The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-20

: IN your long experience Of travel that al
classes Of society on The Continent, ant
particularly In Vienna, have their gecre
h club. The positions had theirs; but /
was subject 10 the rule OF the Chief Score
Society. In my younger days, friend,
was induced, by an unluCky moment, Il
enroll myself as q member, and take The
oaths Of the Secret Society OF Positions
Bitterly have l repented since, for II Is L
that circumstance owe my present deplO
Iable state OF mind and position"
"But what has that 10 do with the mys
terious case Of his Excellency?" I asked
him. somewhat impatiently.
"AIuch more than you imagine or can
ever know, friend" replied he, senten.
tiously wagging his head. He paused FOL
moment. "Well, l will tell you, I" contin'
ued he, though you must not break my
story with yourinquiring comments. First
| ~, then, you must know that ! was on the
establishment Of Herr Spultzen, the car.
riage master and stable keeper from whom
his Excellency, the Honorable Eslington,
hired his travelling carriage and horses for
his return journey. II was known to the
Chief Secret Society that his Excellency
was In possession OF important papers, and
1t was also known that he was on the point
O. 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 inva.
riable at any cost.
The committee had balloted for the per-
son who must execute the orders, and
the choice had fallen on me as position,
and the more likely To effect successful
result. By virtue Of my oath was bound
% obey, or should have suffered street
death, by assassination probably. need
not tell you my instructions; but dread
iul late 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 II you re-
member was s., knew the wishes
oil the Chief Commander would be effect.
ually 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 resi-
dents in the town also members, whom
did not know. So you see, my friend, how
his ExCellency and you were encompass.
ed in net from which there was no
escape; and he chuckled TO himself as
he said It. Nov you remember how his
Excellency was always engaged in writing
his Dispatches and documents. Well,
there was consequently great difficulty In
getting o view OF the papers without adopt
ing ioul means, and time was OF great i'm
portance to the Chief Commander"
What" l exclaimed, in great astonish.
ment, my hair almost on end with the
suddenness Of the confession-"what
you mean to tell me, Carl Johann
Roeckel, that you murdered bis Excel
leney in cold blood2"
mot 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 hostler met a |
friend, also 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
alter the excitement OF the disappearance
had subsidized, when he was taken to Wen
ma In the involuntary disguise OF danger
Gus lunatic peasant, and atterward ="
And he made significant sign indicative
OF strangulation. 1.-THE papers were alb.
stracted'by the landlord and handed to
me, and in turn delivered them to the
Chief Commander personally. Nothing
was eversaid about the missing documents,
II you recollect, because only one other
person besides his Excellency and the
Chiet Commander knew Of them, and he
dared not say what they were."
"But how" asked |, "was everything
kept so quietly, as the British government
made great stir over the matter, and
large rewards were ofEeredY
"Well, replied he, "those 10 whom the
matter was referred were mostly members
OF the Chief Society, which, you must re-
member, numbered in its roll members
OF all ranks and stations. The pair OF
overalls found in the copse some days af-
ter the disappearance were purposely
placed there to lead and encourage the
belief that his Excellency had been rob-
bed and then murdered"
but you do not account for your being |
here IN Antwerp now" said l.
well, 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
70 prevent it BY ordering the deaths Of
those concerned in the tragedy. The
landlord Of the hotel, however, suddenly
decamped to America-where he will be |
tracked, never fear-aiter hearing Of the |
death ofthe hostlel and his friend who we're
found stabbed in their beds; and / escaped
here by circuitous routes, and I have re-
NAMED in hiding ever since. But am
already known and discovered, and l 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 |
am studiously watched, I feel certain.
Even now" And he suddenly stopped,
casting cautious glance around the room,
and he pointed 10 a stranger who was 81.
lently smoking and drinking, to all appear
ance engrossed in their enjoyment. II
must leave you" he said in hurried |
hoarse whisper. "Good.by, iriend;" and
he erept out OF the cabaret quickly.
The next morning Ludwig Kuhl's body
was found floating in the canal, near It's
entrance to the soheldt, pierced in the
breast by short dagger, with the device
In German on its fiat black handle, ave
watt llHa, NOT s.'l G
. nd
a.,,,s,,s 3r9ss!5r,,,ss,s,,a,s'.ssa,as, o.. p.
~ = tors Of the genuine
DR. C. NGcI.ANE'S