DIED OF HUNGER IN COFFIN

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1929, Page 9

DIED OF HUNGER IN COFFIN

GIVEN PIPE FOR BREATHING AMAZING CRIME IN FRANCE \ FATE OF PSEUDO MARQUIS ‘ By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received Oct. 6, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Oct. 4. Receiving an anonymous letter with a diagram stating that the Marquis of Champaubert had been buried alive at Verneuil Sur Seine, the police hastened to the cemetery and found at the spot indicated a little tube sticking up from the freshly disturbed earth. Their digging revealed a coffin containing the body of a man. The tube was sufficient to enable him to breathe; hence it was believed his death was due to starvation. It is reported that the pseudonym of Marquis of Champaubert concealed the identity of Pascal Clement, who was prominent many years ago in connection with an alleged swindle. He recently went to reside with his mother at St. Denis in the hope of living down his past. The burial alive is possibly a diabolical form of revenge. The body was clad in a shirt only. The trousers were folded under the head as a pillow. The face bore traces of terrible suffering, and a post mortem examination revealed symptoms of asphyxia as well as of starvation. The elbows, knees and the back of the head were bruised. Death had occurred at least 48 hours before the body was discovered. The pipe communicating with the coffin was solidly made of crick clay. The grave was in the woods near Verneuil, and the spot was exactly shown on the plan accompanying the anonymous letter, which was addressed to a friend of Clement, named Gry valet, who communicated with the police. The death of the pseudo-marquis recalls no less an amazing exploit in which he was the chief actor in 1924. Giving the name of Marquis of Champaubert he rented a chalet near Dinard and asked a jeweller to bring a magnificent collection of gems. The jeweller was invited to sit in a room specially fitted with apparatus which was slowly chloroforming him. He escaped and informed the police. Clement was arrested and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Following statements by Clement’s friends the police arrested a gravedigger named Boulogne, who is an ex-convict with the nickname of “The Tattooer.” He allegedly actually buried the so-call-ed marquis.