The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-08
A TRAGEDY OF OTHER TIMES.
A Young Woman Walled Up Alive
An UnsOlved Mystery.
From Household Words.

From Household Words.
In .the year 1906, when Gen. Junot was
Governor Of Paris, poor mason inhabiting
that city was returning one evening from
his days work through the Champs Elys
ees, when he was accosted by three men,
whose features the darkness of the even
ing prevented him from distinguishing.
They asked him if he were willing to
come with them forthwith, for the pur-
pose Of executing a work In masonry ,whic b
it was necessary should be completed before
the morning. He expressed his readiness
TO do so provided he was well paid for IT,
They promised him 25 napoleons as his re-
ward. on condition that he would consent
to have his eyes blinded, and would come
with them without an instants delay.
The mason acceded 10 the proposal, and
a handkerchief was bound over his eyes
The men then led him along at a quick
pace for some time. At length they stopp-
IL and told him he was now to get into a
C2rl iege. Having placed him in It, and got
in themselves, the carriage drove off with
raQidity. For a considerable space of time
they rolled over the stones, but afterward
left them, and appeared to be passing along
a cross road. About an hours drive
brought them to tho end of their journey
TIE carriage halted, and the mason was
idlNtil Oul VI IL ne WAS lHtu lSu NllIoua II
various Passages, and up and down STAIR
cases, probably for the purpose of rendet-
ing it the more difficulty for him upon any
future ocf aston to trace his way.
When the bandage was taken from his
eyes he found himself in room illuminated
With many wax candles, and hung with
block cloth The floor, the wall, and the
ceiling were alike covered with these
mournful hangings; and no part of the
apartment was without them, except Ule
large niche In the wall, near which were
placed stones and mortar, and the neces-
sary implements for making use of them.
The mason was e3tOnished and alarmed at
all lie saw. He turned round to seek an eX-
plana ton, but found himself entirely alone.
He had full leisure to examine the fun
eral ornaments by which he was sur
rounded but at length he heard a noise
and a portion of the hanging being lifted
up, discovered a door, which was thrown
open. Through this entered a number of
men in black cloaks, whose faces were
concealed by masks They entered, drag
ging with them a beautiful young woman,
whose dlsheveled hair. streaming eyes and
disordered dress, proved at the same time
her misery and the compulsion under
which she was suffering
As soon as she was in the room she
sank on her knees before her masked con
ductors and implored them in the most
moving manner TO nave pity OIL UtI bul
they only replied by shaking their heads.
She particularly addressed herself to one
of them, who, from his gray hairs, APP
peared to be older than the rest. She
embraced his knees, and with sobs and
cries besought his mercy. To these sup
plcations no answer was given but upon
a signal made she was dragged forward.
and, in spite of her screams and resist
anee, was forced into the niche, where
she was bound with cords.
The gray haired mask then desired the
mason to begin his task, and to wall her
up. But the poor man, horror-struck
with what he had seen, and affected be
yond measure with the imploring lamen-
tations of the lady, who besought him
not to be an accessory to so foul muir
der. refused to proceed. Upon this the
masks began to threaten him. The mason
fell on his knees and entreated to be
permitted to depart. But the masks drew
their swords from beneath their cloaks,
and told him, with imprecations, that If ne
continued to refuse to perform what ne
had promised instant death should be his
portion, while, on the other hand, II he
obeyed, his reward should be doubled.
The poor man, thus inundated COM
menced unwillingly his horrible task, but
stopped from time to time and requested
to be permitted to desist The masks,
however stood over him the whole time
with their swords drawn, and obliged him
10 proceed until at length, while the
shrieks of the victim became every in
etant more dreadfully piercing, as the
wall rose upon her which was TO shut
her out from life, the tragedy was com
Melted and the niche was hermetcally
sealed with solid masonry.
The mason threw down his trowel more
dead than alive The gray-haired mask
nut 20 napoleons into his hand. His eyes
rnl % hurried
from the room in which the tremendous
scene had taken place AS on his arrival
he was carried up and down through va
rious passages and then put into a car
rage. The carriage was whirled along as
RAPIDLY as before; and after the stated pc
piod the mason found himself with his
ewes uncovered on the spot in the Champs
Elysees where he had nrst peeh mel ana
alone.
The night was now far advanced, OF
rather the morning was approaching. The
man was stunned and bewtdered with
What ne had witnessed; but, after a short
time. he recovered the use of his intellect
so far as to determine to go forthwith
| TO the Governor Of Paris. Having with diff
hculty got admission to Junot, his tale
was at first disbelieved, and still more the
| unvarying accuracy with which he related
the different circumstances of that dread
full night, at length gained him entire
credit.
The police employed themselves very
diligently for some weeks in tracing the
scene of the crime, and the perpetrators
of it, Various houses withinla certain
| distance of the capital were searched, and
| the walls of the rooms We're inspected tC
see If any marks of fresh stonework could
be discovered. The principal house agents
| of Paris, the ietters-out of carriages and
horses the guards at the barreres, etc.
were examined in the hopes of finding
some clew, but entirely without success
This mysterious murder remained. and
| still remains. unexplained and unpunished
| but conjecture imagined it 10 have been al
act of family vengeance. According to this
| solution, the masks were the father and
| brothers Of the unfortunate lady, who
| was considered in some way or Other
| TO have dishonored her race. They were
| also supposed to have been strangers from
| some distant part of the country, who haC
come to the nighborhood Of Paris for tht
| purpose of completing this vindctive act
and had gone away again after its per.
| potrattOn