BLUEBEARD ON TRIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 280, 24 November 1921, Page 5

BLUEBEARD ON TRIAL.

SURPRISES *N COURT

EVIDENCE FOR TKE DEFENCE. PARIS!, November 23. During to-day's proceedings in connection with the trial of Henri Landru, a •stove from Ins villa, at Gambais, in which the prosecution asserts he incinerated the bodies of his alleged \ ictinss, and a handful of bones alleged to be those of some ef the 11 missing women, were exhibited in the Court for the first time. Landru looked very tired and haggard, and came into the dock on the arm 'if a gendarme. The sensation of the day '.vas the tippuarance of Mademoiselle Secret, with whom Landru was living at the time of his arrest. She is a comely girl, with well-modelled features, and was tastefully dressed. After a preliminary breakdown, that necessitated an adjournment of the Court, she described how she met Landru in a train ear. He courteously olTcred her bin seat, and ended by making a suggestion that she should meet him in tlie Bois do Boulogne next day. She did not nman to go, Lvi his pleasant manners persuaded her. When they met they went boating on the lake. Witness said that she was so niucll struck by LandYu's election and charming manners that she broke off an engagement with another man. Landru delayed marriage on various pretexts, one excuse being- that be bad not enough money now that'ihe war was over. At this point witnes3 burst into tears and collapsed, crying, "O Ood, this is too cruel. 1 cannot tell more/ Landru was also overcome with emotion. He buried his face in his hands and appeared lo be weephic The President suspended the sitting lor half r.n hour. On resuming, Mademoiselle Segret, sobbing passionately, said: "Accused was always very good to mc. For this 1 must always honour !iiin. 1 was madly in love with this man, and T love him still." The woman's avowal was the most tragic moment of the trial. An even greater surprise was to come. When the girl finished h«~r story the President commenced to cross-examine her, and elicited answers that unmistakably favoured the prisoner. She said that she visited the Gambais Villa six or seven times with Landru, and did cooking on the stove, and cleaned it frequently. She never saw any bones. She was sure that there were no bones there. This statement caused a sensation in Court. Landru"s counsel then asked: "If the police pay that they, recovered a skull and some bones from the stove they roust have been put there after you and Landru left for the last tifie?" Witness replied that that was evident. The apparent honesty of the witness and her frankness created a marked impression.— (A. and N.Z. Cable. I