MURDERS IN FRANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14446, 12 February 1909, Page 5

MURDERS IN FRANCE

TWO EXECUTIONS. M. RKMY'S MURDERERS SENTENCED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PA I? IS, February 10. lic-nnrd was sentenced tn penal fcrvituilo for life. and Connies In 20 years' im-* prisunmenl fur imii'dering M. Iteniy, a banker, of this city. Two other murderers wore irnillotinod at Albi.

Public interest in tho crime of tho Rue de la Pciiniere was revived by tho arrest of iho v;;let (,'ourtois in .Inly last. Tlie young lii.in had accompanied -Madame Iteniy. with tho other svivauis. lo ihe country cliak'uu of the lamiiy m tho Oise. Renard, iho builer, was souio time previously on itie charge of being the assassin or an accomplice of the a*as?in. On .July 18 one of the servants at, the chateau was changing his clothoi in the servants' cloakroom, and in hanging thi m up Ik knocked down a, cloak that- was hanging on a peg. As he took it up again lit noticed Iliitl the pockois contained a box. which lie at onee proceeded 'lo open. What was lii s astonishment lo (herein Madame lt-my's stolon jewellery. The coal, belonged to Cnuiiois. ;!k» vnlet.

Putting 11io box carefullv hack again into iho noclH, the men ran io telMiis misircss, who sent; for the police oh the following morning. Couriois had the. jewellery in his pcs-ossioii when he was called m to bo <|ii<stioned. tie said he kn-w n;.,tiling aboni il, and when tho polie" <■. :i;eh:'d him and found the stolon property on him he did not lose his presence of mind, hut explained that, he had found it in tho saloon at. the ]{ue de la Pciiniere. together with about. £H> in gold in a gold Kit?, lie said he had spent the money. Wlieu he was asked tho date of finding the jewellery, ho said, "The 11th of July." 1 revious to that date, however, tho salon had been thoroughly searched bv the police and nothing left unturned. As hp was being taken to Paris, tho detective said to Courtois: "If you arc gniltv Renard will have to be released.'' The valet's replv wa.s a mysterious one. "Renard is all right v.here ho is. 110 can be left there." lno Chief of tho Criminal Investigation Department all along behoved that the. erimo was committed by someone in Ihe house, and the only two who could reasonaiily ue suspected wore Renard ami Oourtois Jf. lla-mard taxed Couriois oponlv with being the murderer, but the valet <nd not flinch; ho inorolv r<»n!iofl: "It is pretty strong lo bo told you have com-mii-tod a enmo when you know you are innocont.

Oourtois that Tienanl was tho leal criminal, but ho admillod l.olpiu" kenard (adds Keillor). "11" kilkl Uoniv " *110 Couri'ji.s. " while T hold him.'' " t'onriois's slory o[ ||;,» rr i ni o was lm cxtrnordimiry one. Ilotii worr. naked when iliey carried out the iniirdcri-and took this precaution to avoid slainm- their clot,hps. and so leaving traces of ,he crime after its nccoiiiplisli'iicni. Courtii= added (hat Kcmird \\as cover?:! wilh blood; this may tw readily understood considering that dm victim vccoivml 40 knife thrusts wl, vt •'l' P'°eed the body " I • ) v,is '-"Hi washed themft rjg&i ■O my room at midnight, AVe took off arm .lM ° M ll,a »' s ,llre "t ''""I Ulon n! ,va '' ovp r wo scattered £ •„(I " G;: a "' ™' ?M 'ked <lraur>rs to give tho impression that Iho crime was tho sot (l„ l "; or '>" slo »'' lI 1 'hieves. Wo a |.- 0 He! '?,n "T" ml '' 011 «'« I, \\ fo mai; < ! 't "Wear that 11," o,£; J h!, *"PP3«I. . The jewels and moncj m Iml up a chiminy and in tho p.1,-d r, i T\ ,on t0 iihmder '' a ° r ° C< ' to <iivi ' : ' o 11,0