The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-10-09

stances, SO dark and impenetrable in
their profound mystery, which had
happened years before. And I remem-
bered how our position, Ludwig Kuhl,
had assisted me in the unavailing search
for his Excellency. Soon we reached a
little ca6dret-their name is legion in
Antwerp-in one of the back streets
near the cathedral; and with glass of
his favOrite Boonjekamp in front of
him, he seated himself, and told me the
following sequel to the mysterious dis
appearance.
| "You must remember me, friend"
he began, ''when was in better con-
ditiOn than you now see me-" and he
scanned his wretched garments, shrug-
cling his shoulders with an impatient
air.
nodded acquiescence.
"Well," said he, ''yOu must also
know in your long experience of travel
that all classes of society on the Cont
nent, and particularly in Vienna, have
their secret club. The positions had
theirs but it was subject to the rule of
the Chief Secret Society. In my
younger days, friend, was induced, in
an unlucky moment, to enroll myself as
a member, and take the oaths OF the
Secret Society of Positions. Bitterly
have l repented since, for it is to that
circumstance l owe my present deplora-
BILE state of mind and position"
but what has that to do with the
mysterious case of his Excellencyg' l
asked of him, somewhat impatiently.
"Much more than you imagine or can
ever know, FRIEND" replied he, senten-
tiously wagging his head. He paused
for moment. swell, will tell you,"
continued he, Though you must not
break my story with your inquiring
comments. Firstly, then, you must
know that was on the establishment
of Herr Spultzen, the carriage-master
and stable-keeper from whom his En-
cellency the Honorable Eslington hired
his his travelling carriage and horses for
the Chief Secret Society that his Excel
lency was in possession of important
papers, and it was also known that he
was on the point of starting with them
for England. The Chief Commander
had important reasons for obtaining
these papers, or copies of them, and of
one in particular above all others, by
fair means or foul and what the Chief
says is to be done is done invariably at
any cost. The committee had balloted
for the person who must execute their
orders, and their choice had fallen on
me as position, and the more likely to
effect successful result. BY virtue of
my oath l was bound to obey, or l
should have suffered 4 secret death, by
assassination probably. l need not tell
you my instructions but dreadful
fate awaited you in the event of
you or his Excellency obstructing our
wishes. In every town through which
we passed there were emissaries
of the Chief Society to assist me, so
great is its organization; and when l
received your instructions to pull up at
the next town, which if you remember
was s., knew the wishes of the
Chief Commander would be effectuallv
carried out. The landlord of the hotel
you staid at and the head hostler were
known to me as members of the Chief
Society, and there were other residents
in the town also members, whom did
not know. So you see, my friend, how
his Excellency and you were encom-
passed in net from which there was no
escape;'' and he chuckled to himself as
he said it. "Now you remember how
his Excellency was always engaged in
writing his dispatches and documents.
Well, there was consequently great
difficulty in getting view of the papers
without adopting foul means, and time
was of great Importance to the Chief
Commander
What!' 1 exclaimed, in great as
constituent, my hair almost on end
with the suddenness of the confession
"what! Do you mean to tell me, Carl
Johann Roeckel, that you murdered his
Excellency in cold blood?'
mot exactly that, FRIEND" he quiet
ly replied. "When his Excellency
went for that short walk, the head
hOstler also went for stroll in the same
direction. A short distance from the
town the hostler met friend, also a
member. and they quickly bound and
gagged his EXcellency, and carried him
to the cellar of the latter's house, where
they kept him secretly until after the
excitement of the disappearance and
search had subsidized, when he was
taken to Vienna in the involuntary dis
guise of dangerous lunatic peasant,
and Afterwards And he made sig-
nificant sign indicative of strangulation.
1.-The papers were distracted by the
landlord, and handed to me, and in
turn delivered them to the Chief Com
mander personally. Nothing was ever
said about the missing documents, if
you recollect, because only one other
person beside his Excellency and the
Chief Commander knew of them, and
he dared not say what they were.''
''But how" asked l, "was every
thing kept SO quietly, as the British
matter, and large rewards were Of
fered?'
"Well," replied he, those to whom
the matter was referred were mostly
members of the Chief Society, which,
you must remember, numbered in its
roll members of all ranks and stations.
The pair of overalls found in the copse
some days after the disappearance were
purposely placed there to lead and en-
courage the belief that his Excellency
had been robbed and then murdered"
But you do not account for your be-
ing here in Antwerp now" said 1.
"Well, FRIEND" continued he, and
he drew himself closer to me and spoke
in a very low TOME well, the Chief
Commander, in consequence of the stir
made by both the British and our Gov
eminent, and fearing disclosure on &C
count of the large rewards offered, took
effective steps to prevent it by ordering
the deaths of those concerned in the
tragedy. The landlord of the hotel,
however, suddenly decamped to Ameri-
ca-where he will be tracked, never
fear-after hearing of the deaths of the
hostler and his friend, who were found
stabbed in their beds; and l escaped
here, by circuitous routes, and I have
remained in hiding ever since. But l
am already known and discovered. and