The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-20
MAN WITH THE IRON MASK.
New Theory as to the Identity of that
Mystic Pers onags.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer
PARIS, Aug. 26.-From time to time we
hear that the mystery of the "Masqus de
Fer" the man with the iron mask, has
been solved, and that the identity Of this
mysterious parsonage, of whom novelisss
and historians have written, is at last made
known. This prisoner has represented sue
ccsSively a brother of Louis XIV
the Duke of Monmouth, Duke
OF Beaufort, Count de Yer
mandois, Fouquet, Count Malthioli, Eus-
tache Danger, domestic, and now Capt
Bakeries proves conclusively that the
Masque de Fer was none otAer than Gen.
de Bulonde, who was condemned to prison
for life, because, ill spite of Catinat's or
ders, be raised the seige of Conf in Pied
mont. Capt. Baziries informs us that his
book, to appear in a fortnight and named
IAN Authentic Page of Louis XIV's
Reign" will be the true history of the
Masque de Fer.
Capt. Bazeries amuses himself in his le!s-
ure hours by studying cryptography. and he
is now we'll skilled In this art. One day, not
more than two wears ago, he saw a curious
crYptogram in Journal translated it with
ease, and when he discovered that cryptic
graphy Is veritable art, pursued the study
until to-day he ranks with the masters of
the art.
Not long ago Capt. Bakeries ATTEMPTED to
read the cipher dispatches of Louvois, dis
patches addressed to Catiuat During
three days and three nights Capt Bakeries
devoted himself to the task, not an easy
one, because the dispatches were composed
in the doubtful French OF the time and the
same letter was represented in different
manners. But Capt. Bazeries dis
covered that two of these dispatches were
dictated by Louis XIV, two by Louvois
and one by Fenquieres. Those of
Louis XIV. was made with the great cipher.
used i'll the monarch's correspondence with
his ministers and those of Fenquieres with
the little cipher, used in the correspondence
of generals with generals. The great cipher
comprises 5S7 numbers, corresponding each
one with a letter. syllable, a portion of a
word or an entire word. Capt Bazsries
saws that the dispatches are all very long,
DO - ore Of them contains not less than
fifty pages.
-. dispatches Capt. Bakeries discov-
ers that no prisoner wore an iron mask con-
tiuuany, but that Bulonde was imprisoned
for his cowardice, and the order was given
to allow him to go out on the ramparts on
condition that his face be concealed By an
iron nl1skn Capt. Bakeries book containing
these dispatches will throw new light on
the reign of Louis XIV. We have always
considered this monarcAs as allowing his
ministers to act with full power, but Capt.
BAKERIES says that from these dispatches,
Louis XIV. was thoughtful about the
slightest details, careful for his soldiers, aud
that he weighed the pros aud cons of every
military operation. The book will be in>
tensely intere ting, ana its publication is
awaited with enthusiasm.
But, in spite of Capt. Bakeries discoveries,
we shall never be satisfied about the pro-
blema ic Masque de Fer. There will always
be fables, even If the truth has this time
been discovered.
The first work in which there is question
OF the Iron Mask appeared in l745. and was
called Memoirs to Aid in the History Of
Persia This rhapsody would not have
been noticed had not Voltaire seven years
later written about the Iron Mask. Vol
taire is responsible for all the coniectures