The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-08-19
Louis XIV and the GXpsies.
Strange Story the Reason for His Sweeping Edot Against Them


called in early days, made their first
appearance in France in 1927. During
the reign of Louis XIV. the criminal
acts of these itinerants assumed such
intolerable proportions that the klng
issued an edict commanding that ali
male members of their bands be arrest
ed and sent to the galeys and the wo-
men and children consigned to the
poorhouses. The execution of the or
der was committed to the famous La
Reynie the first general OF
police.
1t was the custom in France at that
period, when men and women OF noble
birth were involved in criminal acts
outside of affairs of state to Indicate
them in police reports only by the hrst
initial of their surnames, Those IN
terested in learning the identity OF
the Count de b, one OF the primer
pal actors of the incident about 10 De
related, may discover it by referring 10
La Correspondence de Nine. la Duch-
esse d'Orleans Charlotte of BAVARIA
His name frequently occurs in her let
tiers in connection with that OF her
husband
This Count de B was high raw
arite at court, but was violent,
INSCRIPTIONS and quarrelsome, and OF
a reputation so bad that he was sus-
pected of having had hand III the
poisoning of a dearly loved Princess,
Henrietta of England, sister OF Charles
II. and first wife of the Duke of Or
leans.
A rich relative. NJ. de Saintaine, VINO
lived in country house buried in the
woods of Berri, had promised to make
the Count his heir should he die I'M
married AS the income from his es-
tate was 100000 francs and his per-
sonal property amounted to l,200,00O
francs, the cupidity of the Count was
aroused and he proceeded to put ma
chinery in motion for the early assiml-
lation of his relatives assets.
M de Saintaine was bachelor at ms
fiftieth year and the chances of his
marrying seemed small. He was plous
to excess, was greatly esteemed IN MS
neighborhood. He maintained his es-
Establishment lavishly; had dogs and
horses and hunted closely his vast es-
tate, but he persisted in managing MS
own financial affairs, and according
ly attended neighboring fairs, where
he disposed in person of the products
of his various farms. One OF these
fairs was held annually at Chatre, a
nearby town. There M. de Saintaine
appeared as usual in charge OF a large
herd of cattle and a great store OF
wheat. from the sale of which he real
lied 10000 francs. This money he put
, in a portmanteau strapped tc his sad
die bags and late in the day started
for his home, a journey OF five leagues
which could only be accomplished be-
fore night by rapid travel.
When he had gone to the fair at
Chatre he was followed by priest OF
his neighborhood, man reputed to be
associated with band of robbers, and
by two companion rogues. On his
way home NJ de Saintaine was joined
by the priest, who urged him to sup
and pass the night at his parsonage,
but the other politely refused and on
" urged his horses to more rapid
trot. When however, two OF the
horses fell dead and both thighs OF a
servant riding one of them were brok-
en-, nothing remained for him but to
accent the hospitality of the priest
The parsonage was a very ancient
building, part OF a seignioriai castle
constructed at the time of the Crusad
ers. One wing only had been rebuilt
but it communicated with the remains
of the original structure by subterran-
can passages. The chapel OF the castle
had become the parish church and was
connected with some of the rooms Of
the parsonage An abutting cemetery
occupied the space of the former gar
den of the castle. What was formerly
ditch protecting its approach hat
been filled with water, a Wooder
bridge crossing this led to the entrance
to the parsonage On the other sid'
was a great forest which in former
times constituted the baronial park
Opposite the church and cemetery wa!
the priests garden.
The house was i'll charge OF q niece
of the priest, girl of modest demean
or and very beautiful. Julienne b,
name. At the sight of a stranger SHE
became confused, her face changed
from white to red, and her eyes fille'
:41. teams al tho hr1ta command q
her uncle to entertain his guest
A servant entered and made sig
nal TO the priest, which I've Saintain