Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-12
The Ways of Providence.

: century, Nicholas Zamballi, citizen
: Of Lucca, visited England on business.
and, pleased with the country, settled
there. His affairs prospered, and by
the time he was fifty years of age he
had accumulated handsome fortune,
and felt a desire to end his DAYS at
Lucca, where brother of his still re-
sided. He wrote to his family an
nouncing his intention, and soon after
sent them another letter, dated at
Rouen, stating that he had advanced
thus far on his journey; that he had
some business to attend to at Paris,
and might be expected to reach Lucca
in about two months. Nearly half a
year elapsed, however, and nothing
was heard of him. His brother, ex-
tremely anxious as to his fate, set out
for Paris in search of him. He visit
ed every place where the missing man
was likely to have presented himself in
the course Of his business, and in his
search seemed, at first. to meet with
success. Many Of those he encount-
cred stated that they had seen and
conversed with the missing man; he
had claimed and collected the amount
due on various securities to consider
able amount. When, however, the
receipt signed s'Zambelli" were ex-
hibited, the brother exclaimed at once
that they were forgeries, and it was
plain that there had been foul play of
some sort-robbery at least, if not
murder. No clue could be obtained,
however, to the guilty parties none
Of those who had paid their money to
the false Zambelli would undertake to
describe an individual they had seen
six months before, and but for a few
minutes. Investigations at Rouen re-
vealed the fact that Zambelli had ar
rived there, and had left for Paris,
accompanied by valet. The latter,
however, had been but little noticed,
and as SO long time had elapsed since
his departure, one could undertake
to identify this single domestic of the
many who in that time had passed
through that hotel, the most frequent
ed in Rouen.
| Cornelius Zambelli thereupon
brought the matter before the lieuten-
ant of police, but even his acumen,
sharpened by long experience, was at
fault Undoubtedly a crime had been
committed somewhere between Rouen
and Paris, but where, when, and by
whom? Reason was at fault, but the
lieutenant was brilliant example of
the Darwinian theory of the
acquisition Of instincts. Long years
Of contact with crime, innumerable
searches for criminals, had engendered
in him sixth sense, which enabled
him to detect the presence, of an Of
fender against the law where there was
no palpable evidence of his existance.
Six or seven months before, a gold
smith named Martel had opened shop
at Rouen, where he was entirely un-
known. There was something strange,
awkward, and embarrassed in his ap-
pearanoe and manner he was very
reticent as to his antecedents inquisi-
tive neighbors, VINO ventured to ask
him any questions about himself, were
put off with evasive answers, while his
manner when thus interrogated became
painfully embarrassed These circum-
stances, joined to the fact that his bus
mess was the same as Zambelli's, and
his appearance at Rouen synchronous
with the latter;s disappearance, awak-
ened a suspicion in the lientenant's
mind that he was the man of whom
they were in search, and that official
at once set to work to obtain corrobo-
ration Of his hypothesis.
With those artful preparations to
entrap the unwary which are the char
acteristics of French criminal law and
police, he sent an individual to Mar
tells store, who, under pretence of pur-
chasing some trinkets, entered into
conversation with the goldsmith and
incidentally mentioned the name of
Zambelli. At this Martel grew pale
and showed signs of disquietude, look
ing earnestly at his questioner, who,
however, giving no signs of any utter
ior motive in his remark, finished his
purchase and left the shop. The lieu
tenant now felt sure he was on the
right track. His next step was an in
genious one. He counterfeited Mar
tel's signature to a bond, and sent a
sergeant of police to the suspected
man to demand payment of it. Mar
tel, of course, replied that it was
forgery, anu Iefased to pay, but the
officer insisted that he must take him
into custody y until he had sworn to its
falsity before the proper officer.
Martel, at first accompanied the ser
geant with all the calmness of an inno-
cent man, but suddenly a suspicion
that all was not right flashed upon
him. Trembling with fear, he seized
the officer by the arm and asked, with
trembling lips, if the bond was all the