The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-10-09
MISCELLANY.
THE BARON BELA.

SeVerai years ago hungarian nobleman,
well known in sporting circles as horseman
and hunter, named Baron Bella Olnyi, tri-
umphed over acrowd of rivals, and bore home
as his bride the rich and beautiful baroness,
Irma P--yi. Baron Bella was at that time
a wealthy landed proprietor, and was able to
indulge to the full all his inclinations and
whims. His married life was a happy one.--
Years followed one after the other, but they
were not all alike. The beautiful baroness,
as time were on, presented her spouse with
six of the dearest little barons and baroness
es that ever were seen, and Baron Bella began
to dabble In speculations. 1t was the old, old
story that has been repeated thousand
times. Toward the end of 1874, tho baron's
vast possessions, which were worth nearly
two millions, had been sold, and the family
mansion in Pesth was mortgaged to its last
brick. OF all this the fair baroness was kept
In complete ignorance, and the family estab-
lishment was maintained in its usual STYLE
When the baron realized that he was COM
pletely ruined, and that all that was left was
his wife's property, which could not be touch
ed, he formed a singular resolution. He got
his life insured in five different companies for
one hundred thousand gulden each, the terms
being that this amount should be paid over to
his family in case he should die within year.
None of the insurance companies objected to
pocketing the premium of two thousand for
ms from man just forty five years of age, in
the full vigor of life and in exuberant health.
The day, however, Baron Bella had the last
policy in his pocket, he entered upon an en-
tirely different course of life. He had been
man who never missed race or a hunt, who
went to the club every day, and regularly took
his drive or ride on horseback in the park !;
now he was to be seen nowhere in company.
not even by his dearest friends. Nor did he
remain at home in the bosom of his family
He left his house every morning early, and
only returned in time for dinner. After din
ner he disappeared again, and remained abb
sent often until midnight. During all this
time nobody knew where he kept himself Sc
cluded.
The change in his external appearance was
not less remarkable. He had previously been
getting rather stout. He now began to lose
flesh. His cheeks, which had been hord,
changed to an unhealthy paleness, his eyes
lost their brightness and we're surrounded
with heavy circles of blue, his face became
haggard, and his strong manly voice became
cracked and feeble. When these symptoms
| of dangerous disease multiplied in such a
striking manner, the friends that occasionally
visited him and his wife endeavored to per-
suade him to take medical advice, and to ex-
plain his mysterious absences. His answer
was positive refusal. Finally, in October,
the physical constitution, once SO strong,
could no longer withstand the agency so po-
tent for evil which was undermining it, and
Baron Bella was compelled to take to his bed.
Physicians were called in They shook their
heads ominously, and declared that it was a
case of galloping consumption that the dis
ease had already reached stage in which all
human aid was in vain. Hardly fourteen
days later, the sufferings of the poor baron
were in fact terminated by death. After his
death will was found by which he bequeath-
ed to his wife his life insurance policies, and
acquainted her with the fact of the loss of his
entire fortune. No other course was open
for the baroness except to prefer her claims
for the half million due on the policies through
her solicitor. The solicitor, however, immedi-
ately ran against difficulties 1t was thought
to be incredible that man who had been ex-
amined only ten months before by five ply
sicians, and pronounced in good health, could
have died of the disease mentioned. The five
companies came to the conclusion that plan
of slow suicide had been deliberately adopted,
and they all refused payment of the amounts
demanded. Me
The companies interested went further and
daily absences of the baron, of which they
had previously got wind After long and ex-
tensive researches, they finally ascertained
that earlyin January the baron had hired a
small apartment in dirty, narrow street, in
remote quarter of the city, and twice each
day remained in it for considerable time.--
| The neighbors never saw him hold any inter-
course with any one. The rent of the apart
ment had been paid up to the end Of Decem-
Der, and after Che baron's death it had been
locked up. TO clear up the hidden mystery
within that room, it was necessary to invoke
the arm of theiaw. Upon proper evidence a
warrant was issued, the fatal door was open.
ed by locksmith, and in breathless anxiety,
the room was entered. A comfortable sofa, a
table, two chairs and two chests constituted
the entire furniture. Great was the amaze
ment when the two chests were opened. The
first contained a well-worn dressing gown, 9
pair of loose Turkish trowsers, fez, and
i about ten or twelve long tobacco pipes. The
second chest was divided into square compart
ments, and there were left in it about TIVE
hundred foreign cigars, Of tho Goyernmen