The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-07-03
THE JaNDIDIER MYSTERY.

A very short time ago, that is yester-
day, about four O'Clock in the afternoon,
all the QUARTER du Msrais was in an up
roar. 1t was said that one of the respec-
disappes -ed, and all the efforts to dis
cover him had proved fruitless. The
strange event was discussed in all the
shops of the neighborhood; there were
groups around the doors of all the green
grocers, and every moment some terrified
housewife arrived, bringing new details.
The grocer at the corner had the best,
freshest and most correct intelligence
having received it from the lips of the
cock who lived in the house.
So," said he, yesterday, after din
ner, our neighber, Monsieur Jandidier,
went to his cellar and was never seen
sgain - disappeared, vanished evapo-
rated ~
1t occas. .onalIy happens that mysteri-
GUS disappearances are heard of, the
public gets excited, and prudent people
buy sword canes. Policemen hear these
absurd rumors and shrug their shoulders.
They are familiar with the other side 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 iewelry, had really not been
home for twenty four hours. Monsieur
Theodore Jandidier WAS q very tall,
very bald man, about fifty-eight years
old, with sufficiently good manners, who
had amassed q considerable fortune in
trade. He had an income from stocks
of twenty thousand livTes, and his busiN
ness brought him in about fifty thousand
francs. He was beloved and esteemed
by his neighbors, and justly 50, for his
honesty was above suspicion, his morality
austere. Married late in life to Tela-
tive, he had made her perfectly happy
He had an only daughter, pretty,
graceful girl named Theresa, whom ne
adored. She had been engaged to the
banker Schmidt-of the firmot Schmidt,
Gubenheim & Worb-Monsieur GUS
tave, but the match had been broken
of, no one knew why, for the young
people were desperately in love with
each other. It was said in the Jandider
circle that Schmidt, senior. who, as was
well known would skin flint, had rez
quired a dOwry far beyond the mer~
chants means.
Warned by public rumor, which con.
stantly increased, the cOmmissionary of
police went to the home of the man who
was already called the victim, though
no exact information had been received.
He found Madame and Madamoiselle
Jandidier in such transports of grief
that it was with the utmost difficulty
that he could gather the truth. At last
ne 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 head
ache. After dinner he went to his ware
houses, gave some orders, and then en-
| tered his office. Returning home at
half past six, he told his wife he was
going to walk. And he never appeared
again. Having carefully noted these
particulars, the commissary of police re,
quested permission to see Madame Jan
didier few minutes alone. she made s
sign of assent, and MadamOiselle There's
left the room.
"Pardon, madame" ssid the commits
sary of police, fthe question that l an
about to address to you. Do you know
whether your husband had-I again ash
your paTdon--any connection outside o
the houseP
Madame Jandidier started up; anger
dried her tears.
"I have been married tWentysthret
years, monsieur; my husband has never
returned home later than ten O'Clock.
"Was your husband in the habit oi
going to any club or cafe 2" he continued
" Never wouldn't have allowed it, >
II ~.
about with him ?"
"I don't know / attended to my
housekeeping, and don't trouble mysel
about business matters"
1t was impossible to get any further
information from the poor wife, who Wa
bewildered by grief.
Having accomplished his business, the
commissary of police thought it his duty
to ssy few words of commonplace con
ISOLATION to the poor woman. But wher
he went sway, after making inquiries il
the household, he felt very anxious arc
began to suspect the existence of crime
That very evening one of the most skill,
full detectives, Retivead, better knowE
in the Rue de Jerusalem as Maitre Ms
gloiTe, wss put on tbs track of Monsieu VI
Jandidier, provided with an excellent
| photograph Of the merchant.
The very morning after Monsieur
Jandidier had disappeared, Msitre Ma
gloire presented himself at the Palais de
Justice to report the magistrate whC
had charge OF the matter.
"WelI, Monsieur Msgloire," said th:
magistrate, $50 yOu have discovered
s methiDg7"
Pm on the track, monsieur"
'SpeakP
'To begin with, Monsieur Jandidie
didn't leave his house at half-past six
but at seven precisely"
Precisely 2"
Yes. I got my information from
clock maker in the Rue Saint Denis, whit
is sure Of the fact, because Monsieu
! Jsndidier, while passing his shop, tool