WOMAN’S SLAYER

Evening Star, Issue 20898, 15 September 1931, Page 7

WOMAN’S SLAYER

DENOUNCED AT SEANCE How the spirit of a dead woman named her alleged murderer—the first instance of it known in legal history—is reported from South-west France. Fifteen months ago Mme Renee Garton, who before her death was known as one of the leading Spiritualists in her district, was found dead in bed in her farmhouse. The case was added to the list of seemingly in solvable 'mysteries until recently. Mme Garton had always promised her fellow-Spiritualists that when she died she would make a special point of getting into touch with them from the other side. Repeated seances were organised < at her house with the object of establishing contact with her. On the night of the dramatic development now reported, a Mme Henri Coulon, who was acting as medium, claimed to have materialised the spirit of tho dead woman. At tho request of one of those present she was asked for the name of the assassin. According to Mme Coulon’s story, confirmed by others present, the spirit made answer through the medium: “ The one who robbed me of life on earth is sitting in honour among you.” Pressed to name tho guilty one, the spirit at first made no reply, but afterwards named a local farmer named Roger Thibault as the assassin. Thibault. a Spiritualist, who was taking a prominent part in the seance, indignantly denied tho charge, but the police immediately reopened the case, md Thibault was questioned. He denied all knowledge of the crime, but when the police searched the house they found some of the murdered woman’s jewellery in his possession. Thibauld in the end broke down and admitted murdering Mine Garton because ho was in financial difficulties at tho time as the result of leading a ijiiublo life.. ■