LANDRU'S TRIAL

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 282, 26 November 1921, Page 7

LANDRU'S TRIAL

BONES FROM THE STOVE.

PORTIONS OF HUMAN SKUXLS. Ooeeived 5.30 a.m.) PARIS, November 25. The Court at which Henri is being tried on charges concerning the death of eleven women was like an anatomical museum while experts were giving evidence regarding the bones found at the Gambais Villa. Fragments alleged to be skulls reduced to fine powder, were under glass hermetically sealed. The exhibits also included garters, buckles, hairpins, dress fasteners, and bits of surgical saws, with traces of what experts declared were fragments of bones. The police, however, admitted that the bones were found on their second visit to the villa after they had failed to find anything the first time.

Dr. Paul gave evidence that 200cwt of ashes had been passed through a sieve. The ashes contained 5 per cent of phosphate chalk instead of the normal percentage of onS-half. Landru explained that this was due to the large quantities of snails and oysters which he ate, burning the shells on the stove.

The ashes contained 2ii6 fragments of bone, of which lr>o were fragments of human skulls, the rest being portions of hands and feet and the remains of 47 teeth.

Other police evidence showed it was possible to destroy lOOcwt of flesh in the stove in 24 hours. Half a sheep's head was consumed in a quarter of an hour, and a leg of mutton in 70 minutes.

Landru's connsel asked why no greasy soot was found on the stove if eleven corpses had been burnt in it.

The Advocate-General interrupted that it was not suggested that eleven corpses had been burned, only parts of certain bodies.

The experts were highly technical, and the jury was visibly bored. Landru. however, followed the experts—closely, and frequently interposed questions and explanations.—(A. and N.Z. Cable. J