The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-11
THE CASE OF GCERRE.
Nnc Of the Qucercst Stories of Dou-
blcs in History.


Martin Guerre, Frenchman, who
was born near Bayonne in the first
half Of the sixteenth century. Mar
tin Guerre was the son of a we'll to
TO farmer and bricllmaker, and. as
was the custom of the country at
the time, he married at the age of IL
Bertande de Rois, who had reached
the age OF 10. For eight years they
lived together.
Unfortunately Martin stole a BUSH
e. OF corn from his father. Fright
ened by the Nervousness of his
crime, he deserted his wife and fed
to Spain. There he entered the SER
vice Of Emperor Charles V, and af-
ter several years of campaigning.
seems to have forgotten his wife.
Bertrande and his baby boy, Sancho.
At any rate, he ceased to write home
and his family lost all trace of him.
His absence stretched on to eight
years.
Ihen one evening a stranger ar
rived at the inn of the village where
the deserted wife was still living He
at once told his host that he was
Martin Guerre and recounted the
adventures and hardships that had
Kept him from home so long. The
rumOr of Martin Queries return soon
spread, and his four sisters has
tened to the hostelry to welcome him
nome. They found him much changed.
lie had gone eight years before.
scarcely more than a boy. Now he
was a mature man, bronzed and
bearded. Nevertheless, they welcon-
ed him, embraced him and carried the
news to his wife. Bertrande hastened
to him at once. When she saw him
first she started back with misgiv-
ing but he addressed her tenderlv.
repeated word for word their part-
ing conversation and mentioned de-
tails that only a husband could have
known. He even spoke of the clo.a-
ing he had left behind and where #
could be found. Bertrande was con-
Vlnced. She begged forgiveness for
her doubts and threw herself into his
arms. An uncle arrived. He, too,
hesitated, but the newcomer detailed
to him all the minutae of their busi-
ness transactions eight years before.
and he also was convinced.
The upshot of the matter was that
:his newly arrived Martin Gurre re-
turned home with his wife and lived
happily and without suspicion with
her for four years. During this time
they had two children, and Msrtln's
father at his death bequeathed aim
a farm.
However, a soldier passing through
the village declared that he had seen
Martin at the seige of st. Quentin,
that he had lost leg there, but that
he was still alive, and the soldier left
a written deposition to that effect.
The rumor spread that the man liv-
ing as Martin Guerre was an i'm
poStor.
Bertrande at this fieled a criminal
information against the man to whom
for four years he had granted the
rights of husband. He was de-
scribed in the accusation as Arnault
de Tilh and was committed to prison.
The prisoner said that the uncle had
influenced his wife and that the whole
charge was a conspiracy to deprive
him of his fortune of 5000 livres. He
submitted to a ~earching interroga-
tory, after the French fashion. and
answered all questions satisfactorily.
He told of his campaign and re-
Vealed the most intimate details of
the family history. He relied for his
defense, too, on his four sisters who
still called him brother, on his four
years life with Bertrande with her
consent, and pressed her in the pres
ence of the judges to swear that he
was not her real husband, declaring
that if she so swore he was ready
to forfeit his head. Bertrande re-
fused to take this oath. She was
confused by his confident manner.
In the trial $50 witnesses were ex-
amined. OF this number 40 deposed
that the man was the real Martin
Guerre, SO deposed that he was Ar
nault de Tilh and 60 declined TO pro-
nounce any opinion, owing to the re-
semblance. In spite of the conflict
ing evidence, the judge pronounced
nm guilty. He at once appealed to
the parliament of Toulouse.
ON this appeal thirty witnesses
were re-eNamined. Ten deposed that