Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-07-11

"Ncll, then, all that l have TO ask o.
You now is to sign the paper on which
my clerk has written my questions anc
your answers"
The marquis signed and departed.
with a bow to the judge and a wither'
ing glance at me.
Whats all this n~onsense?" | said,
when the door had closed on the old
gentleman.
Il am here to question:" said the
magistrate, mot you"
You might at least tell me of what
| am accused"
'Of the willful murder Of Count Louis
de kergaradec in the hotel of the Run
ming Stag at Senlis, on the night of
September IL, 1881, and of the robbery
Of his v~alise, which contained, among
other valuables, the two articles found
in your possession"
burst out laughing.
Nothing else?" | said.
Not that l know of" said the mag
i~strate. Il must ask you to sign this
paper after reading it. 1t is our con-
versation just now"
| signed, and as | was leaving the
room the magistrate added in a most
paternal tone:
eyes, just try and remember how
that amber pin came into your pos
session, 1t will really be worth your
while to account for it."
That evening | was transferred from
the depot to Mazas jail. The first
question the magistrate asked me on
the following morning was:
What were you doing at Senlis on
the night of September IL, 1882"
81 don't recollect having been there
at all in hat year"
Very good. 1t is well to be frank.
As a matter of fact, you stayed there on
the twelfth, as we have learned by ex-
aiming the hotel woman's register for
that year. You left the hotel on the
morning of the thirteenth, and after
wards disappeared. Where did you
go?'
81 stayed in Paris a week and then
went to London, where I have since
lived"
"Well. how about that pin? Have
you remembered how you got it?"
81 have been cudgelling my brain all
night on the subject, but I cannot re-
member"
1T is unfortunate" he said. 'In
fact, a number of unfortunate circum-
stances are against you. BY the way,
what has become of Pierre Bastide?"
he asked, abruptly,
pierre Bastide? Inever heard that
name before"
Yes, Bastide. The man who wa in
the hotel the same night that you were,
and who is suspected to be your accom-
plice."
do you really think, Monsieur lie
Judge" | said, that if | had murdered
this count to rob him | would carry
about on my person in prominence evil
dence against myself? / know moth
ing about this murder. | never heard
of it,
Your statement will be tested.
Meanwhile let me put before you the
position in which you stand. | must
warn you that it is a very serious one.
On the 10th of September, 1881,
Count Louis de kergaradec, an eccen-
trio old gentleman, arrived at the Run
ming Stag hotel. His valise, besides a
change of linen, contained a quantity
of bank notes and a few of the anti.
quarian treasures of the count. He
was a great collector of curios of all
sorts.
"On the 18th a man passing by the
name OF Pierre Bastide, and describing
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 the one in
the occupation of the count. You re.
fused supper and went to bed at a re-.
markably early hour.
THE next day you left the hotel hur-
at five in the morning, whileit
was yet dark. At eight o'clock Bas-
tide anne down to breakfast, ate quiet
ly, paid his bill and went away with
his knapsack on his back. At eleven
O'Clock the woman of the house went
to wake the count, but was unable to
so. The woman, seriously alarmed,
had the door broken open, and found
the old gentleman dead in his bed,
with his right temple fractured. All
the valuables contained in his valise
had disappeared. Suspicion immediate
ly attached itself to Bastide and to YOU.
You were both searched for by the DO
lice, but in vain, when by the merest
hazard the other morning the brother
of the victim recognized the counts pin
in your cravat. 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 get your ticket to London?"
81 pawned a gold watch which had
belonged to my father. The pawn.
broker lent me one hundred and sixty
on 1t. My bill at the hotel was
francs, and my ticket cost about
AT what date did you pawn this
vatchY"
ut was about q week after | left
'enlis. On the twentieth or twenty.
irst Of September"
! was not brought up before the mag
again until after several days.
n the meanwhile mischief had been at
'orh The English and American
ewspsper correspondents had got ,
old of the story of my arrest, and Of
odious CRIME Of which ! had. been
,cused. The most sensational reports
I'd been printed, and. a. I afterward 1