St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-16
JULES VERNE.
An Absorbing Story by the Greatest
of French Authors,
MATTHIAS SANDORF.
TRANSLATION Copyrighted by G. W. Hanna. |
PART Il.
CHAPTER VII. Continued,
ENTITLED:


On the goth of June the court-martial
met in one of the lower rooms OF the
fortress Pisino, and the accused were
brought before it. The debates did not take
very long, and nothing startling was dis
covered.
The court opened at 9 o'clock in the
morning. Count Sandorf, Count Zathmar
and Prof. Bathory, on the one side, and
Sarcany Oh the other, saw each other for
the first time since their Imprisonment
The clasp of the hand which Sandorf and
his friends interchanged as they met, gave
yet another proof of their unanimity. A
sign from Zathmar, and BathOry gave San
dorf to understand that they left it TO him
to speak for them. Neither would under
take the defense. All Sandorf had done
up till then had been well done. All that
ne thought fit to say to the judges would
be well said.
The hearing was public one, in the
sense that the doors of the room were open.
But few persons were present. for the affair
had not yet TRANSFERRED; and the spectators,
some twenty in number, belonged TO the
staff of the castle.
The identity of the accused was first
proved. Then. Immediately afterwards,
Sandorf asked the president the name of the
place at which he and his companions had
been brought for trial. but no reply was
given to the question.
The identity of Sarcany was likewise
established. He still did nothing to distin-
guish his case from that Of his compan-
ions.
Then the fac-simile of the message.
handed over to the police, was produced;
and the accused were asked if they remem
bered receiving the original. They replied
4l,ot II moe tho I1fI- of tho To
prove that they received it.
at this reply the grating which had been
found in Zathmar's desk was produced.
SandOrf and his companions could not
deny that the grating had been in their pos
session. They did not try to. To such
material evidence there was no reply. The
application of the grating permitted the
cryptOgraphic letter to be read. and the let
ter must consequently have been received.
And thus they learnt how the secret of
the conspiracy had been discovered, and the
basis on which the prosecution was orig
mated.
From this time forward question and
answer passed rapidly, and clearly told the
story.
Sandorf denied nothing He spoke on
behalf OF his two friends. A movement in
tended to bring about the separation of
@LhliSolg 1IOih ANSblld ollu lllO dubOlOillC
reconstruction of the kingdom of the ancient
MagyarS had been organized by them. Had
they not been arrested it would shortly have
broken out and Hungary would have re-
conquered its independence. Sandorf claimed
TO be the chief of the conspiracy, and in
sisted that his fellow prisoners were merely
his agents. But Zathmar and BathOry pro-
tested against this contention, and claimed
the honor OF having been his accompliceS
and desired to share his fate.
The debate was not very long. When
the president Intercepted the prisoners as
to their dealings with others. they refused
to reply. Not name was given.
You have now three heads" said San
dOrf, land that must be enough for you"
Three heads only. for SandOrf then set
himself to eXculpating Sarcany, young
clerk employed in Count Zathmar's house
on the recommendation of Silas Toronthal
Sarcany could only confirm what Sandorf
stated. He knew nothing of the conspiracy.
He had been greatly surprised to learn that
in this quiet house on the Acquedotto a
plot was in progress against the safety of
the state. If he had made no protest when
arrested, it was because he had no idea
what it was all about
Neither Count Sandorf nor Sarcany had
any difficulty III making this clear-and it is
probable that the court-martiaI had already
made up their opinion in the matter. At
the suggestion of the judge advocate the
charge against Sarcany was there and then
abandoned.
BY : o'clock in the afternoon the plead
ings were all over, and the sentence was
given without even an adjournment.
Count Matthias Sandorf, Count Ladislas
Zathmar and Prof. Stephen Bathory were
found guilty of high treason against the
state and sentenced to death
The prisoners were to be shot in the
courtyard Of the castle.
The execution was 10 take place within
forty-eght hours. Sarcany was to be kept
in custody until the closing of the gaol
books, which would not take place until
after the execution of the sentence
By the same judgment all the possessions
Of the prisoners We're cOnfiscated.
The prisoners were then removed.