DISCOVERY OF A Premeditated Assassination

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 131, 1 September 1871, Page 6

DISCOVERY OF A Premeditated Assassination

(Concluded from our last.) When interrogated concerning his reported conversation, he, however, recovered his presence of mind, and stated that he recollected it perfectly, and that the gentleman in the brown surtout was un brave homme, and had paid for a litre of wine which they drank together, and had asked him many questions about his wages and employment, and whether he was satisfied therewith, as, if not, he hinted that perhaps he might be able to get him a berth. This, he at first said, was the, substance of all that had passed between them; but, upon being cross-questioned and exhorted to tax his memory to the utmost, he recollected that the conversation took place on a Friday, and that the elderly man said he generally came into town on that day to attend the market in the Place Sathonnaye. This made it evident that the suspected party dwelt either in the suburbs or the country, and greatly enlarged the field for " inquiry ; ; but that was of much less importance, as the observant Swiss had noticed what had escaped Mr. Medler's eye namely, that the brown-coated gentleman had lost the top joint of his left little finger, and was minus one front tooth. So, with these indications, on the following morning, men " clad in a little brief authority " were moving in all directions, all round about the city, while in the heart of the city itself strange rumors were afloat. The authorities still kept Mr. Medler's secret, and, consequently, the foul attack on that gentleman was reported as an attempt to rescue a prisoner—one of the conspirators, of course. On that day, too, the ouvriers neglected their work, and congregated in beer and wine houses, from whence, in the afterII >on, they repaired to their favorite "theatre in the Place des Celestins, where •appropriate performances excited their patriotic and liberal feelings to demand certain forbidden and objectionable songs, and to kick up sundry " rows," to kick down which a squadron of cavalry was deemed necessary. ..." Nine o'clock next morning was fixed upon for the investigation, and we were of the half-dozen who attended. Much whis- ! pering and grimace took place as we were ushered from one little dark room to another, until we reached that which seemed the chief office for examination, being furnished with wooden benches against the walls, and a table and three empty chairs placed across the centre of the room, so as to -leave equal space for the Court and its visitors on one side, and for the accused, the witnesses, and officers, on the other. Mr. Medler enacted the part of master of . the ceremonies, and informed us that the poor Swiss and three officers had been upon the watch since daybreak, in the Place Sathonnaye, near which a party of gendarmes lay concealed, in readiness to act at a moment's notice. "Therefore, you see," he continued, "if the ruffian shows himself for a moment in the market he must be taken." " Monsieur Madelere !" exclaimed a thin, tall, powdered old gentleman, entering hurriedly, " they want you. You will find a cabriolet at the door. My men have kept their eyes for some time on the ... elder assassin, and he is now talking to a young man who answers your description. t If they are both the men you want, you have only to tell the officer who accompanies you, and they will instantly be arrested ; but if not, don't show yourself, as. i,we do not mean to lose sight of the old -coquin before he joins his comrade. Youunderstand me?"

"Perfectly," said Mr. Medler. "But allow me—these gentlemen are friends of mine " " Ay, ay —bah.!" exclaimed the Frenchman, "no ceremony now; you must go this instant," and he all but thrust the little man out of the room ; and having seen him off, returned and apologised for his brusque conduct, and rubbed his hands, and strove to make himself agreeable, by stating that the English were certainly a good people, and that he very much approved of our being the first nation to ac-1 knowledge their change of dynasty after " the glorious three days," insinuating, at the same time, that we dared not have dune otherwise. "Bah!" said he, "we don't' go to sleep over our reforms like some other nations ; but, crack, crack ! and it's I done." And with such matters he entertained us till Mr. Medler returned, and, in J a " veni, vidi, vici" style, announced that he had seen, and recognised, and caused the assassins to be apprehended, and that they were now on their way to the office, under the escort of the gendarmerie. A prodigious bustle'ensued. The maire came in, bowed, looked grave, and seated himself in the centre chair. The thin, powdered old fellow took the seat on his right, and a short, round, red-faced man came, puffing, and blowing, with a multitude of papers, and rolled himself into that on the left. Then was heard the trampling of many feet along the corridors, and the sound of many voices ; and anon came pouring in a crowd of gendarmes and officers, with the two prisoners, and the poor, thin, tall Swiss, in his sabots, overtopping all the rest, and looking ridiculously bewildered. Silence was duly enforced. It was an awful moment. Mr. Medler's lips qui vered with triumphant agitation. The prisoners were brought forward. " What is your name and profession ?'' was the question put to the eldest. "Jacques Godeau, gardener at Colonges," replied he; "and what the devil you want with me I can't guess," he added. "You will soon know," observed the maire; " and, in the meanwhile, I. recommend you to be respectful." The prisoner grumbled something about its being a very hard case to be dragged away from his business in the middle of a market day; and the short, round, redfaced man whispered something to the maire about the propriety of separating the ! delinquents; and, in consequence, the young man was taken away. Now, Jacques Godeau, the accused of intended assassination, was a fine stout old fellow, with a rosy, open, jolly-looking countenance, the habitual good-natured expression of which was apparent in spite of his vexation. " Well, come! let us know what it is, and have done with it," said he, impatiently. "Not so soon as you think for, perhaps," observed the red-faced man; and' according to a plan previously arranged by the heads of office, he began to read an accusation, framed upon the basis of Mr. Medler's deposition. The intent was to take the prisoner by surprise ; and the intent was answered. As he listened his whole frame shook convulsively ; and, before the document was finished, he was under the necessity of hiding his face in his handkerchief, and wiping the tears from his eyes. Having performed this operation, his self-possession suddenly returned, and it was wonderful to witness his command of countenance as he gravely addressed the maire: — "Monsieur, it is all true; and the best way is to call in my accomplice, .lean Piquet—l'll engage for his confession." " Hold him fast!" exclaimed the maire,

much shocked at hearing so dreadful a crime spoken of so lightly. "Aye, hold me fast," said Jacques Godeau; " but bring Jean Piquot in, for he was the real murderer, and, certainly has got as true and sure a hand as any Italian." " Dreadful!" exclaimed the maire and his adjuncts; " then the crime has been perpetrated ! We are too late !" " Horrible !" murmured Mr. Medlcr. " But it was no fault of mine ; I did all that I could. As a citizen of the world " " Bring in the other prisoner !" shouted the maire; and a fresh bustle ensued, during which Godeau, in spite of the grip of his holders, contrived to stoop, and again conceal his face in his handkerchief. He was evidently under great excitement ; but, when Jean Piquot was placed at his side, he recovered himself, and said, calmly—- " Jean, my good lad, Monsieur le Maire particularly wishes to hear about your pork business." " Very well," replied Jean. " Oh, that's what it's all about, is it P" The murder was soon out. It appeared that Jean Piquot was a young Provencal, who had served his apprenticeship with a eharcutier, or pork-butcher, &c, at Lyons, who was the brother of the jolly gardener at Colognes, but who died, and left a widow and a daughter, both of whom young Jean endeavored to console ; and with the latter he was particularly successful. The consequence was that they exchanged vows one morning over a chop-ping-block ; and Madame Veuve Godeau smiled propitiously upon their loves, stipulating only that Jean should spend a year or so in Italy, for the purpose of acquiring the science of making veritable Bologna sausages. The parting was, of course, very affectionate and affecting; and Jean went his way like a hero, resolved to carve out his fortune with his knife, having first received the widow's promise that, on his return, lie should be put in possession of Jeannette's hand, together with sundry hams, pettitoes, chops, and other pigrneat. In brief, he was to have half the stock, and thenceforth enjoy half the profits of the business. But, alas! when he was gone and far away, there came to the widow's house a retired corporal, named Gerard, with a ribbon at his button-hole, concerning the acquisition of which and other matters he told her strange tales, interlarding the whole with the honeyed words of flattery —a species of artillery that has subdued much more obdurate hearts than that of our widow, who, after a faint resistance, was induced to change her name, and become the wife of Monsieur the Chevalier. But she had not long enjoyed that dignity ere she was called to go the way of all flesh; and when Jean Piquot returned, prepared to astonish the natives by his skill, he found the old soldier in possession of the citadel, and his Jeannette living with her uncle, Jacques Godeau, at Colonges. So, being true lovers, they were married without loss of time, spent the honeymoon in utter disregard of pork or sausages, and then began to think and consult about the future. All application to old Gerard was in vain. He seemed to consider himself sole monarch of all round the shop, and would brook no partner near his throne. Jean talked of his wife's rights, and threatened law, of which the old soldier felt that " possossion was nine points." So he grinned defiance. '• Never njind him, Jean," said Jacques Godeau, when they were by themselves. " He knows nothing about the business, while you understand it well, and know all my poor brother's customers. Take the little shop opposite him, and begin

with a stand in the market near mine. I'll be there, and find you plenty of buyers, I'll warrant. And as for a pig or two, bah! With your own character, and my recommendation, you'll never want credit. But, by way of a beginning, I've got one just ready to kill; so you must accept of that, and use your knife, and show us what you have learned in Italy." Such was the purport of many conversations ; but Jean continued to hang back, and talk of going to law for his rights, till the eventful evening at the cabaret, when the old man, by dint of wine and strong arguments, and particularly by praising his dexterity in handling a knife, and the offer of a fat porker, to be slaughtered at the back of his own house, induced his young friend to adopt his plan. Shouts of laughter burst from all parts of the Court. The maire himself was unable to retain his gravity; and the tall, thin, powdered man grinned as he frowned and cried " Silence!" As for Jacques G-jdcau himself, when once free from restraint, he rolled about, holding his fat sides, and absolutely scrra ning with delight, while the gendarmes and officers, and even the lanky Swiss, joined in the cachinnatory chorus.

" Get along with you all!" cried the maire at length, " this is too ridiculous." And forthwith the crowd began to move off, to tell the tale of the discovery of the premeditated assassination, each in his own way to his own friends. Jacques Godcau and Jean Piquot were conduced back in triumph to the market, the latter with the remains of his slaughtered victim borne before him as a trophy; but scarcely were they deposited on his stand than customers crowded round, and there was a scramble about who should be first served to a piece of the pork that had made so much noise in the world.

" Where is that animal—that little ignoramus?" inquired the maire, when the Court was somewhat cleared ; but no one knew what had become of Mr. Medler, nor was he ever again seen in the streets of Lyons.