TERRIBLE CRIME.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8000, 19 October 1887, Page 4

TERRIBLE CRIME.

ATROCIOUS TRIPLE MURDER. The record of' Parisian crimes has been swollen by another atrocious triple murder committed within a Btone's throw; of the Arc de Triomphe by an oculist pamqd, Padrona. On the morning of (August 29, between five and Bix oVock, the tenants of No. 9, Rue Brey, where Padrona occupied a small apartment. on the 1 fifth 1 floor, with his young and delicate wife and three little children, were awakened, by agonised cries and the sound of pistol shots. An alarm was given, but no one had the courage to enter the oculist's apartment. While a knot of neighbours huddled together on the landing:, Padrona, suddenly darted out of his door, and dashed down stairs, brandiahing a bloodstained Corßioan knife in hia hand. Before he could be Btopped he took refuse in the cellar. He presently * reappeared, however, with a bottle of wine, and this time tho bystanders seized him, and banded him overdo the polioe rinthorities. . f> "<rV ' c

Ou enterins; the npftvtment n terrible eight met the eyes of the officers.- Mmo. Padrona lay on her bed with Bix bullet holes in. her face nnd neck. In tho adjoining bedroom a little lad of two years lay on his cot, with hiß Jiead literally severed from bis. bcly. Neaxiiina lay the body of his sister, Marie, with her throat cut, and her baby hands clasped, aa though imploring her father to spare her. Beaiile Mine, Padronn a baby, three months old, lay peacefully- sleeping-unharmed. . . It ia supposed that, a£ter a quarrel with bis wife, Padrona got out of bed, loaded hia revolver, and ahot her. Hearing what was t\kinar place, the terrified children began to cry,, aod the murderer, fearing thr.t their noiae would arouße the neigh-, bours, slit their throats to silence them. Padrona, who is a Corsican, wns jealoua of his wife. He is an inveterate amoker^and an absinthe drinker. He pretends that he killed hia wife to avenge hiraßelf for her* infidelity. •- • ' • :<. i When arrested he said : '"-Let me have a drink before you take me off. lam thirsty." Since then his language has beon incoherent. He is either mad or shamming to aave himself. Coming on- the heels of the excitement 'about Pran/jni, this fresh crimo has made a great sensation in Paria.