San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-02-08
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE. ]

THURSDAY, the 18th OF September, 1893
at three O'Clock in tho afternoon, Monsieur
lie 81. Mars, governor Of tho Bastile, arrive
for the first time from the Islos OF 81
Marguerite and Honorat, bringing with hin
in his own litter, IN old prisoner he hac
guarded at Pignerol His name was moi
given, the cause Of his detention not made
known. lie wore velvet mask, and was
first placed in the tower of the Bayimere,
70 await the night, when was to conduct
him myself at nine p. m. into tho tower oil
tho Bertandiere 10 the third story room,
which by order of Monsieur de st. Mars |
lad completely furnished for his reception.
In conducting him TO il l was accompan'
led by Mr. Rosarges, who was to serve and
guard tho prisoner at the governments ex-
pensc. The prisoner was called Marchiali
The prevailing opinion pointed this man
out as the twin brother of Louis XIV, kept
out of the way, for fear of future collision
il the government of France"
The governor Of the Isle of Ste. Mar
guerito had been charged in person by Louis
XIV not to permit the prisoner to commu-
nicate with any one. Monsieur de st. Mars
waited on the prisoner himself, receiving
the dishes from the cook at the door of the
apartment, so that no one ever saw the face
Of the captive. Voltaire knew more of this
man than he was willing toimpart. Whilst
confined in Pignerol the prisoner threw
silver plate out of the window into the
water-c course beneath, fisherman picked it
up and brought it to the governor. "Have
you read what is witten on the bottom of
this plate 2" asked the governor. mo Sir,
cannot read" The reply saved the mans
life. Another historian, the Able Papon,
10 mean authority, states that instead of q
silver plate the prisoner took white gar
ment and wrote upon it the history of his
life. The Able relates that whilst visiting
Pingaral, he had the curiosity to enter the
chamber over the prison of this unfortunate
man. 1t was lighted by an only window to
the north, overlooking the sea, enclosed in
a thick wall aud cased by three gratings of
iron. 1 found, says he, in the citadel a
French officer about sixty-nine years old; he
told me, that his father, also an officer be-
fore him, had often told him in secret that |
a Waterman had one day perceived some
thing white foa ing on the water. TWAS a
very fine shirt upon which the prisoner had
written from one end to the other The
Waterman took means to recover it and car
ried it to the governor of the Island He
protested that he had read nothing, but two
days afterward was found dead in his bed.
Voltaire, himself prisoner in the Bastile.
must have known much of this weird sub
ect, but has published nothing definite.
y. Topin's patient study and investigations,
must if published, be of the greatest interest
n 1887 Paul LaCroix published learned
rticle on the above subject in which he {
that the man of the iron masl,
'as the superintendent Fouquet himself. !!
he Iron Mask was dramatzed and the most
1tense interest added to the play by pre-
ended conversation between the prisoner I
nd Louis the XIV, and the fashion and cul- c
are of the great French Capital crowded to
le theatre nightly to witness the play.
He who wore the velvet mask entered the I.
loomy portals of the Bastile, the 18th, day J
Sept. 1898, and died there suddenly, on
he 10Th of Nov, 1903, After his decease O
is body, and particularly his face, were mu- 1
lated and every vestige of furniture was v
roken into fragments and burned The J
cry walls Of his cell were scraped and re- 4
htened, the window easement and sills e
ere destroyed, and his dinner plate was a
elted. He was buried the Goth day of
ov., 1903, in The church yard of st. Paul,
ller the name OF Matchiai. q