THE PRIEST MURDER IN SOHO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10085, 21 March 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PRIEST MURDER IN SOHO.

TRIAL OF THE SERVANT ROBELLO. The trial concludod on January 25 at Draguignan, in the department of the Var, of the man named Victor Robello, on the charge of having murdorod and robbed his master, the Abb<s Gabriell Segui—chief chaplain of the array of the Argentine Republic in London about two yoars ago. Robello, who was a French emigrant to Buenos Ayres, accompanied the Abb 6 Sogui on a tour to Europe as his manservant. Segui was found dead in a hotel in Soho, having apparently committed suicide by hanging. Certain Circuinabaiicoa, howevor, gave rise to the suspicion that he had been murdered, but for a time no trace could be found of the assassin.

Some months after Segui's death two man had a violent altercation in a caf6 at Toulon, and both were arrested. Ono of thorn, on being questioned as to his identity, declared that ho was the Abb 6 Segui, chief chaplain of the Argentine forces, and produced a number of papers which appeared to bear oub his statement. Other papers, howover, were found at his lodgings bearing the name of Robello, and the prisoner, who had apparently acted in the belief that he had ronderod the identification of the deceased impossible by carrying off all his papers, finally had to admib that that was his name.

Subsequently he also admitted having stolen Segui's money and papers, but persistently repelled the charge of murder. Information furnished by the London police afforded strong support to the case against him, and Robello was found "Guilty" of having murdered Segui, of having robbed him, and of having forged certain documents. The jury granted Robello. the benefit of extenuating circumstances, and he was sentenced to hard labour {or life.