Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-20

| lis at allT"
"No. Formerly used to pass through
1t while exploring the forest of Chantilly
and, now that / come to think of it, did
sleep there one night that | had missed
the last train"
"Was it in the month of September ?"
"Yes. Now | remember. 1t would be
the 10th, 18th or 18th. My birthday is
on the 9th of September, and | had re-
ceived a present of e5 that year from an
uncle of mine, which spent on an excur-
sion in the forest"
every good. 1t is well to be so frank.
As matter of fact, it was on the 18th, as
we Rave learned by examining the hotel
woman's register for that year. You are
entered by your present name, and as a
man of letters There can be no
doubt that it is you. The age and nation
atty indicated are yours also"
A witness was then introduced in the
person of Nine. Perrin, the proprietor of
the Running Stag Inn. She recognized
me at once as one of her dodgers on that
night, and her testimony was confirmed by
that of an old servant of hers, who had
shown me to my room.
After these had said all they had to say,
the magistrate dismissed them and pro-
ceeded to examine me as follows
you left the hotel early on the morning
of the 18th, and took the tram to Paris.
You afterwards disappeared. Where did
you go"
81 stayed in Paris a week and then went
to London, where | have lived since.
! My affairs improved considerably, and
am now successful man."
| Ill Il, Al. o
you remembered how you got it ?''
81 have been cudgelling my brains all
night on the subject, but | cannot remem-
| ber."
The magistrate looked astonished. l
had been so artfully frank so far, he
thought, in admitting what it was impos-
sible to deny, that my inability to explain
away this circumstance seemed to him
extraordinary.
at is unfortunate" he said. 'In fact,
a number of unfortunate circumstances
are against you. By the way" he added
abruptly, "what has become of Pierre
| Bastidew
'Pierre Bastide? l never heard that
name before"
| "Yes. Bastide. The man who was in
the hotel the same night as you were, and
who is suspected to be your accomplice
At first we thought that he alone was re-
sponsible, but since we have found these
articles In your possession"
'Do you really think, Monsieur lie
Judge" | said, "that if had murdered
| this Count to rob him, | should carry
about on my person, and in full promi-
nence, such very damning evidence against
myself"
THE crime is an old one. You may
have thought it was forgotten. But we do
not forget here"
"Enfn," | said, IL know nothing about
this murder. l never heard of it. | slept
soundly all that night, and went back to
Paris at in the morning, and passed the
rest of the time that l remained here in
the Hotel des Grands-Augustins. | re-
membered its name last night. | am a
respectable man, and whatever fortune |
have | owe to my industry and good for
| tune"
| "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 September, 1881, Count Louis de Ker-
| garadec, an eccentric old gentleman, ar
rived at the Running Stag Hotel. The
eccentrlclty of the Count consisted in al
ways carrying with him all the money at
his disposal, which, as he was a rich man,
was usually large sum. His valise, be-
| sides change of linen, contained certain
| quantity of bank notes and a few of the
antiquarian treasures of the Count. He
was great collector 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 anything he might come upon in
his travels. On the 18th, man passing
by the name of Pierre Bastide, and de-
scribing himself as a cafe waiter came to
the hotel and took the room at the top of
the house. On the 18th you came, and
!, after inspecting several rooms insisted on
having the one adjoining that in the occu-
patton of the Count. You refuse supper,
and go to bed at remarkably early hour
The next morning-you had taken the pre-
caution of paying your bill in advance
you leave the hotel hurriedly at 5 in the
morning while il was still dark. At s
o'clock Bastide came down to breakfast,
eats quietly, pays his bill, and goes away
with his knapsack on his back. At II
o'clock the woman of the house goes to
|
hour, but is unable to do so. The door is
locked, and the key is not inside the
lock. The woman, seriously alarmed, has
it broken down and finds the old gentle
man lying dead in his bed, with his right
temple fractured. All the valuables con-
tanned in his valise have disappeared.
Suspicion at once attaches itself to Bastide
and to you. You are both searched for by
| 81 I,,t Al
'classed and forgotten, when, by the mer-
est hazard the other morning, the brother
of the victim recognized the Counts pin in
your cravat. He Immediately suspected
J you to be the missing Englishman, fol-
! lowed you to the hotel, and then came and
informed me of the circumstances. !
caused you to be arrested and had your
room searched, with the result that this
book was found in your possession. 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 Lon
don%
81 pawned gold watch which had be-
longed to my father. The Monte-de-Piete
lent me 100 francs on it. My bill at the
hotel was so francs and my ticket cost
about 35."
"At what date did you pawn this
watch ?"
at was about week after left Senlis.
On the Goth or 2lst of September"
"Please take that down very carefully"
said the Magistrate to the Registrar at
is of vital Importance. Do you persist in
denying all completely in this crime ?'
Most certainly l 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 ?''
81 am sorry not to be able TO assist you
in your investigation. have told you all
| | know | found il in nortmantean