Milford chronicle., 1916-07-07
A ROYAL MYSTERY
Most Famous State Secret of the
Reign of Louis XIV.
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK


terious prisoner. the Man In the Iron
Mask. Many are the guesses which
have been ventured as to who he was.
Plays and novels have been written
with the iron mask as the central char
acter, but his identity has remained a
secret. 1t is known without doubt
that St. Mars during his life had as
a prisoner a man whose face always
was covered with a mask Of black
velvet fastened by springs Of steel be
hind the head.
The guards had orders to kill the
man II he ever exposed his face, and
st. Mers' own life depended on no.
body finding out who his prisoner was
His first prison was the castle Of Pi-
gnerol. When st. Mars was trans
ferred to the isles Of st. Marguerite the
king himself told the jailer 10 take his
prisoner with him and cautioned him
not TO let him speak to any one, even
his guards.
On the night Of April 20, 1874, a clos
ed litter escorted by a troop Of horses
stopped at Bron, some leagues from
Lyons From the litter descended a
young man of slim and active figure.
his face hidden by a mask and his
hands firmly tied. in which state he
lay down on a couch prepared before
hand Next day ten horsemen arrived
with sealed orders to convey the pris-
oner with the utmost secrecy to the
fortress of PignerOl So 1t was the
Man In the Iron Mask began his
twenty-nine years Of captivity under
the impassive. silent, remorse1ess St
Mars.
Several years later the man of the
mask was seen again when St. Mars
was transferred to St Marguerite.
This time troopers surrounded chair
covered with waxed cloth. The trav
elers stopped at an inn for supper
The more daring Of the curious peas
ants peeked through a small window
from outside the locked supper room.
The prisoner sat with his back to
the window. and they could not tell
whether he had on his mask. st.
Mars sat opposite him with a pistol on
each side of his plate
This prisoner was the subject Of
much correspondence between st. Mars
and Louis NV. Of France Louis con
tinually was asking about him. He
gave full instructions as to the care
Of the man. and about the cell he was
to occupy the king wrote:
LET there be so many doors closed |
one after the other that the sentinels
cannot hear a word, and you will new
er listen to anything he has to say on |
any pretext whatever. Threaten him |
with death If he ever opens his mouth |
to speak Of anything but of what he
may be absolutely in want Of"
The blindly ohedient st. Mars fol
lowed his instructions carefully. The |
doctor who waited on the prisoner said
be had never seen his face although |
be had examined his tongue. Dishes
and plates were examined each time
the prisoner was served to see If there
was any writing on them. The guards
always were ready to kill the moment
he took off his mask.
In other respects the greatest atten-
ion was shown him. and nothing which
he requested was refused. He always
was dressed I'm black. st. Mars him
self stood uncovered in his presence
md remained standing until the pris
)ner had requested him to be seated
The jailer often took his meals witt
he prisoner.
Just who was the Man In the Iron
Mask? Some thought he was an lille
son of Anne Of Austria. 9th
RS said he was a twin brother of Louis
XIV, whose claims might have de-
lrived the king Of his throne Another
writer makes him the leader Of an rs
ISOLATION which was formed to assassi
late the ruler The most general be ,
ief is that he was Count Mattioli, first !
Minister Of the Duke of Mantua, who {
lad betrayed the interests Of Louis
XIV. by failing to secure for him, as {
Ie had pledged himself to do in con [
liberation for a bribe. possession Of
he fortress of Casale from his master
.ouis XIV. knew the secret. but to all =
uestions replied that if it was known !
e surprised to find him so uninterest- S
lg a person. A
The prisoner died after a short Illness C
4 1903. He was buried one autumn p
ay, and his name was inserted in the a
rison register as IN. de Marchiel." =
Eighty-six years later the frenzied n
tizens Of Paris broke into the Bastille n
nd rushed to the cell where It was n
nown he had been kept. They stopped h
hort before clean whitewashed walls
othing was in the room. The prison
IS clothes and the mask had been
urned when he died. Chemicals had I
cen put in his casket to destroy the
ody. Only one man had seen the face
ahind the iron mask during the TWEEN.
mine years. He was st. Mars. And IL
: Mars never told. - Kansas CitJ it
lines. IL