The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1916-05-19


stroyed by Chemicals In His caskst.
A famous state mystery of the reign
of Louis XIV. of France was the mys-
FERROUS 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 If he ever exposed his face, and
st. Mars 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 to take his
prisoner with him and cautioned him
not to let him speak to any one, even
his guards.
On the night of April 90, 1874, clos
ed litter escorted by a troop Of horses
stopped at Bron, some leagues from
Lyons. From the litter descended
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-Five years of captivity under
the impassive, silent, remorseless 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 pistol on
each side of his plate.
, This prisoner was the subject OF
much correspondence between St Mars
and Louis XIV. 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 word, and you will nev-
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 obedient st. Mars fol-
lowed his instructions carefully. The
doctor who waited on the prisoner said
he had never seen his face, although
he 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-
ton was shown him, and nothing which
he requested was refused. He always
was dressed In black. st. Mars him.
self stood uncovered In his presence
and remained standing until the pris-
oner had requested him to be seated.
The jailer often took his meals with
the prisoner.
Just who was the Man In the Iron
Mask? Some thought he was an lille
Ultimate son of Anne of Austria. 9th
ers said he was twin brother Of Louis
XIV, whose claims might have de-
prlved the king of his throne. Another
writer makes him the leader of an as.
ISOLATION which was formed TO assassl.
nate the ruler. The most general be-
lief is that he was Count Mattioli, first
minister of the Duke of Mantua, who
had betrayed the interests Of Louis
XIV. by failing to secure for him, as
he had pledged himself to do in con
sideration for a bride, possession OF
the fortress of Casale from his master
Louis XIV. knew the secret, but to all
questions replied that If 1t was known
who the prisoner was every one would
be surprised to find him 30 uninterest.
ing person.
The prisoner died after short illness
in 1903. He was buried one autumn
day, and his name was inserted In the
prison register as "M. de Marchiel."
Eighty-six years later the frenzied
citizens of Paris broke into the Bastille
and rushed to the cell where It was
lnown he had been kept They stopped
short before clean whitewashed walls
Nothing was in the room. The prison
er's clothes and the mask had been
burned when he died. Chemicals had
been put In his casket 10 destroy the
body. Only one man had seen the face
behind the iron mask during the TWEEN
ty-nine years. He was st. Mars. And
st Mars never told. = Kansas Cts
Times