Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-12-22

nIIcIfY OF Tue CAAhiSo "-~A -
cred or frustrated | mentioned this
~ him once. and be responded:
-slmpIicity, Langton, If | may use
metaphor. is the keystone of the
arch o. successful crime. We have
fha inward curve-the plot; the down
yard curve-its accomplishment. I'm.
lees the whole be bound with that
simplicity of design which ensures
success the plot must fail"
Most illustrative Of this, think
vas Crewe's detection of the diabol-
fcal plan of the French doctor which
resulted in the death OF four men and
me destruction of two German gov.
enment balloons.
The German government, there was
no doubt, had at last perfected a
dirlgible balloon whose value as a
var weapon was incalculable. Wheth-
or the French government was priyy
or not to the murderous acts of DR..
Fenelon cannot be known for certain.
He may have been a self-inspired pa
triot. There is no doubt, however.
that his intention was to intimidate
the German government into aban-
doning this type of balloon which had
been constructed at the cost of so
much labor and enterprise.
You all remember the fate Of the
Kaiserin H. and her successor. the
Kaiserin III. How each ended in a
similar manner Each. after remain
Ing IN The air for forty-eight hours or
so and after lowering Immediately
over the French defensive works upon
the boundary. collapsed while at an
altitude OF perhaps eight hundred feet.
dashing its two occupants to the
ground, and instantaneously killing
them. The balloon. In either case.
remained only as a thing of shreds
and patches Of silk. and tangle of
wickerwork.
crewe and |. who were both inter
ested in aeronautics. had been pres
ent at the start Of each balloon from
Hamburg. There we made the &C
Queintance Of DIT. Fenelon. Despite
his French name and accent. he had
ingratiated himself into the confidence
OF the German war staff as an in
habitant Of Alsace-L orraine--as one Of
these French-born citizens who had
elected to throw in their fortunes with
the German nation after that province
was wrested from Napoleon He had
been child when the war ended; he
was now a man of between forty and
nifty years. doctor in the new aero
nautical division of the German army,
and an avowed hater Of France. His
task II was to attend the starting OF
the baIloonists. to test their hearts and
lungs before they ventured into the
upper air: he had free access to the
balloon, which was held captive within
The military reservation. Crewe and
had permits TO enter. for these we're
accorded freely to all with satisfac-
tory references. The secret lay In the
manufacture and none could ascertain
4 rom an external inspection of the
great globe.
Il WAS while the third balloon was
preparing to start, after the destruc-
ton Of the two others, that Crewe re-
solved to ascertain. If possible. the
cause Of the disasters.
You are courageous" he said to
Lieutenant Won Keller. ito risk your
ne after your predecessors have per-
shed
ITS part Of my job" Won Keller
answered. with fataiistic shrug of
nis shoulders. IF I die-well-"
You do not believe in the rumors
Of foul play?" I asked.
impossible" Won Keller answered.
However. this time / shall make the
ascent unaccompanied, so that treach-
cry VIII be impossible"
The balloon might be tempered
with before you start"
Hardly None but our officers can
epproach the tent in which II Is
moored. Then. before ascending. I
ena'i test the pull-cord and all the ap
para<us."
ana yet" said Crewe, your COM
ps'fiots we're found dead in the shreds
- .ae'r balloons. and they. too had
eouneence Now let me ask you
question. To what do you ascribe the
iso' mat their bodies were found
orenched with waterg"
han-or dew" said the lieutenant
tnere had been no rain ana dew
'e'o never have soaked their bodies
,ae SKIN and drenched their hair
: immaterial." Won Keller an.
1870 y shall not die. for have |
s'eo ne balloon Thoroughly ana |
eomplete confidence in IL"
a. us conversation took place unop |
e morning Of that on which the as.
,,,' 49, was to be made. Almost imms.
~ uterward the tent was strin
sec ifom the balloon ana ne 49, ~
49,. 49, sphere could be seen swav,n, |
esr,R 'ne ropes which fastened II 70 |
e,r,- spnere-shared. instead OF
80 sasped. the steering annsrat,,s
~ hidden within; It looked IIra
4 sss q an old-fashioned type. such
bs, sss been In use during the mast
hssrasa years It rose BY the AID ~
~ osen gas; yet. in some mvst.r,
rer. way. the builder had m.aa !,
1nnd ons'Se to its drivers
,i =. renelon now came torw.,, ;.
49, 'ns PHYSICAL examin.t,o, ~
b. sor.a p'oseo lengthy. crewe. who
sio,. e Process known to bim snV
q 4 a asa obtained leave for rs ho,h
'sats "esen' watched the doctor n.