OFFICER'S LOVE DRAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14566, 31 December 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFICER'S LOVE DRAMA.

BARONESS'S FATE. A sthangk tragedy lias been enacted in a large modern lodging-house near the Gare Saint Lazi-re, Paris, where an army officer, not on .the active list, according to a letter alleged to be in his own handwriting, poisoned the woman to whom he was engaged, and who is described as a baroness. The first news of the tragedy was conveyed to the pol- -e in a letter, which, it is said, was received by the police commissioner of the quarter, ; nd to which the army officer signed his nrtme. It said : - ' " °

" Monsieur le Conimissaiie, I caused the death last nigh'., of mv fiancee, la baronne. in a fit of jealousy, at my lodgings in the Hue de Home. (Jo and see. My fiancee confessed to r-j that- s«e had another lover. I watched by her body all night. ! am going away to have another revenge. In a few hours you will find my corpse." The letter was sent by pneumatic post. The police official at- once proceded to the place, and the concierge showed him to the rooms, which were on thu; fifth floor. There the corpse of ;f young woman was foutm on the. bed, >v th black blotches all over her body, and ti.a lips, as it were, burnt by some corrosive. A number of phials were on the table, as well as a bottle which contained a yellow liquid, which at the. first glance seemed terribly dangerous, had been poured into a glass which was still oi; the table. The police handled (lie things with the greatest precaution; and from some of the phials there was a strong odour of ether.

Nobody in the house had had the slightest inkling of the tragedy. All that the police could learn for the- moment- was that, the officer had been at home and that the young ' woman who was now dead in the bed had called. She had been seen going upstairs, but as it- was not th© first time that she had visited the house, no attention was paid to her, and, of course, the fact that she did not leave wa< not observed J»y the concierge, as the house is a. large modern building, and is conducted partly as a hotel and partly as a simple lodging-house, where flats are retained by permanent- occupants.

CAITAT.V'S ri/O'HT. The officer, who had taken these rooms: a year ago, was Captain Meynier. It was known that he was engaged to be married for some time. The lady was the Baroness Olivier nee Oelvigne Dambrecourt. She was tall, fair, and about 35 years of age., and had obtained divorce Irom Baron Olivier. According to the Temps the divorce was granted by the Court in her favour, and she was entrusted with the care of her child, a daughter 11 years of age, Mdlle. Paillette Olivier. After her divorce she went to reside last October in a flat- at No. 34, Rue Desbordes Valniore. She is described as having led a very regular life alone, and as being on the best of teims with her mother-in-law, Baroness Olivier, who frequently visiied her, and was fond of her little granddaughter.

According to one of the person" at the house in the Rue de Home, Captain Meruit-:: belonged to the colonial army, and obtained leave to retire about a. year ago, owing to fever contracted in the service. There were a number of letters from the baroness in his room, in which she signed herself "To Fiancee." They seemed to be on the best of terms, and there had, till now. not been the slightest indication of jealousy on his part. It had, however, been remarked that he was sometimes of a very excitable temper, which was attributed to the fact that he had been so long in the colonies and subject to illness. No further knowledge has been obtained as to the pretseiul- whereabouts of Captain Mevnier. The baroness called on him about two o'clock, and went straight to his rooms. She sometimes wrote letters there, and gave them up to be posted. The captain came downstairs about halfpast- eight o'clock, and said that he, was going out to dine. He lias not been seen at Ihe house since then. Those who saw him at that time did not notice anything in particular. He seemed to be quiet and composed as > surd. For some tim» past a strange person called repeatedly, and said that she was lie mother of the captain, who refused to receive her. She was told to write to him, but it seems that she did s'> without any more success.