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Show THE MYSTERY OF MULLER HALL. Almost exactly one hundred years ago a remarkable French refugee, who was known In this country ns. Louis Anntho Muller, bought a largo estate In Central Now York, and built a house that remains to this day. Thus far there sednis to bo no spring of sensation or mystery. Thousands of immigrants, largely refugees, camo over from Franco in tho years of tjio French Revolution and tho turbulent period following, nnd very many majde homes for themselves hero and became good nnd helpful American citizens) Coming to a republic, as they did, where hereditary distinctions of bii'th were not recognized, and where thcjre was often no effort to maintain any inherited in-herited title of nobility, even in name the Immigrants, under simple family names, or borrowed names of their choice, wero quickly merged in our democratic American citizenship, jln later years tho descendants of some have taken the pains to trace their lineage, lin-eage, nnd both historians and romancers roman-cers havo been moved to draw out clearly tho details of adventuro contributed con-tributed by numbers of noble, and even loyal descent. In none of these tales, however, are there such elements of wonder nnd mystery ns in that of tho known career ca-reer of Louis Anatho Muller. In the year I SOS ho purchased about 2,700 acies of land lying chiefly on tho hills and ridges of tho present vlllngo ol Geoigetown in Madison county. In the western part of this county si range of high hills passes southward, approaching ap-proaching oven n mountainous height ns the range enters Chenango county. A dense forest then covered tho whole township except for ono or two little, clearings and settlements In tho valley val-ley of tho Otsellc, miles away. Near tho top of theso almost Inaccessible hills In Georgetown the land spread out in a rolling plateau, and on this area Muller proceeded to clear a tract of nearly three hundred acres, by the employment of a troop of workers numbering fully 150. lie took active part himself In this clearing, bringing with him o largo retinue of his own countrymen, nnd It wni particularly remarked at the time that tho wager of all were paid In gold nnd silver coin from a purso which was seemingly seeming-ly inexhaustible. Near tho center of his clearing ho began soon to erect a spacious dwelling, dwell-ing, which might bo reckoned indiff-eiently indiff-eiently n chateau or a fortress, so massive mas-sive wero tho walls, and so superb the construction nnd ilttings. The body of the house was mndo of hewn cherry timber, in massivo slabs or bents, about 12 inches thick and 11 feet In height. Theso woro expertly framed into the sills and securely dove tailed throughout. Tho impenetrable walls of solid timber thus formed wero well covered with clapboards, lathed and plastered Inside, and finished with . exceeding care to meet tho uncommon requirements of their builder. Tho rooms laid out within wero all spa-clous spa-clous and richly adorned with mirrors, mir-rors, mahogany, nnd other costly fur- m g ntture. Seven fire places wero sot w In tho building, nil of which wero trimmed with black marble. Tho halls were suprebly ornamented, and ono of tho rooms was fitted and supplied vvlth a library whoso extent nnd selection se-lection bore witness to tho exceptional cultivation of tho taste of tho proprietor. proprie-tor. All the appointments of this residence, res-idence, nnd nil It surroundings wero arranged with elaborate detail, and ,vlth nudious care. When this mansion was completed, ti Muller occupied It with his family, u Arlfo aim child, and engaged a retinue If of servants in constant attendance. ' 'or years thereafter ho continued the Tji-v- .vork of Improving and beautifying tho estate, so strangely chosen in tho heart of what was then an almost Impenetrable Im-penetrable wilderness. He directed he setting out of avenues of fine hade trees, maples, poplars, etc., and jnclosed a largo park reserve with a strong, high fence, or a stockade, in vlilch deer, rabbits, and other gamo .vero preserved. From tho brooks .vhich traversed the grounds ho obtained ob-tained a water supply for an artificial pond which was always kept well stocked with fish. Around tho main house largo and convenient out buildings build-ings wero soon erected, conforming in jtylo to tho refined taste which had planned tho residence. At a point about a mile distant from .ho mansion house ho established n Mage on the banks or u stream ilow-ng ilow-ng through his estate. A precipi-ous precipi-ous fall of this stream within the 'lllago furnished the water power for i grist mill which ho erected, and around this mill tho village spread out in many dwellings, with a commo-lions commo-lions store house, and two stores. , jkllled nrtlsans wei'o particularly Incited In-cited to take up residenco in tho vil-ago, vil-ago, and material inducements were lcld out to promote their settlement. Within a few years this was ono of iho most thriving country villages in central New York. At another convenient point on the state, he built a saw mill, having in nind apparently convenience of supply ather than piollt, for no effort wns loted to seek any market outside of ho settlement which ho lind built up. Tho Improvement or tho estate was lpparently the sole end in tho eyo of his remarkablo proprietor, and ho iparod no effort for this purposo in jxtendlng and diversifying Its prod-icts. prod-icts. it has been reckoned that tho jutlay on this ostato In tho years of ts occupancy by Muller could not .navo.been less than $150,000. Now, who among tho French refugees refu-gees had any such sum at his command, com-mand, and who would bo likely to ox- pend It In n mnnnnor so extraordinary? extraordi-nary? Who would select a homo In ho lienrt of a forest and far from any considerable settlements, nnd lead therein the life of a grand seigneur? Who bad cause to seek to avoid a pos-3lblo pos-3lblo recognition, nnd to ahow through-3Ut through-3Ut his lifo In tills country an over present fear of molestation from the tgents of somo unknown but potent idversary? Who, Anally, upon tho lows of tho abdication of Napoleon Hid his Imprisonment on tho Island of Slba would bo moved to leavo fhis stato immediately in tho hands of m agent, nnd return to Franco? Who, ,',i urthor, would bo so reckless of his 4J..y rent outlay and tho prospective vnl- VT to of tho property as to dispose of tho l greater part of it, including tho res- deuce, out buildings, nnd mills, at a nap bargain in 1810 after tho final de-'eat de-'eat pf Bonnparto at Watoilqo and tho 'olnstatemont of tho Bourbon line, for tho paltry sum of $10,500? Theso are known facts In this mystery, which must be accounted for. Muller Is described by thoso who knew him well as a fine looking man of distinguished military bearing, and well proportioned, though somewhat below the average mlddlo height in f stature. His complexion was swarthy, and his eyes black and penetrating, and all his features sharply defined. Ho had the keenest relish for the cports of the green and the chase, and during his life on his estate he never missed a day In which hunting was practicable. Ho courted no society, though ho was always courteous In his bearing to the few neighbors who had occasion to meet him. Ho aovlded mingling In public assemblies, and, whenever ho had occasion to visit any (conspicuous town, ho was invariably attended by his most trusted servants. Two men, fn livery and armed, rode - usually on either sldo of him as a ML- body guard, and ho carried loaded pis tols himself In his own holsters. It is claimed by the leading Investigator Inves-tigator of the life of this remarkable refugee that he can bo Identified most probably with the French prince of Midler's age, about fifty years old, who actually appeared In France, truculent truc-ulent and vainglorious, when the allies marched into Paris In April, 1814. This prince was tho youngest brother of Louis XVI, who bore tho title Count of Artois before his assent to the throne as Charles X. Ho was a gallant gal-lant to the court of Louis XVI, an intimate in-timate friend of Queen Mario Antoinette, Antoi-nette, n notorious spendthrift, and a Bourbon of tho Bourbons. Tho Bas-' Bas-' tilo fell on July 14th, 17S9. On the IGth, Artois, the Pollgnacs and the Condes fled to Turin, carrying with them as much of their wealth as they could possibly convert Into cash, or negotiable paper. After tho failure of a paraded attempt under the leadership leader-ship of tho Count to restore royalty in France," In August, 1705, it has been obviously dlfTlcult for historians to trace his career with any certainty until lis reappearance In 1814. Could ho have been louts Anatho Muller? Why not, and If not, who was Louis Anatho Muller, a lavish grand seigneur seig-neur in tho heart of the American wilderness. Tno Village. o |