of Fualdès early on the morning of the 20th,
during which he had ransacked the drawers of
the magistrate, decided his arrest. Jausion,
another relative, a banker, known to be mixed
up with Fualdès in business matters, his wife,
and Madame Galtier, a sister of Bastide, were
also captured. Meanwhile, a porter, named
Bousquier, had let fall, while drinking in a public-
house, that on the night of the 19th he had
been employed to carry a bale which he had been
told contained contraband tobacco. On being
questioned by the police, he pointed out one Bach
as his employer. Both were taken into custody.
Another arrest was made on March the 28th.
Missonnier, a cutler, habitually allowed a beggar to
sleep in a stable, in the Rue des Hebdomadiers,
belonging to him. This man stated that on the
19th he went to bed earlier than his wont, that
about eight o'clock he heard a noise as of men
dragging a body, and that the door of the stable
was leaned against, as if it had been expected
to find it open. This seemed to implicate
Missonnier, a half idiot, whose stable was to have
been probably borrowed for the deed. Eveiy effort
was made to extract a confession from Bousquier,
the porter, who seemed to be the least guilty.
He at last stated that, hired by Bach to carry a
bale of tobacco, he had been taken to the house
of the Bancals; that he had found there Bancal
and his wife, Colard, Missonnier, a woman
unknown to him, and two "gentlemen." He was
shown a large package done up in a blanket, and
with two large wooden bars to carry it by. He
was then told that it contained a dead body, and
was threatened with death if he breathed a word.
They left the house; the tall gentleman, armed
with a gun, going in front of four bearers,
Colard, Bancal, Bach, and himself; the other,
also armed, bringing up the rear with Missonnier.
He then described the way they took, his
account agreeing with that of the various
witnesses. Arrived at the bank of the river, the
body was thrown in; and, after fresh injunctions
to secresy accompanied by threats, the gentlemen
left them. He identified Bastide, Anne
Benolt, Bach, Colard, and the Bancals. About
the other of the two " gentlemen" he was
uncertain.

So far all seemed clear; but were all the
accomplices in custody? The police in vain
sought the organ-grinders, who must have been
cognisant of the crime. It was found that the
police had that night been taken off duty, and M.
Coustans, the commissaire, was dismissed; no
further steps were taken against him at that
time. Meanwhile, examinations were constantly
going on. One of the little Bancals declared
that, through a hole in the bed-curtains, she saw
a gentleman laid on the table and murdered.
The authorities had, besides, the confession of
Bancal. Attacked by a prison fever, and finding
himself at the point of death, he made a statement
sparing himself, but agreeing in the main
with other indications. Having in some sort the
character of a religious act, his confession was
not brought forward on the trial. It was in
substance as follows:

"Coming home from work about six or half-
past on the 19th of March, I heard Missonnier and
Bach talking together. Said Missonnier, ' That's
his custom; he doesn't come in before nine o'clock,
and then he goes straight to bed.' I asked of
whom they were speaking? 'Of his beggar,'
said Bach; ' and as we want his stable—— ' ' In
an hour, if that'll suit you,' said Missonnier. I
noticed one or two organ-grinders in our street,
and called my wife's attention to their incessant
playing. About a quarter-past eight, Colard came
in in a great hurry, and said, ' Why are the children
not in bed?' Presently Bach came in and
told us to send them to bed, and then went out
again. My wife then sent the children to bed.
Almost immediately afterwards we heard a great
noise, seemingly at a distance, and Colard went
out, returning again in two or three minutes.
In the interval, some one knocked at the door,
and a lady in a shawl and a black veil entered.
My wife asked her to sit down. All this while
the noise continued; whistles were heard every
now and then, and the organs went on as before.
The noise approached, and presently there came
a violent knocking at our door. The lady,
frightened, got up, and my wife shut her into a
closet. I opened the street door, Colard holding
the candle. "We found several men, who were
dragging and forcing another, in whom to my
surprise I recognised M. Fualdès. Behind him
was Bastide. They shut the door. 'In the
name of God, what do you want with me?' cried
Fualdès. 'What do I want?' returned some
one, whom I knew to be Jausion, ' I want your
name on these papers.' Fualdès said, ' This is
infamous violence.' Bastide asked for an
inkstand, and Fualdès wrote on papers presented to
him by Jausion. At this time I noticed Bach,
Missonnier, Anne Benoit, and Colard. Colard
whispered to Bastide, and showed him a knife.
Bastide, almost laughing, said, ' Good.' This
was the first I had seen that led me to think
they would kill him. When Fualdès had done
writing, he said, ' Is that all?' and looked round
him. ' After what I've done,' said Jausion, ' I
know you; you won't spare me.' 'And yet you
know that I have spared you,' replied Fualdès.
'And you repent of it?' cried Jausion. 'Why,
you see he does,' said Bastide. 'That's like
them all,' said Colard; ' because they're rich they
think they can do anything.' After this there
was a silence. At last Bastide said, ' Come, let's
finish!' ' Give me my hat,' said Fualdès. ' Your
hat!' said Jausion, and he began to jostle him.
Fualdès cried out, 'Do you want to kill me?
Ah, Bastide! Ah, Jausion!' They pushed him
down. 'Come,' said Bastide, 'we must finish
him.' Colard rushed forward with the knife,
when Anne Benoit said, ' Baptiste, what are you
doing?' He thrust her away, and brandished
the knife over her. They took Fualdès by the
head and feet, and laid him on the table. I held
his feet. I trembled; but my wife told me that