The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-05-20

I~ lDltlNG the days tQat fOllOWeu
had several opportunities t
question Rouletabille as to his
- reason for his voyage to Amer
lea, bat | obtained no more precise an.
swers than he had given me on the
evening Of the adjournment Of the
trial, when we were on the train fol
Paris. One day, however, on my still.
pressing him, he said:
Cant you understand that | had &c
know Larsan'S true personality"
mo doubt" l said, but why did
you go to America to find that outT'
He sat smoking his pipe and made
no further reply. l began to see that
/ was touching on the secret that con.
cerned Mile. Stangerson. Rouletabille
evidently had found it necessary to 60
to America to find out what the mys.
terious tie was that bound her to Lar
san by so strange and terrible a bond.
In America he had learned who Lar.
san was and had obtained information
which closed his mouth. He had been
to Philadelphia.
hho NV" "hot was thio L. otCly
which held Mile. Stangerson and NJ.
Robert Darzac in SO inexplicable a ST.
lence? After so many years and the
publicity given the case by a curious
and shameless press, now that NJ.
Stangerson knows all and has forgiven
all, all may be told. In every phase
Of this remarkable story Mile. STAN
gerson had always been the sufferer.
The beginning dates from the time
when, as a young girl. she was living
with her father in Philadelphia. A
visitor at the house, a Frenchman, had
succeeded by his wit, grace and per-
sistent attention In gaining her affec-
tons. He was said to be rich and had
asked her Of her father. NJ. Stanger-
son, on making inquiries as to NJ.
Jean Roussel, found that the nan was
a swindler and an adventurer. Jean
Roussel was but another Of the many
names under which the notorious Ball
meyer, a fugitive from France, tried
to hide himself. NJ. Stangerson did
not know of his identity with Ball
meyer. He learned that the man was
simply undesirable for his daughter.
He not only refused to give his consent
to the marriage, but denied him ad-
mission into the house. Mathilde
Stangerson, however, had fallen in
love. To her Jean Roussel was every
thing that her love painted him. She
was indignant at her fathers attitude
and did not conceal her feelings. Her
father sent her to stay with an aunt
In Cincinnati. There she was joined
by Jean Roussel and, in spite Of tho
reverence she felt for her father, ran
away Nth him to get married.
They went to Louisville and lived
there for some time. One morning, how
ever, a knock came at the door Of the
house In which they were, and the po-
lice entered to arrest Jean Roussel. It
was then that Mathilde Stangerson, or
Roussel, learned that her husband was
no other than the notorious Ballmeyer!
The young woman In her despair
tried to commit suicide. She failed in
this. and was forced to rejoin her aunt
at Cincinnati. The old lady was over
Joyed to see her again. She had been
anXiously searching for her and had
not dared TO tell NJ. Stangerson Of her
disappearance. Mathilde swore her to
secrecy, so that her father should not
know she had been away. A month
later Mile. Stangerson returned to her
father, %repentant. her heart dead with
In her, hoping only n thing-that she
would never again see her husband,
the horrible Ballmeyer. A report was
spread q few weeks later that he was
dead, and she now determined to atone
Tor her disobedience by a life of labor
and devotion for her father. And she
kept her word.
All this she had confessed to Robert
Darzac, and, believing Ballmeyer dead,
had given herself to the Joy of a union
with him. But fate had resuscitated
Jean Roussel. the Ballmeyer of her
youth. He had taken steps to let her
know that he would never allow her to
marry Darzac-that he still loved her.
Mile. Stangerson never for one mo-
ment hesitated to conade In NJ. Darzac.
She showed him the letter In which
Jean Roussel asked her to recall the
first hours Of their union in their beau
ufnl and charming Louisville home.
The presbytery has lost nothing Of its
charm o the garden its brightness
he had written. The scoundrel pre-
tended to be rich and claimed the right
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