The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-07-29
/ .-cal ...t-....-.

WHAT is now tilt DtpdItuicub vi Ctluc-Ct-
Oise, stands the little town of Argenteuil.
One day in the summer Of 1850 1t was the
scene Of unwonted excitement. The in
habitants had, with one accord, suspend
ed their labors, quilted their houses, and
gathered together about the door of the
Hotel du Heaume. By their earnest con-
versation among themselves, and the ca
ger questioning TO which they subjected
all who came out of the hotel, 1t was evil
dent that something unusual was there
going on. In fact. il was the scene of an
Inquest held by NJ. Laurence Bigot, kings
advocate, on the body of the long missing
Zambelli. The jealous officer, in his
search for traces OF the crime, had visited
every village and hamlet on the road from
Rouen TO Paris, and had questioned every
officer of police he encountered, but all in
vain. In despair of accomplishing his OBJ
ject. he was about to return to Rouen,
when he was informed that some months
before a corpse had been discovered hid in
a vineyard near Argenteuil. Bigot has
tened thither. and the state of preserva-
ton of the remains enabled him, on view
ing the body. to perceive that it Tailed
exactly with the description given by his
brother of the missing Zambelli.
The magistrate having taken down the
evidence, proceeded, in accordance with
custom, to read it aloud, when he was in
terrupted by piercing cry, and blind
man, whose presence in the room no one
had before perceived, presented himself
His name was Gervais, and himself pro-
fessional beggar, born in the neighbor-
hood, well known and much liked. Ii was
his custom to wander from place to place,
begging his way, but he always returned
81, fN,rr a fn ATO0nfQnlI
There he met kind reception, and was
invariably allowed lodging at the hotel.
Having arrived that day from tramp of
several months, he had entered the house
and seated himself unnoticed in
corner. When, however, in listen
ing 70 the magistrate he heard
that corpse had been discovered among
the vines, he sprang up with loud excla-
nation and was quickly interr0gated. Sew
eral months before, he said, he started from
Argenteuil on one of bis trips, and had
Just gained the high ground beyond the
village when he heard the violent baying
of dog. He stopped and listened, and
soon distinguished mans voice, feeble
and suppliant, exclaiming, "Monster! thy
master, thy benefactor; mercy Mast
die so far from my country, my brother?
Mercy. mercyi Then the blind man
heard fearful cry, like that of a dying
man in his last agony, and all was silence.
After time he distinguished the steps
of one who seemed TO stagger under a
heavy burden. Gervais advanced, asking
what was the matyer-who had been
moaning so? "Nothing, nothing" re-
piled an agitated voice, ''Only a sick man,
who is being carried home, and has tainted
on the way" Then the voice added, in
lower and more menacing tone, You
NAV thank God that you are blind. or
would have done the same TO you" He
now perceived that terrible crime had
been committed; trembling as he realized
the fact that he stood face TO face with
murderer, and fearing for his own life, he
hurried on his way. resolved Lever to
breathe word of his adventure TO any
one. lest, haply, it might CO ne TO the ears
of the unknown, and awaken his ven
geance. When. however, he heard of
body being found in the very place where
he had heard the voice, he could not avoid
an expression of surprise, and when inter-
rogated, frankly told all he knew. "God
graut." he exclaimed. in conclusion, "tAat
70 evil comes TO me for it."
The kings advocate listened attentively
TO the story; he had now got hold OF
clue, but what reliance could he place
upon its power to guide him? He inter-
rogated Gervais strictly as to whether he
thought he could recognize the voice If he
heard it again. The latter insisted that
he could. Several months had passed,
it was true, but his terrible adventure
seemed only to have happened few hours
ago. Sc great had been his terror that.
night and day, he seemed to hear the muir
derer's words always ringing in his ears
he could recognize the voice as certainly
as his mothers. The bystanders also tes-
titled that, deprived of one sense, the 9th
ers had increased in power; his knowl-
edge of the human voice was wonderful :
they often tried to play tricks on him by
addressing him in disguised voices, but
the blind man never tailed TO detect the
identity of his interrogation.
After many long debates, it was decided
by the Parliament that Gervais' evidence
should be admitted. His frank and cir
cumstantial deposition made deep inn
preston, but some doubt still remained
Ii seemed straiDing point to place
mans life at the mer y of the fugitive rem
iniscences of blind man, who could only
trust to his hearing. 1t seemed almostim
possible that Gervais should recognize
faithfully a voice he had heard but once
The Parliament, therefore, determined tC
prove him by bringing into his presence
SUCCESSFULLY allthe prisoners in the Con
ciergerie, Martel among the rest. If, after
hearing them speak, the bind man spon
taneously and without once hesitatiDe
should recogniZ4 the voice, which hac
struck him so powerfully, this evidence
united to what they already had, should
be held conclusive. Christmas eve was
81 CO. this ovnny-innaDf. Qn6 fnl
good reasons. TO have brought up tht
prisoners together on an ordinary day
would have awakened their suspicious
perhaps suggested so them various strata
gems, and thus left the success of the
novel experiment to chance. On Christ
mas eve, however, the order excited NJ
surprise, as il was then customary Il
bring all the prisoners of the Conciergeri'
before the Parliament, which sometimes
out of respect for the day, liberated thos'
| who had been imprisoned for trifiing OF
lenses. E ~wr ~
To bring home to the understanding 0
the witness the importance of the state
ments he was to make, an iron-clad oatl
was administered to him, which he took il
a truthful, honest manner, that left %
doubt of his sincerity, and the trial CON
menced. Eighteen prisoners were brough
up and aRsw. red the questions put to them
but the blind man never moved, while tn
prisoners. on perceiving him in the room
gave no signs of alarm. At last the nint
teenth was introduced. 1t was Martel. an
at the sight of Gervais he seemed stupefie
with horror; he reeled and nearly fainte
away, so that the turkeys were oblige
to lead him TO seat. The President an
Judges anxiously awaited the result. A
the first words that Marfel uttei ed in n
ply to a question, the blind man, wht
ignorant of bis presence, had hitherto r,
mained quiet and immovable, suddenl
leaned forward, listening intently; thel
shrinking b ok with horror and fear, /
cried out :F q IL is be; ills the voice
heard on the heights of Argenteuil II
President then. in loud voice, ordere
the removal of the prisoner and the intr'
duetion of another. The first part of th
order was complied with, but in accor'
ance with a prearranged plan, Martel ".
again Brought in and interrogated und,
another name. Fresh questions elicite
fresh replies, but the blind man, AFTER lis
ening few minutes, exclaimed: "Yo
are deceiving me; that is the voice of Il
man conversed with on the heights
Argenteuil." -. stss.
e.>o,, ro1,-oI