The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-06
A Mystery That Has Puzzled Paris for
Many Months Solved.
THE TALE OF THE RAVENEAUS.
Wife 10y Dropping Her Into the sea
Through a Movable Platform
In an Old Castle.


For a year. up 10 last september, Count
and Countess Rayeneau formed part OF
the gayest set ia Paris. they were seen
everywhere. at the races. 90 the opera.
the Bots and IN the salons. lAvcneau
himself had been "a fashionable rounder
for nearly half a century. He was sew
enty in the fam OF 1897. when he married
Jacqueine. When the announcement APP
peared an the Figaro folk smiled. Rave
neau was old. and his wife was young
and beautiful They called her the Juno
OF the Faubourg St. GERMAN.
Jacquelne herself came from a noble
family. but her people. the Barons DE
81. Clair. are better known among histo-
rians than among milionalros she
seemed 20 enjoy tho new life she had
and gave herself up 90 10 with an the
Fayety Of a schoolgirl escaped from her
govcrncss. Ravcneau was known as "a
monster Of jealousy. but she gave him
no cause for uncasincss. ON the con-
trary. I'm tho first eight or nine months
after tho appearance of the couple ia
Partisan high life. her ladyship astonish-
Cd the gossips by the apparent coldnes9
and hauteur she displayed toward tho
men. All went well up 10 the time OF
the summer races. Then a young lleu-
tenant of hussars, NJ. DE COurtballcs, fell
desperately in love with the Countess and,
though she refused to notice his suit. ne
became so HfmohStrdtlNt ludN COUNT
Rxveneau challenged him.
10 was the usual Fren u duel Tho
lieutenant allowed his enemy rapier IN
make a flesh wound In his arm aud the
thing was over Two or three days later
Count and Countess Ravenoau took leave
OF their friends by card 1t was reported
that the couple meant to spend the win
ter on their estates ia Brittany He ~
going 10 bury his wife" said the young
fff, old MOI rrrsl.
pathized with Ravcneau and all the WO-
men pitied Jacqueline.
RAVENEAU DROPS OUT OF SIGHT.
However. when. with the departure OF
the coupie an news concerning them
ceased. when friends OF neither received
invitations 70 join them in the country;
when even the notary and business man
ager OF Count Raveneau was Kept in ig-
norance Of his and Nine. JacQuehne.
whereabouts; when finally the pub
administrator I'm the official gazette. adj
vertised for their address. alarm spread
amohq. the friends Letters sent 20 the
various towns and country houses own
ed bv Raveneau came back unopened,
JacQuelines parents and relatives begged
I'm the public prints for news ot their
child and cousin. The police OF foreign
capitals Joined ga the general search. Dun
no trace could be found either az nome
or abroad.
F,ot "a month or so Paris talked Of no.
nodv and of nothing but the Ravoneaus;
then as the authorities mad taken bold
NJ he matter. other mysteries began 90
occ1py Deople's minds. and The old Count
and his beautiful wife were gradually
forgotten. only Lieutenant Nj. de Court
bales never relaxed the energy 81 his
search. At the beginning OF November
he thought he was on the track OF the
runaways and begged his colonel for an
extended leave OF absence. As n matter
Of fact the discovery which be had made
was negative he has searched, by
trustworthy agents, an the long lists OF
landed properties belonging TO the Ra-
veneaus estates. The couple mad not
visited at either OF the numerous places
after leaving Paris; neither had tne
Count drawn any of the revenues at his
dismissal OF the lot only one piece OF
property had been neglected and TOT
good reasons. too-Castle Ker-Guivarch.
Ker-Guivarch is a small fishermen S
village on the northwestern coast or
France. II lies isolated along the rocky
coast. and as neither railway nor steam
ers touch there the ancient settlement
10 TO now has escaped the rate OF De-
coming a summer resort for weary towns
people. There the old feudal lords OF
Rayeneau built a stronghold way PACK
I'm tho thirt century. It's ruins tell
Of many sieges that made the ola towers
tumble down and swept away the origi-
nal approaches.
Castle Ker-Guivarch. or what IS left OF
IL stands on a rock about 100 yards from
the shore. and can be reached at low
tide by a narrow tongue Of land. II mas
still a few inhabitable rooms where IL
j. said. members OF the Raveneau Fam
iIv sought refuge I'm the days or the
revolution.
A TRIP TO KER-GUINARCH
NJ de Courtballes had suspected from
the beginning that the Count had car
ried of his bride TO some lonely spot, and
when ne learned OF Castle Ker-Guivarch
be made up his mind TO follow up the
possible clew. But his letters 20 the VII
lage mayor did not elicit any response
the mayor can neither read nor write
and was probably too lazy 10 ask the
parson 10 do ~ for him. So nothing was
left but 20 go 20 ker-Guivarch IN person.
After a pr0tracted carriage journey OF
thirty miles through a sandy and neg
lected stretch Of country NJ de Court |
bales reached Ker-Guivarch on November
sth. with the knowledge that his en-
beavers would be crowned with success,
IN one respect al least-success Of sor-
~ kind The coachman who had brought
him from the railway terminus was the
same who had driven Count and Countess /
Raveneau 10 Ker-Guivarch a counie OF
months ago. This is the way NJ de
Courtballes found % out Il hope said /
the driver "vou arc not going to Fer-
Gulvarch 20 investigate these old ruins
there III such wns Your intention ! would
rather miss the opportunity for making (
twenty francs NV last customer paid /
me twice the price ! asked Of him. but /
in the end ! lost more time on his account /
than his money paid FOR Such running /
% the police and 20 the courts. attending /
sessions of the authorities. and the Judge /
said ! might be- glad that 7 wasn't cr- !
rested as suspected murderer"
Murderer? Your customer isn't dead" |
81 don't know replied the driver dog /
gedly Maybe. and the man crossed |
himeSlf-"the devil took both OF them" /
In the next half-hour the lieutenant /
learned the whole story. and before !
reaching ker-Guivarch De heard f. bv
way Of questioning and Of repetiuons /
half q dozen times
Count Raveneau and his cOmpanion-be /
recognized them from the description !
given-entcred upon their drive 10 Ker- /
Guivarch on September 5th The gem /
teman. said the coachman. "astonishea !
me by snatchas 81 his conversation I {
overheard. lie described the ruined cas-
tie as fairy palace completely fur !
nished. a delightful abode Z will he /
able 10 finish my archaeological studies 4
IA our family archives ne said. 'and I
maybe you will return 20 Paris as the ,
wife Of n prospective Academlclan As 4 !
member OF tbs EcOie de Charles I am I