The Indianapolis journal., 1889-06-02

this murder. l never heard of it. 1 slept
sOundly all that night. and went back TO
Paris at 5 i'll the morning, and passed the
rest of the time that remained here in the
Hotel des Grands-Augustins. | remem-
bered its name last night / am respect
able man, and whatever fortune l have L
owe to my industry and good fortune"
Your statement will be tested. Mean
while. let me put before you the position in
which yOu stand. You seem to treat it
with Indifference. and must warn you that
it is very serious one. On the 10th of Sep
tember, 1881, Count Louis de Kergaradec,
an eccentric old gentleman, arrived at the
Running Stag Hotel. The eccentricity of
the Count consisted in always carrying
with him all the money at his disposal,
which, as he was rich man, was usually
large sum. His valise, besides q change of
linen, contained certain quantity of bank
notes and few of the antiquarian treas
ureS of tho Count. He was a great collect
or of curios of all sorts, and if he always
had so much money about him. it was to be
able to close bargain at once for any thing
he might come upon in his travels. On the
18th a man passing by the name of Pierre
waiter. came to. the hotel and took
the room at the top of the house.
On the 18th yOu came, and after inspect
ing several rooms insisted on having the
one adjoining that in the occupation of the
Count. You refuse supper and go to bed at
remarkably early hour. The next morn
ing-you had taken the precaution of pay
ing your bill in adyance-yOu leave the
hotel hurriedly at in the morning, while
it was still dark. At o'clock Bastide
comes down to breakfast, eats quietly, pays
his bill, and goes away with his knapsack
on his back. At IL o'clock the woman of
the house goes to wake the Count, who
never rose before that hour, but is unable
to do so. The door is locked and the key
is not inside the lock. The woman. seri-
Ously alarmed, has it broken down. and
finds the old gentleman lying dead in his
bed, with his right temple fractured. All
disappeared. Suspicion immediately at
taches itself to Bastide and to you. You
are both searched for by the police, but in
vain, and the affair was 'classed and forgot
ten. when; by the merest hazard, the other
morning the brother of the victim recognized
the Counts pin IN your cravat. He imme-
diately suspected you to be the missing En-
glishman, followed You to the hotel, and
then came and informed me of the circum-
stances. i caused you to be arrested and
had your room searched, with the result
that this book was found In your possess
sion. You will admit that there is at least
reasonable ground for suspicion. By the
way, how did you get the money to pay
your bill at the hotel and to take your
ticket to LOndonp
"I pawned a gold watch which had be-
longed to my father. The Mont-de-Piete
lent me 1G0 francs on it. My bill at the ho-
Tel was cO IIducS anu tlCktt COSC ABOUT
35r
'At what date did you pawn this watchi"
ut was about a week after / left Senlis.
On the Goth or 2lst of September"
please take that down very carefully"
said the magistrate to the registrar 1T is
of vital Importance Do you persist in de-
nying all completely in this crime?"
Most certainly do"
IF you could only explain about that
pin. That is the terrible charge against
you. Your explanation about the book is
plausible enough. But the PIN, the pin."
Il am sorry not to be able to assist yon in
your investigation. i have told you all l
know: found it in a portmanteau which
contained lot of old things
i was not brought up before the magis-
trate again until after several days. In the
meanwhile mischief had been at work.
correspondents had got hold of the story of
my arrest, and of the odious crime of which
i had been accused. The most sensational
reports had been printed, and, as l after
ward learned, my portrait had been given
In several journals in London and New
York. 1t was stated, what was perfectly
true, that i had been in very needy cir
cumstances in Paris. and had done va
riety OF things to earn my living. The fact
of my having been at Senlis on the light of
the murder. and OF the scarf-pin and book
having been found in my possession. were
put into such prominence that l do not be-
ieve doubt existed as to my culpability
in the mind of any English OF American
reader of my case. Some imaginative
specials" went so far as to state that had
confessed, and had attempted suicide. On
the other hand, my numerous enemies and
rivals couid not refrain from pointing out
with what marvellous, with what very
marvellous" rapidity had achieved success
In career in which success comes bur to
the very few, without rejecting how much