Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-08-10
AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY.

hC SIiCudlS dIICuuiuR Tie
death of NJ. Delessert, Inspector of the
police dc SUrete, seem to have made
such an impression upon the Partisan
authorities that they were recorded in
unusual detail. Omitting all particu-
lars, except what are necessary to eX-
plain matters, we reproduce here the
undoubtedly strange history.
In the fall of 1861 there came to
Paris man who called himself Vic
De Lasa, and was so inscribed upon
passports. He came from Vienna, and
said he was Hungarian, who owned
estates on the borders of the Banat.
not far from Zenta. de was small
man, aged thirty-flve, with pale and
mysterious face. long blonde hair, a
vague and wandering blue eye, and a
mouth of singular firmness. He dress
ed carelessly and inetIectively, and
spoke and talked without much en-
DreSSemeRt. His companion, presum-
ably his wife, on the other hand, ten
years younger than him, was strik-
ingly beautiful woman, of that dark,
rich, velvety, luscious, pure Hunga-
rian type which is so nigh Kin 10 the
gypsy blood. At the theatres on the
Bots, at the cafes, oil the boulevards,
and everywhere that idle Paris dis.
ports, Madame Aimee de Lassa attract
ed great attention and made sensa-
ton.
They lodged in luxurious apart
ments on the Rue Richelieu, frequent
ed the best places, received good COM
pany, entertained handsomely, and
acted in every way as il possessed of
considerable wealth. Lasa had al
ways good balance chez hn;eder,
Rter ct Gle, the Austrian bankers In
Rue RivoIi, and Madame wore dia-
monds of conspicuous lustre.
How did it happen, then, that the
Project of Police saw fit to suspect
Monsieur and Madame de Lasa, ana
detailed Paul Delessert, one of the
most yuSe inspectors OF the force, to
"pipe" him? The TACT is, the insig-
nificant man with the splendid wife
was a very mysterious parsonage, aGd
it il the habit of the police TO imagine
that mystery always hides either the
conspirator, the adventurer, or the
charlatan. The conclusion to which
the Project had come in regard to Mr..
de Lasa was that he was an adventurer
and charlatan too. Certainly a sue
cessful one, then. for he was singular
Nv unOb.rusive, and had in no way
trumpeted the wonders which it was
his mission to perform. Yet in few
weeks after he had established himself
in Paris the salon of NJ de Lasa was
the rage, and the number of persons
who paid the fee of 100 francs for a
single peep into his magic crystal, and
single message by his spiritual tele-
graph, was really astonishing. The
secret of this was that NJ. de Lasa vas
a cOniurer and divirer, whose preten-
! tiOns were Omniscient and whose pre-
| dictions always came true.
Delessert did not find very difficult
| to get an introduction and admission
| to De Lasa's salon. The receptions
occurred every other day-twO hours
| i'm the forenoon, three hours in the
| evening. 1t was evening when In
specGor Delessert called, in his assumed
| character of NJ. FlebTy. virtuOso IN
| Jewels and a convert to Splritualism
| He found the handsome p8rlOrs bril-
| liantiy lighted aud a charming as
semblage gathered of well-pleased
guests, who did not all. all seem "a
have come to learn their fortunes and
fates, while contributing to the income
of their host, but rather to be there
out of com plaisance to his virtues anC
gifts. Nine de Lasa performed upon
the piano or c0nverSed from group tC
gruup in a way that seemed to he de-
lightfuI, while NJ. de Lasa walked
about or sat in his insignificant, un
concerned way, saying word now anC
then, but seeming to shun everything
that was conspicuous. Servants hand
ed about refreshment, ices. cOrdials
wines, etc, and Delessert could have
fancied himself dropped in upon 9
/ quite modest evening entainment, al
together en- regie, but for one or tive
noticeable circumstances which hi:
observant eye quickly took in.
EXCEPT when their host or hostess
was within hearing the guests con
yersed together in very low tones
rather mysteriously, and with no
quite so much laughter as is usual OF
such occasions At intervals very
tall and dignified fOotman would conn
to a guest, and, with a profound bow
present him a card on a silver salver
The guest would then go out. preceded
by the solemn servant, and when ~
or she returned to the salon-sonIe dlC
not return at all-they Invariably wor'
a dazed or puzzled look, were confused
astonished, frightened, or amused
All this was so Enthusiastically genuine
and De Lasa and his wife seemed 81
uucoucerned amidst it all. not say dis
tinct from il all, that Delessert couit
not avoid being forcibly struck ant
considerably puzzled.
Two or three little incidents, whicl
came under Delesert's own immediate
observation, will suffice to make plail
the character Of the impressions mad
upen those present. A couple oi gen
tlemen, both young both Ofgood socia
condition, and evidently very lntl
mate friends, were eOnversing togethe
aud tutoying one another at grea