Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-15
POISONED By ROYALTY.
A GruesOme Mystery of the French
Revolution.
Francis Gamain's Mission at the
Tuileries-Was He Poisoned by
Louis or Marie AntOinette?

DOTuOgne anu one OF hODeSp1err6 closes
friends, read long report, and finally OBJ
tanned from the Assembly an order thai
Francis Canaan, poisoned by Louis Capet
on the 22d of May, 1892 (old style), shall
in future enjoy pension of 1900 livres
to be paid annually from the date of the
crime" This pension was agreed upon
by all present, amid loud cheering.
Within the past ten years diligent re-
search has brought to light several docu.
ments which had escaped the minute
search made at the time of the Restor.
alton, when all papers, it was believed
which might compromise the memory OF
the late King and Queen were destroyed
So determined were the French authorities
until the fall of the last empire, that nc
light should be thrown upon this extra
ordinary story, that the volume of the
Moniteur which contained the few notices
relating to it was locked up, and not even
permitted to pass into the hands of such
historians as Michelet and Martin. How
ever, since the establishment of the pres
ent republic, several fresh papers have
come to light which had been abstracted
from the secret archives.
Hitherto it has been stated that the
name of Canaan was not mentioned at the
trial of Louis XVI. This, as already in
timated, is not true. The King was ques-
toned at some length about the extraor-
binary charge brought against him by this
person. He declared emphatically his in
nocence. and the matter was allowed to
drop. Among the common people, how
ever, the story was on every lip, and GER
tainly nothing contributed more to the ac-
complishment of the dreadful catastrophe
than this singular and even now mysteri-
Gus affair
Let us examine what Canaan himself
has to tell us about it. He lived until
1902, and hundreds of persons having at
tested the following facts concerning
him:
l. That before the 22d of May, 1892, he
was hale, rather handsome man, very
active, and cheerful
2. That Immediately after that date he
became decrepit, lost his color, was nearly
bent double, his eyes was almost gone, and
his reason slightly affected. He could no
longer work, and had it not been for the
pension granted him by the Assembly
must have persisted of want
meiran and Voisin-were alive as late as
1920 who declared that they had examined
Canaan, and were firmly of opinion that
his pitiable condition was the result of
poison.
4. It is certain that at the Restoration
a portfolio which still exists in the nation
al archives, having printed on its back
Papers concerning faffaire Canaan, -
was deprived of its contents, and these
have never been restored
5. The Moniteur and all the Republican
papers of the period mention the affair
In detail The runner crept abroad, too,
and is casually refereed to in several con-
temporary English magazines and papers,
Wemay, therefore, reasonably enough
conclude that there was not so much
smoke without some fire. 1t should be
remembered that the papers contained in
the iron cupboard at the Tuileries which
papers were delivered over to the National
a assembly by Roland at The instigation of
Gamain-were those comprising docu-
ments, the secret correspondence of Louis
XVI. with the King of Prussia. There is
no doubt that Canaan saw the King put
them into the cupboard. and it is equally
certain that it was Canaan who told Ro-
land of their existence. He invariably
gave the same story; but instead of accus-
ing the King of administering the poison
ed wine and cake, he verbally asserts that
1T was Marie Antoniette who did so. He
was in the service of Louis XVI for fully
sixteen years before the event which separ-
ated them forever. and was, therefore,
familiar with his Majesty; and, from his
curious reluctance to accuse him directly
of the deed, was evidently attached to
him.
After the return from Varennes, Canaan
said he had only seen the King once or
twice. Canaan was living at Versailles;
their Majesties were more or less prison
ers at the Tuileries, and OF course the lock-
assist his royal pupil. Indeed, it would
have been highly imprudent for him to
have been seen in such iIIustrious COM
pany. More than eighteen months, there
fore. elapsed without his receiving any
communication from Louis XVI. On the
2lst of May, 1892, a horseman arrived at
Versailles and alighted at his shop door.
This parsonage was considerably disguis-
ed, but Canaan easily recognized him as
Durey, person in the employ of the King
He came to beg the locksmith to proceed
at once to Paris, and informed him that he
was to enter the palace of the Tuileries by
the kitchens, so as not to rouse suspicion.
Canaan refused to obey. However, on
Durey' returning three hours after with
an autograph letter from the King press
ing him to come Immediately, he consent
ed, and, taking with him chest of tools,
proceeded to Paris. He entered the
Tuileries by back door, as directed, and
was led into the presence of the King,
whom he described as being treated as a
sort of state prisoner.
AS soon as he was alone with his Maj
esty in his private study he was surprised
to notice on the table a small iron door,
and near it little iron casket with a curl
Gus constructed lock. The meeting between
the king and the workman was cordial
and even cheerful. The king spoke of his
misfortunes in kindly manner, hoped for
better days and assured Canaan that he
would always entertain the most friendly
feelings for him. Ate few minutes of
pleasant conversation the king and Durey
signifed to Canaan that he was to follow
them into an inner aperture. They pro-
ceeded down one or two dark corridors and
at last entered a small chamber which com
munlcated with the back of the alcove be-
hind the Danphin's bed. Durey lighted a
candle, and now Canaan preceived that a
hole had been made in the wall, and that
the iron door he had previously remarked
was intended to be placed in the crevice
so as to lock up the little iron box The
king informed him that he had made the
aperture for the purpose of hiding some
large sums of money in case of need, and
that he made the cupboard himself assisted
by Durey, and, moreover, that they had
thrown the fragments of brick and mortar
out of the window into the river. His