself-perhaps because l had admir-
ed her = great deal, and her daughter much
more-had always insisted that it was
merely q coincidence, and that in world
in which apoplcxy and heart disease were
SO common, it was no such marvel that
two men should have met sudden death in
the same house. But my faith in this the
or5 was shaken when one morning it was
published over the city that another tran
silent boarder had been found dead in Mad
ame Matteau's house. and that she was ar
rested on suspicion of having murdered
him, his watch and chain having been
found in her possession.
Before had recovered from the shock Of
this terrible piece Of news, q message came
to mo from Madame Matteau. She desired
to SEQ me. OF course I went to see her at
once.
She had been taken to prison, and
found her in = little room with barred
window and an insufficient fire on the
hearth. Tho logs had burned in two on the
andirons, and the white ashes were scatter
ed over the hearth. Almost in them sat
Madame 1atteau in her widows dress Of
somber black.
She was chilly with grief and excitement
and had drawn her chair clos to the fire.
She shook violently from head TO foot.
and her face was deadly pale y she turned
toward me and held out her hand.
20, thank Heaven, you have como she
said; Il know you can save me- 10 it not
horribles How could kill . man Why
should 7 I Why do people como to my
house to do, To die horribly with black
taon and staring eyes. as II some ono had
choksd thsm : Ugh and he wasA ! pretty
young man tho night befors. Oh, good
Heaven, how horrible!"
Isas down beside her. took her deli
cats hand.
|" Madame Mattsau,"I said, "be calm,
collect yourself. AZ your lawyer must
know al. Tsll me from first to last whal
happensd-what was said, what was done
II you-"
Ipaused; her black eyes had flashed up.
on me. could rot ASK her II she had any
confession TO make. saw that she had
not. Unless she was the best actress thai
ever lived, Madame Matteau was innocent
Of any crime.
III you have any suspicions,a l added
"tsll tham all TO me- sS
There ID no one to suspect sobbsd to,
poor woman.
In the mouse were Gabrielle, my daugt
ter, whom you have seen /; old Hanpal,., tn
cook; Mr.. and Mrs. Beauchamp, trlel ads q
my poor, dear husband in boyhood-th
best, kirdest people; Mr.. Gray, We ~ oil
man, too feeble to leave the house p oor ID
formed Mrs. Norman, and the librarian
Nh. Bassfrd. None Of these would mur
der : mouse. SEQ how kind they are ;the
remain In my house, they send me wor
they have no doubt Of me. Oh, how ca
anybody Z" a3
And this man who began
Yes" said Madame Matteau. ~ wi
III you; he was fair, young, handsome,
dressed. He asked Mr.. Bassford At tho d,
pot IL hs knew Of any one thst colld accc d
modats him. Mr. Bassford brought hi
home. Ny only empty room vas the q
In which those other two Strangers b.
disd. Icould mot bear 70 put him ther
but M. Basford laughed at me. We b
snppsr aftsr that. He talked 1 long lin
70 Qshsislle nvas lats whsa 10 !, tired
ilae fata aui~ ApsssholA .Haaa.h !,