The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-06-24
AN OLD MURDER CASE.


About the middle OF the seventeenth
, century Nichelas-Zambelli, a citizen ei
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 accumu-
lated q handsome fortune, and felt a,de-
sire to end his days at Lueca, whete a
: brother OF bis still resided, He wrote to
: his family announcing b 8 intention, and
} soon aiter sent them another letter,
dated at Rouen, stating that ne had ad.
yaMced thus far on his journey; that he
, had some business to attend 10 at PARIS,
!, and might be expected to reach Luoca
in about two months.
| Nearly hall year elapsed, however,
and nothing was heard of him. His
brother, exceedingly anxious as to his
fate, set out lor PARIS IN search OF him.
He visited every place where the MISS
ing 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
encountered stated that they had seen
ana conversed win the missing man; he
had canned and collected the amount,
due on various securities 10 q cons der
liable amount. When, however, the re-
ceipts signed "Zimbelli' were exhib-
lied, the brotner exclaimed at once tnat
| tuGy WCtS lVl5GiiCof uhN ~ NNb ptHlu
that there had been foul play of Some
sort-robbery, at least, if not murder.
| Cornelius Zambelli thereupon brought
the matter Delore the Lieut enant OF Po,
lice, but even his aculnen, sharpened by
long experience, Was AT fault. Unduubt-
edly u crime had been committed suue-
where beta cen R0uen anu Paris, but
where, when, and by whom! Six or sew
en- months before. goldsmith named
Marlel had opened shop ut X uen,
where he was entirely unknown. There
was something strange, awkward aud
embarrassed in has appearances and man
ner; he was very reticent as TO his ante
cendents; inquisitlve neighbors who ven.
tured 10 ask him any questions about
himself were put OF WItu eVaslve all
swerS. while his manner when thus in
terrogated became painfully embar-
raised. These circumstances, Joined to
the TACT that his business Was Lne same
as ZambeilPs, ana his appearance AT
| Rouen syncnrOnous Win the latteps dis
| appearance, awakened suspicion in the
LIeutenant's mind that he was the man
of whom they were in search, and ina.
official at once set TO work TO optain cor-
roboration othis hypoLnesis,
Win those artlul preparations to en-
trap tne unwary which are the charac-
teristics OF French criminal law, ana po-
lice, he sent an individual to MartePs
store, who, under pretense Vi purchasing
some trinkets, entered Inlo cunyersatlVn
with the goldsmitA and luciqentaIIy nien-
toned I've name OF Zambeill. At LnIs
Martel grew pale ana showed signs o.
disquletude, looking earnestly at his
quesLioner, VINO, however, giving NO
sign OF any ulterlor motive in his remark,
tinIsh hud his purchase and left the shop.
me LleuteDant now telL sure ne Was ON
the right track. His next step was an
ingenious one. He counterieled Mar
teIs Signature to u bond, and sent Ser
geant of Police to the suspected man to
demand pay ment OF 1t. Martel, Of coutse,
replied tnat 1T was aforgefy, ana refused
to pay, but the officer Insisted thai be
must take him into custody uutil he nad
sworn to its ialslty before the proper Oh
tlcer.
Martel, at first, accompanied the Ser
geant with all the calmness OF an inno.
cent man, but suddenly a sus Acion tnat
all was mol rlgnt flashed upon him.
Trembling with lear, he seiZ,d the ofti-
Ger Dy the arm and ASKED, VITA trembling
lips, if the bond was all that the police
mad against him; ii there Was not 81 Inc
other accusation back. of il. The Ser
geant, well-Lrained III his part, leigned
astonishment and reassured his PRISON.
er, SO that he had quite recovered his
calmness when brous ut before Lne Lieu.
tenant. Tue latter, however, sovu put
an end to his doubts by thus addressing
hlm: 'This bona Is indeed fatse, but as
You have betral ed tear must tell you
that there are otuer things against you.
A citizen Uf Lucca, named ZlmbelIi. IL
dead, and you are his murderer. Do not
deny IL, tor have certain proofs. You
need not ieel any alarm, b however, on tni,
account; he was stranger mere; no one
cares what has become OF him; few
sacrifices on your part and tue whole
affair can be hushed up, only you must
make luH ana sincere ecohtession--yoar
life depends on IT,"
| Martel at first iell into the snare, Glad
to purchase his lite with the sacrifice OF
| part Of his piunder, he exclaimed tnat
| the discovery OF his gui.J must have
been by The direct inLerposition ol
| Heaven. for no eye had seen his crime.
He was ready. he said, to confess ali,
| but when the notary came to take down
his deposition, he recovered his sell
possession and refused 10 say any thing.
protesting his entire innocence OF t6s
CRIME lad TO his charge. All efforts to
extoft>a confession we're hi vain, and he
was remanded 10 prison. Tnis zeaiou,
officer, in his SEARCH for traces OF the
CRIME, had visited every village anu
hamlet on the road IRON Rouen 10 Paris.
and mad questioned every officer OF
police he encountered, but all Id vain.
In despair OF accomplishing his object,
he was about t0sreturn TO Rouen, when
he was informed that some munths be.
tore corpse had been discovered hid in
a vineyard near ArgenleMi. BigoL
FASTENED thither, and the state OF pre-
servation Of the remains enabled MIN,
on viewing the body, to perceive tDas it
tailed exactly with the description
given by nis brother OF tho missing Fam
Delli.
The Magistrate, having taken down
the evidence, proceeded, In accordance
with custom, to read it aloud, when he
was interrupted by piercing cry, anu
blind man, whose presence III the room
no Que had before perceived, presented
himself. His name was Gefvais, and
himself professional beggar, born in
tue neighb0fhood. we'll known and mucn
liked. Several mouths before, he So
lie started from Argenteull on one OF his
tramps, and had just gained the hign
ground beyond tne village when he heard
The violent kaying oi a dog. He stopped
and iIsteneu, anu soon distinguished
mans voice, feeble and suppliaut, ex-
| - ktAA