A FATAL SECRET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5478, 7 June 1879, Page 6

A FATAL SECRET.

A RASH MABRIAGB AND irs TEB. EIBLE PENALTY.

Tub latest eensation in the city of P arU j. nf an original nature. On the 20th of AvLl last, Jean Brissao, a dyer ami resW received a costly silk dress from Ume V' ri.-r, the wife of a weakhy merchan " t inetriictione to remove from it certaia'stau™ which she eaid were produced by the bleed ing of her nose. It happened that the dret fell into the hands of one Jean Ivery, v?h brother Charles was a detective. JeV n often heard Charles relate marvellous stories of detective skill, and his mind had received a morbid twist in that direction. J ean> ing his brother that same evening, related to him what had paeaed respecting the dres Charles made no remark at the time, and the brothers parted. A few nights afterward Cbarlea Ivery found himself ia the street where M. Vonrrier resided, and the fnct 3 relate 1 by his brother Jean came to hia mind." The Vourrier dwelling lay at the corner of a atreet down which he h;,d to turn on hig h maward way. The windows were all dark for it was close on midnight. The detective stood for a moment glancing up a t the dwell ii.g. Suddenly a li«ht Hi-htd i a a " an.t then partially va-usho I ai though hidden behind something. Tha uext moment it dL? appeared, and there-was a sound as of the opening o£ a window. The officer crossed the street, and, climbing the wall [«,!{ thmuuh the railings toward the house }M was still, and he was about todeecend'and eo on his way wheu an iron gat- creaked on its hin»es. Standing close to the railing, the officer glanced ia the direction o.' the noise and listened intently. Presently there was a foo'step, and the form of a roan waa B°ea app.oaching. As he passed a Kmp, the officer could see that he »n looking around, as though anxious to discover whether anybody was mar. Charles Ivery lay a t full lenn'h along the top of the wall, clinging all the t:me to the sharp iron railings. The man passed him, and, having reached the end of the garden wall, returned. He disanpeared around the corner, ami, iu hali a minute, two per one appeared, bearing something between them. Hastily turning to tlie middle of the street, thoy laid down their burden, and one of tliem waa in the act of removing the trap liy which ascess 19 had to the eewer, when the detective glided to their side, and, covering t):em with his revolver, ea.d, "Yon are my prisoners, and must explain yourselvs!" At the same moment, there was a terrific explosion, and the officer was hurled to the ground. For a few seconds his senses were confused, but he soon recovered, and found that the loud report had attracted several pprsous to the spot, among tht m two police offici-is. The two person- had disappeared, but the bundle still lay on the ground. A glance into it disclosed the fact that it contaixed the body of a man. It was removed, and Detective Ivery remain' d to watch the house, while another officer reported all the circumstances to the Chief of Police. Two detectives were eent to aid Ivery, and the next morning a warrant was procured, and the house of M. Vourrier was searched, Nothing was found to show that anything unsual had happened therein ; nevertheless, the house was placed under secret surveillance. Examination of tile body found in the bundle showed that it was tho corpse of a man apparently of forty. It was emaciated and filthy, and the clothing upon it was of the coarsest and meanest kind. In the pockets there was nothing but a small flask and a pipe. Tight over the heait was a daggerwound, and the ragge 1 shirt and clothes were saturated with bloud. In the right hand, which waa closely clinched, was a fragmeut of lace. After this last fact was discovered, Charles Ivery procured a photograph of the piece of lace, and gave it to his brother Jean. The same day Jean informed him that he had compared the photograph with the lace on the sleeves and bosom of Mme. Vourrier's dress, at Briteac'?, and found them identical; and that, moreover, there was a piece of lace missing from the right sleeve, underneath, exactly the shape of the piece shown in the photograph. When theee things were made known to the Chief of Police, he gave orders to secure the dress and have Mme. Vourrier arrested. This was done in August, and Mme. Vour.-ier was conveyed to the Bureau of Police, accompanied by her husband. When confronted with the dress and lace found in the hand of the|dead man, she fainted. On recovering coneciMusness, she asked to be allowed to see her lawyer, and was closeted with him for a long time. The result of this was a statement made by Mme. Vourrier of a most remarkable kind. It is givrn in full: —" When I was 17 years of age, I entered the Convent of the Sacred Heart, at Tours. One of the visiting priests was a young man named Adolph Boatillier. He was hanlsomo in person anil polished in manners. For many months I saw him only at a distance, but afterward I had opportunities of seeing him o'oser. I could observe that he was attracted by my appearance, and when at length he was appointed to take the place of the F.'ther Coufesior, who waa Eick, I was brought face to face with him in the confessional. Soon h>; forgut his sacred office, and breathed burni";,' utterances o! love. For several weeks tin- continued, until the Father Confessor was nearly restored to health. As the time drew near when the opportunities of meeting at the confessional would cease, Adolph eat eaetd me to quit the convent and return h mo, so that he might still bo able to sec ani speak to me. Soon I pretended to be ill, and feigned tho symytoms of consumption. I waa taken home, and from that time forth had frequent meetings with the young prii-st. I grew infatuated with him. and he with me. In an evil hour we resolv-'d to elope. I made the necessary arrangements, and procured from my guardian a cmisideiable suin of money under some pretext. Adolph and I went off together on September 4, ISSS. and the next day but one wero in England. We were murrkd immediately, and lived together for many months iu a di-'aui of happiness. I let my guardian know of my marriage, and wa3 liberally supplied with fund-i. Adolph and I dwelt in England for several years, during wbich time three children were born to us. In ISG3, my husbands affection began to grow cold. He remaiuel away fronihomest nights, and at lenyth would" be absent for many days and nights together. He made a continued drain on my pirse, and at last admitted that he was a ga-.ubler. I supplied him with money as loui< as I was able, ana then told him I had resolved to icuiin to France. Hβ a«roed to it, and we gutted England early in ISGI, and took up our residence in Marseilles. My husband r«n well his vicious courses, and was iu a fair wajr 01 bringing mo down to poverty. Worse tj<"i all, he was unfaithful, ami became tho companion of fashu.nnMe courtesans. I resolj-ett to supply h ; m with money no more, and ".ftsr a dreadful scene he quitted my presoi.ee ana remained away for a fortnight, f hen te returned, and on condition that he wouM «<>. 'O America and never return, I gavo him au outfit becoming a gontlema i, p>» his passage, gave him a few hundred francs for incidental expenses, male arrangements to cause to be paid ta him 40,000 franci on his arrival at .New York. He bade me farewell, an 1 sailed for America, He drew the money lodged there to tas credit, and informed me by letter that ue had started for Calcutta. Thin was in the summer of 1865. Later still, I received a letter from him in California, and ascertained from a chance acquaiutauce that ae was living iu San Francisco, and had mar. ried and was raising a family there. i»o_ years after his departure I returned to Paris. My children were all d-ad, ana I was a lonely woman. In Paris 1 had an annt who was married to a wealthy man. Through her I seenred an introduction to society, and was pleased to have myself considered as a ncn spinster. Iu the autumn of 1567, 1 met M. Vourrier, a gentleman my senior by ten years, and in thu following spring we were married. I was supremely happy m niy new station. My husband was an honourable, religions man, and our dispositions were admirably matched. He was a man ot severe virtue, and viewed any deviation from strict chastity, even in thought, as a crime again*" Beav-nand society. Tliree years of unalloyed pleasure passed, and I was again the mother jf children. On the evening of August J, 1870, my second child, ami only eon, «»' Dβ christened. Wβ were to give a grand banquet and welcome the best "» ■!■»"=• While receiving the visit-.rs au attendant inxnmed me that a man wa. in the visbbule ,vho insisted on seeing me. I directed the lervaut to show him into an a nte -r° 01 ?,' th \t ; he servant hesitated, and at length saidthaS ;he visitor was not of that °I«« *££ £ araa accustomed to admit, and t" a M£ ont listed on so. ing me at once, and w an entering. I t..ld the servant I """"'f " iberty in a moment; but lorgot au Suddenly, I saw a commotion .n .U* leard a strange voice. Its tones ee ;rO w familiar, and a terr.be tea' *™ o£ hastened toward the hall. . l'>° »™ £ £ isitors opened, and there, in the centre

half a score of my friends, and half as many servants, stood Adolph Bontil j; er my husband ! He was in the garb of a tramp, with his matted hair hanging over his brows and an old broken hat perched on the top of hie head. His face was flushed with drink and he was saying, * 1 tell you she is my very particular friend, t may say my old sweetheart, my— my wife! me see her once ajain, that I may clasp her to this discoiiaoHte bosom !' At this moment he caught sight of me, and throwing himself into an attitude of prayer, cried, ' Ob, Marie, Marie, I am come b <ck to you ! Forgive me, and let me eat the crumbs that fall from 3'our table.' My heirt grew hard in epite of the piteous look of the miserable man whom my young heart hid adored. 'Hu is cruzefl, ' I said ; 'remove him gently ; pive him nourishment and let him depart.' With his eye 3 fixed on me, he retreated backward to the door. As ha reached it, he exc , aimed, 'Marie, I am your husband, and yon know it. I will see what all this means. Adieu !' With that he vanii-he from my sight, and I endeavoured tn pay no more attention to the occurrence. Two day-* aftevwar.l, I was alighting from ray carriage at the door of tiio open, wht-re my husband was to join me. As I was .about to enter, the figure of Adolph Boutillier pa-sed between roe and the doorway, and his voice said. ' Hau<l me your purse instantly or I will expose yon. I know of your marriage, and will not spare you. I hanled him my puree without a word, and ha°tenel into the opera. A week from that time T went to confession, and afterward the priest to whom I unbosomed myself r • veiiled himself as Boutillier ! How he had effected the Buhstitution of himself for the regular confessor I know not. He • pbraided mo in the vilest terms, declared he would expose me unless I kept him well supplied with money, and threatened that the first time I faile 1 to do what lie requested, he would disclose the secret of our connection to M. V>nrrier. For months, for years. I furnished money to this wretch. At all times and in all places he was wont to annov me, my life was a burden. At length, in IS7O, I received an account, of his death, nnd my mind knew the fust moment of peace it had experienced for years. For a whole ye*r I lived under the conviction that I was a free woman. At last, on December 12, 1577, as I was about to enter the residence of Lord B , the English Ambassador, a miserable-looking, dirty mendicant obstructed me and said, 'I am Adolph. I want money. Instantly a thousand francs, or—f will go inside with you and introduce you !' I had no money with me, and was at a loss what to do. For a moment the thouaht struck me to facn the threat and have the man arrested. The nnxt moment, however, I gave way, tore a valuable diamond from my finger and banded it to my persecutor. This delivered me from him for a few days only. At my residence, on the street, in places of public resort, anywhere, and at all times, I was accosted and insulted by jthe wretch. Thus matters went on until the 19th of August, IS7S. My husband was from home, and I retired to my apartments for the night. After I had got into bed my mind m sgave me, and I arose and lighted a lamp. Then I took a small digger from my husband's bnreau and went back to bed. I was just dozing off, en I heard a slight noise aroused me. Starting up, I saw by my bedside the form whose presence I most dreaded. He was in his worst condition. ' I have come to take my place by your side once mor<"," he said, " and to renew the love of our early life." With that he made an attempt to get on the bed. His horrid hands were actually upon me. I sprang out at the other side of the bed. He followed me, and I fled into the dressing-room. Thither he pnrsued, and me into a corner. I then drew the digger and plunged it into his heart. I told my husband's nephew next morning what I had done—told him all my history of my first love and marriage. He expressed sympathy, and pledged himself to aid me in getting rid of the body. He procured a ba? to put it in, and the next night he and myself carried the body to the street to deposit it in the sewer. The possibility of detection had teen discussed, and ray companion provided a torpedo to explode in case of a surprise, so that under cover of the smoke, noise and confession, we might escape. The body was lowered out of the window to the garden, and bore thenco to where it was found." This was the confession and statement made by Madame Vonrrier. She has just been tried for the crime of murder and acquitted.