A FRENCH BLUEBEARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9184, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FRENCH BLUEBEARD.

This week the "Bluebeard" of Colombes— a borough on the outskirts of Paris —was put on his trial before the Correctional Court. Bontemps—the domestic tyrant in question—is a house-owner and farmer with considerable means, most of which he has been in tho habit of squandering on wine and women. He was first married to a respectable girl, Mademoiselle Deloron, whom he treated so barbarously that one day, after a violent discussion with " Bluebeard," she flung herself into the Seine and was drowned. Shortly afterwards Bontemps fell in love with a pretty blonde named Virginio Munch, the daughter of an artisan. She was prevailed upon to many him, despite his bad character. After a few months of matrimony the new Madame Bontemps had anything but a " good time." She was kicked and cuffed by tier slave-driver, and ran away to her parents' house. Ultimately a reconciliation between the couple was patched up. and Madame Bontemps returned to tho bed and board of "Bluebeard," who in a few weeks began his tyrannical tricks and pranks again. He be.it his wife with his shoes until her body bore the marks of the hobnails, and he used to complain in the wine-taverns that she possessed as many lives as a cat, for he could nob succeed in killing her. To prevent her from again going home to her father Bontemps locked tho poor woman in, fed her on bread and water, and when he returned from work kicked her about the kitchen while she was trying to cook his dinner. At night he made her sleep on the floor of the kitchen ; on chairs ; in a loathsome garret; and anywhere, in fact, save in h'-d. As a crowning act of cruelty ho locked her in a pigsty during the rigorous cold of tho winter. Nevertheless, Madame Bontemps, although dying of consumption, contrived to escape from her misery about a month ago, and succeeded in creeping feebly along by the walls of tho houses until she reached her father's abode. There she simply went to bed and died. Bontemps is a thin, wiry, ill-looking, and cynical creature, about fiftysix years old. When brought before the dead body of his wife, according to the usual custom, he inveighed against the deceased, and said she was lazy, drunken, and frivolous. Tho fellow has been let off with a light punishment. Bontemps was completely dazed during the trial, and merely replied to the President, when questioned as to his actions, that his wives were lazy and wanted whipping up. The tribunal ordered Bontemps to pay £'20 damages to the father of his second wife and to go to prison for twelve months!