Coustaussa Castle

SOUVENEZ-VOUS DANS VOS PRIERES de l'âme de Mr GELIS ANTOINE Curé de Coustaussa de 1857 à 1897 Assassiné dans cette paroisse Victime de la haine des méchants Dans la nuit du 31 octobre Au 1er novembre 1897 Erat vir simplex et rectus, ac timens Deum, et recedens a malo. + Hic est veré Martyr, qui pro christi nomine sanguinem suum fudit.

Father Gélis

Jean Antoine Maurice Gélis was born on April 1827 in Villesequelandes. He was a priest in Durban and in Lanet. He was appointed to Coustaussa in 1858. He was murdered in the kitchen in his presbitery on November 1^st, he had been hit several times on his head.

Nothing was stolen. The money he had was left there.A bag which contained documents was searched . The corpse had been brought back in the center of the room, and his hands joined on his chest. The murderer left no trace except cigarette paper (TZAR), on one piece of paper was written "viva angélina". He was suspicious. The front door was not broken, the priest knew the one who killed him.
Father saunière and Father Boudet came to his burial.
Father Gélis’s nephew was accused for the murder on April 13^th, but the court discharged him because he wasn’t in the area when his uncle was killed.