The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-11-14


Secret society. In my younger days,
friend, was induced, in an unlncky mo-
ment, to enroll myself as member, and
take the oaths of the Secret Society of
Positions. Bitterly have I repented
since, for it is to that circumstance owe
my present deplorable state of mind and
position"
''But what has that to do with the mys-
terious case of his Excellency?" I 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. "Well, will tell you"
continued he, though you must not
break my story with your inquiring COM
ments. Firstly, then, you must know
that was on the establishment of Herr
Sputzen, the carriage-master and stable
keeper from whom his Excellency the
Honorable Eslington hired his travelling
carriage and horses for his return jour-
ney. It was known to the Chief Secret
Society that his Excelleney was in pos
session of important papers, and it was
also known that he was upon 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 ir means or foul; and what
the Chief says is to be done, is done in
variably at any cost. The committee had
balloted for the person who must execute
@heir orders, and their choice had fallen
on me as position, and the more likely
to effect successful result. By virtue
of my oath I was bound to obey, or /
should have suffered secret death, by
oho1 IA lxy II 10
you my instructions; but a 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 Soci-
ETY. to assist me, so great as the organiza-
ton; and when received your orders to
pull up at the next town, which, if you
remember, was s., / knew the wishes
of the Chief Commander would be
effectually carried out. The landlord of
the hotel you staid at, and the head host
ler were known to me as members OF the
Chief Society, and there were other resi-
dents in the town also members, whom 1
did not know. So you see my friend,
how his Excellency and you were encom-
passed in q net from which there was no
escape" and he chuckled to himself as
he said it. 'tNow you remember how his
Excellency was always engaged in
writing his dispatches and documents.
Well, there was consequently great diff
Guilty in getting a view of the papers
without adopting foul means, and time
was of great importance to the Chief
Commander.
ssWhatr' I exclaimed, in great aston
ishment, my hair almost on end with the
suddenness of the confession-"what! Do
10 ka11 MI TDh
Roeckel, that you murdered his Excel
lency in cold blood?"
'Not exactly that, friend" he quietly
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 host
ler met friend, also member, and they
quickly bound and gagged His Excel
lency 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 in
voluntary disguise of dangerous luna
tic peasant, and afterward-" And he
made significant sign indicative of
strangulation t'The papers were alb
stracted by the landlord, and handed to
me, and in turn delivered them to the
Chief Commander personally. Nothing
was ever said about the missing docu-
ments if You recollect, because only one
other person besides His Excellency
and the Chief Commander knew of them,
and he dared not say what they WERE"
'tBut how" asked I, twas everything
kept SO quietly, as the British Govern
ment made great ado over the matter,
and large rewards were offered ?"
"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 I.
'tWell, friend, !" continued he, and he
drew himself closer to me and spoke in
very low tone-''well, the Chief Com
mander, in consequence of the stir made
by both the British and our Government,
and fearing disclosure on account 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, sud-
denly decamped to America-where he
will be tracked, never fear-after hear
ing of the deaths of the hostler and his
friend, who were found stabbed in their
beds; and / escaped here, by circuitous
routes, and / have remained in hiding
ever since. But I am really known and
discovered, and I go daily in fear of my
life. The sign of the Black Dagger
here"-and he tore open his vest and
shirt, disclosing the print of dagger on
his breast-''is known to all members of
the Secret Society. My death-warrant
has long ago been signed, and I am
studiously watched, I feel certain. Even
now" And he suddenly stopped, cast
ing cautious glance around the room,
and pointing to stranger who was
silently smoking and drinking, to all ap-
pearance engrossed in their enjoyment.
81 must leave you,'' he said, in hur-
ried hoarse whisper, 'sGood-by, friend;;''
and he crept out of the cabaret quickly.
The next morning Ludwig Kuhl's
body was found floating in the canal,
near its entrance to the Scheldt, pierced
in the breast by short dagger with the
device in German on its fat black ham
die, ssWe wait"
GRAHAM BREAD IN HISTORY - The