Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-07-29

companion before the other had yet
reached the bedside.
The old man then put his hand to his
bosom, and the trembling drover saw
him draw forth the long blade the other
had given him. For ali instant the muir
derous weapon was poised over his head,
and then descended upon the person of
the poor wretch in the bed.
The murderer paused in his work for
an instant, as if to satisfy himself that life
was extinct; and then moved quickly
from the room.
As soon as the sound of his footsteps
had died in the distance, the horror
stricken drover escaped through the
window, and ran with all his speed to
Marquise, where, arousing the people
of the hotel, he told his fearful story. A
crowd soon collected about him, and
accompanied him to the scene of the
| fearful murder.
All about the house was still, but on
approaching the stable light was dis
covered within; and, moving noislessly
to the door, and peering through the
cracks, the two murderers we're found in
the act of digging grave beneath the
flooring. A rush was made upon them,
and they were arrested.
At the sight of the drover, who
was the first to confront the guilty
wretches, the landlord uttered shrek
of terror, and fell to the ground, while
his accomplice, as pale as corpse,
gazed upon him with alright, not doubt
ing it was the ghost of the murdered
man who stood before him,
Theparty now proceeded to the house,
dragging the murderers along with
them.
Lights were procured, and still keep
ing the prisoners with them, the people
entered the room where lay the body of
the man so strangely murdered instead
of the horse dealer. The wife and
daughter followed.
When the covering was removed from
the face of the corpse, and the full light
of the candles fared upon it, wild cry
burst. from the lips of the landlords S
wife.
"My sonny murdered sonl Who
has done this 2"
And with hysterical scream she fell
to the floor.
"No, no! it can't be so, mother |" ex-
claimed the daughter, as she struggled to
reach the bed. But the terrible truth
burst upon her as her eyes fell upon the
mangled form of her brother, and she
also swooned upon the body.
The cries of the broken hearted
females seemed to arouse the old man
for moment; and gazing wildly at tho
sight before him, he realized also the
terrible truth. He had murdered bis
own sonl
On investigating the facts before the
magistrate on the following day, it was
ascertained that the son of the inn
keeper, who was dissipated young
man, had visited Marquise the previous
evening, where, with some of his asso-
ciates, he had been engaged in drinking
and gambling till late hour; and being
too much intoxicated to remount his
horse, and ashamed to meet his family,
some of his fellow gamblers had accom-
panied him home; and supposing the
room in which the drover had been put
to be vacant, they had assisted the
drunken man into the window. 1t was
; their voices the lodger had heard; and
thus it was that the hapless youth met
his death and our friend escaped.
The accomplice Of the landlord
, proved to be his own son-in- law, Henri
Legrand.
From that awful hour the wretched
mother of that murdered boy, murdered
, by his fathers hand, remained q raving
maniac.
1t is only necessary to add, in con
, Guiding this tale of horror, that the
drover recovered his money; and justice
, claiming her due, the two murderere
t paid the penalty Of their crime upon the
guillotine. Shortly after this last event
| the people of Marquise, to whom the
scene of the unnatural murder had be
! come an eyesore, assembled and leveleG
| the building to the ground. The spot
5 is now covered with brambles ant
thistles, and pointed out to the stranger
as the place to be avoided for The
ignorant assert that it is haunted by thC
ghost of the murdered son.