of the rebels； under the name of Pierrot； went from place to place
throughout the departments of the West gathering together the
elements of rebellion； but his chief resort was the chateau of
Saint…Savin； the residence of a Madame Lechantre and her daughter；
a Madame Bryond； situated in the district of Saint…Savin；
arrondissement of Mortagne。 Several of the most horrible events of
the rebellion of 1799 are connected with this strategic point。
Here a bearer of despatches was murdered； his carriage pillaged by
the brigands under command of a woman； assisted by the notorious
Marche…a…Terre。 Brigandage appeared to be endemic in that
locality。
An intimacy； which we shall not attempt to characterize； existed
for more than a year between the woman Bryond and the said Rifoel。
It was in this district that an interview took place； in April；
1808； between Rifoel and a certain Boislaurier； a leader known by
the name of August in the baneful rebellions of the West； who
instigated the affair now before the court。
The somewhat obscure point of the relations between these two
leaders is cleared up by the testimony of numerous witnesses； and
also by the judgment of the court which condemned Rifoel。
From that time Boislaurier had an understanding with Rifoel； and
they acted in concert。
They communicated to each other； at first secretly； their infamous
plans； encouraged by the absence of His Imperial and Royal Majesty
with the armies in Spain。 Their scheme was to obtain possession of
the money of the Treasury as the fundamental basis of future
operations。
Some time after this； one named Dubut； of Caen； sent an emissary
to the chateau of Saint…Savin named Hileycommonly called 〃The
Laborer；〃 long known as a highwayman； a robber of diligencesto
give information as to the men who could safely be relied upon。
It was thus by means of Hiley that the plotters obtained； from the
beginning； the co…operation of one Herbomez； otherwise called
General Hardi； a former rebel of the same stamp as Rifoel； and
like him faithless to his pledges under the amnesty。
Herbomez and Hiley recruited from the surrounding districts seven
brigands whose names are：
1。 Jean Cibot； called Pille…Miche； one of the boldest brigands of
the corps formed by Montauran in the year VII。； and a participator
in the attack upon the courier of Mortagne and his murder。
2。 Francois Lisieux； called Grand…Fils； refractory of the
department of the Mayenne。
3。 Charles Grenier； called Fleur…de…Genet； deserter from the 69th
brigade。
4。 Gabriel Bruce； called Gros…Jean； one of the most ferocious
Chouans of Fontaine's division。
5。 Jacques Horeau； called Stuart； ex…lieutenant in the same
brigade； one of the confederates of Tinteniac； well…known for his
participation in the expedition to Quiberon。
6。 Marie…Anne Cabot； called Lajeunesse； former huntsman to the
Sieur Carol of Alencon。
7。 Louis Minard； refractory。
These confederates were lodged in three different districts； in
the houses of the following named persons： Binet； Melin； and
Laraviniere； innkeepers or publicans； and all devoted to Rifoel。
The necessary arms were supplied by one Jean…Francois Leveille；
notary； an incorrigible assistant of the brigands； and their go…
between with certain hidden leaders； also by one Felix Courceuil；
commonly called Confesseur； former surgeon of the rebel armies of
La Vendee； both these men are from Alencon。
Eleven muskets were hidden in a house belonging to the Sieur
Bryond in the faubourg of Alencon； where they were placed without
his knowledge。
When the Sieur Bryond left his wife to pursue the fatal course she
had chosen； these muskets； mysteriously taken from the said house；
were transported by the woman Bryond in her own carriage to the
chateau of Saint…Savin。
It was then that the acts of brigandage in the department of the
Orne and the adjacent departments took place；acts that amazed
both the authorities and the inhabitants of those regions； which
had long been entirely pacificated； acts； moreover； which proved
that these odious enemies of the government and the French Empire
were in the secret of the coalition of 1809 through communication
with the royalist party in foreign countries。
The notary Leveille； the woman Bryond； Dubut of Caen； Herbomez of
Mayenne； Boislaurier of Mans； and Rifoel； were therefore the heads
of the association； which was composed of certain guilty persons
already condemned to death and executed with Rifoel； certain
others who are the accused persons at present under trial； and a
number more who have escaped just punishment by flight or by the
silence of their accomplices。
It was Dubut who； living near Caen； notified the notary Leveille
when the government money contained in the local tax…office would
be despatched to the Treasury。
We must remark here that after the time of the removal of the
muskets； Leveille； who went to see Bruce； Grenier； and Cibot in
the house of Melin； found them hiding the muskets in a shed on the
premises； and himself assisted in the operation。
A general rendezvous was arranged to take place at Mortagne； in
the hotel de l'Ecu de France。 All the accused persons were present
under various disguises。 It was then that Leveille； the woman
Bryond； Dubut； Herbomez； Boislaurier and Hiley （the ablest of the
secondary accomplices； as Cibot was the boldest） obtained the
co…operation of one Vauthier； called Vieux…Chene； a former servant
of the famous Longuy； and now hostler of the hotel。 Vauthier
agreed to notify the woman Bryond of the arrival and departure of
the diligence bearing the government money； which always stopped
for a time at the hotel。
The woman Bryond collected the scattered brigands at the chateau
de Saint…Savin； a few miles from Mortagne； where she had lived
with her mother since the separation from her husband。 The
brigands； with Hiley at their head； stayed at the chateau for
several days。 The woman Bryond； assisted by her maid Godard；
prepared with her own hands the food of these men。 She had already
filled a loft with hay； and there the provisions were taken to
them。 While awaiting the arrival of the government money these
brigands made nightly sorties from Saint…Savin； and the whole
region was alarmed by their depredations。 There is no doubt that
the outrages committed at la Sartiniere； at Vonay； and at the
chateau of Saint…Seny； were committed by this band； whose boldness
equals their criminality； though they were able to so terrify
their victims that the latter have kept silence； and the
authorities have been unable to obtain any testimony from them。
While thus putting under contribution those persons in the
neighborhood who had purchased lands of the National domain； these
brigands carefully explored the forest of Chesnay which they
selected as the theatre of their crime。
Not far from this forest is the village of Louvigney。 An inn is
kept there by the brothers Chaussard； formerly game…keepers on the
Troisville estate； which inn was made the final rendezvous of the
brigands。 These brothers knew beforehand the part they were to
play in the affair。 Courceuil and Boislaurier had long made
overtures to them to revive their hatred against the government of
our august Emperor； telling them that among the guests who would
be sent to them would be certain men of their acquaintance； the
dreaded Hiley and the not less dreaded Cibot。
Accordingly； on the 6th； the seven bandits； under Hiley； arrived
at the inn of the brothers Chaussard； and there they spent two
days。 On the 8th Hiley led off his men； saying they were going to
a palace about nine miles distant； and asking the brothers to send
provisions for them to a certain fork in the road not far distant
from the village。 Hiley himself returned and slept at the inn。
Two persons on horseback； who were undoubtedly Rifoel and the
woman Bryond （for it is stated that this woman accompanied Rifoel
on these expeditions on horseback and dressed as a man）； arrived
during the evening and conversed with Hiley。
The next day Hiley wrote a letter to the notary Leveille； which
one of the Chaussard brothers took to the latter； bringing back
his answer。
Two hours later Rifoel and the woman Bryond returned and had an
interview with Hiley。
It was then found necessary to obtain an axe to open； as we shall
see； the cases containing the money。 The notary went with the
woman Bryond to Saint…Savin； where they searched in vain for an
axe。 The notary returned alone； half way back he met Hiley； to
whom he stated that they could not obtain an axe。
Hiley returned to the inn； where he ordered supper for ten
persons； seven of them being the brigands； who had now returned；
fully armed。 Hiley made them stack their arms in the military
manner。 They then sat down to table and supped in haste。 Hiley
ordered provisions prepared to take away with him。 Then he took
the elder Chaussard aside and asked him for an axe。 The innkeeper
who； if we believe him； was surprised； refused to give one。
Courceuil and Boislaurier arrived； the night wore on； the three
men walked the floor of their room discussing the plot。 Courceuil；
called 〃Confesseur；〃 the most wily of the party； obtained an axe；
and about two in the morning they all went away by different
paths。
Every moment was of value； the execution of the crime was fixed
for that night。 Hiley； Courceuil； and Boislaurier led and placed
their men。 Hiley hid in ambush with Minard； Cabot； and Bruce at
the right of the Chesnay forest； Boislaurier； Grenier； and Horeau
took the centre； Courceuil； Herbomez； and Lisieux occupied the
ravine to the left of the wood。 All these positions are indicated
on the ground…plan drawn by the engineer of the government survey…
office； which is here subjoined。
The diligence； which had left Mortagne about one in the morning；
was driven