The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-01-17
THE JANDIDIER MYSTERY
BY EMILE aABoRIAv.


A very short time ago, that is yester-
day, about four o'clock in the afternoon,
all the Quarter du Marias was in an
uproar. 1t was said that one of the
most respectable merchants in the Rio
de Sicile had disappeared, and all the
efforts to discover him had proved
fruitless. The strange event was dis
cussed in all the shops in the neighbor-
hood; there were groups around the
doors of all the greengrocers, and every
moment some terrified housewife ar
rived, bringing new details. The grocer
at the corner had best, freshest and most
correct Intelligence, having received it
from the lips of the cook who lived in
the house.
49," said he, yesterday, after
dinner, our neighbor, Monsieur Jandi-
dier, went to his cellar to get bottle of
wine, and was never seen again-disap-
peared, vanished, evaporatedw
1t occasionally happens that mysterious
disappearance are heard of, the public
get excited; and prudent people buy
sword canes. Policemen hear these
abused rumors and shrug their shoulders.
They are familiar with the other sides
of these closely embroidered canvasses.
They search into the matter, and find,
instead of artless falsehoods, the truth; ;
instead of romances, sad stories. Yet
up to a certain point, the grocer in the
Rue Saint Louis told the truth.
Monsieur Jandidier, manufacturer of
imitation jewelry, had really not been
home for twenty-four hours. Monsieur
Theodore Jandidier was a very tall, very
bald man, about ffty-eight years old,
with sufficiently good manners, who had
amassed considerable fortune in trade.
He had an income from stocks of twenty
thousand livres, and his business brought
him about fifty thousand francs. He
was beloved and esteemed by his neigh
bors and justly SO, for his honesty was
above suspicion, his morality austere.
Married late in life to poor relative, he
had made her perfectly happy. He had
an only daughter, pretty, graceful
girl, named Therese, whom he adored
She had been engaged to the oldest son
of the banker Schmidt-of the firm of
Schmidt, Gubenheim & Worth-Mon-
sieur Gustave; but the match had been
broken of, no one new why, for the
young people were desperately in love
with each other. 1t was said in the
Jandidier circle by Schmidt, senior,
who, as it was we'll known, would skin
flint, and required dowry far beyond
the merchants means.
Warned by public rumor, which con-
stantly increased, the commissary of
police went to the home of the man who
was already called the victim, though
no exact information had been received.
He found Nine and Mdlle. Jandidi er
such transports of grief that it was
with the utmost difficulty that he could
gather the truth. At last he learned
the following particulars:
The evening before, Saturday, Mon
sieur Jandidier had dined with his
family as usual, but did not eat with
much appetite, having, he said, violent
headache. After dinner he went to his
warehouse, gave some orders, and then
entered his Office. Returning home at
$50 he told his wife he was going to
walk. And he never appeared again.
Having carefully noted these particulars,
the commissiary of police requested per.
mission to see Madame Jandidier few
minutes alone. She made a sign of
assent, and Mademoiselle left the room.
Pardon, madame" said the COM
missary of police, " the question 1 am
about to address to you. Do you know
whether your husband had-I again ask
your pardon-any connection outside of
the houseF
Madame Jandidier started up: anger
dried her tears.
al have been married twenty-three
years, monsieur; my husband has never
returned home later than ten o'clock" )"
Was your husband in the habit Of
going to any club or cafeT' he con.
tinued.
Never; 1 wouldn't have allowed it,
"Did he usually carry valuable
papers about him ?"
don't know; attend to my house
keeping, and don't trouble myself about
business matters"
1t was impossible to get any further
information from the poor wife, who wa.
bowildered by grief.
Having accomplished his business
the commissary of police thought it hi.
duty to say few words of commonplace
consolation to the poor woman. But
when he went away, after making in
quiries in the household, he felt yer,
anxious, and began to spect the exist
ence Of a crime. That very evening
one of the most skillful detectives
Retiyeau better known in the Rue dt
Jerusalem as Maitre Magloire-was pu
on the track of Monsieur Jandidier
provided With an excellent photograph
of the merchant.
Well, Monsieur Magloire," said tn,
magistrate; $50 you have discovered
something's
Pm on the track, Monsieur"
"Speakp
"To begin with, Monsieur, Monsieu
Jandidier didn't leave his house at 6 80
but at seven precisely"
PresiselyW
Yes. got the information from
clock maker in the Rue st. Denis, VIII,
is sure of the fact, because Monsieu
Jandidier while passing his shop, too
out his watch to compare it with tn
clock over the door. He had an ur
lighted cigar in his mouth. On learnin
this circumstance I said to myself, 6
have him! he'll light his cigar somt
where My reasoning was correct;