A FEARFUL CRIME IN PARIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 491, 13 December 1869, Page 3

A FEARFUL CRIME IN PARIS.

♦ Six Persons Murdered. A terrible murder of a woman and five children has taken place at Pantin, a few minutes' walk from Paris. On Tuesday morning a peasant was beginning to work on his ground, when he saw a blood-stained handkerchief partly covered over with some earth, and also discovered near the place several spots of congealed blood. Following the traces of blood he came to some earth which appeared to have been newly stirred, and on removing a spadeful of ifc saw a bloody arm half unburied. So frightened was the peasant at the unexpected occurrence that he dropped his spade aud ran to the commissaire de police. A crowd soon gathered, and the ground was speedily turned up, when body after body was disinterred — first a child of seven, then a youth of fourteen, a little girl four years old, a woman of about forty-five, in a neat black silk dress, another boy of eleven, and another again of sixteen. Near the spot lay a common black-handle knife, with the blade broken; but another instrument, such as a small hatchet or pickaxe, must have been used as well. The crime was evidently committed but a very few hours before its discovery, but the murderer or murderers have not yet been found, though there are great presumptions against the father. The whole family is supposed to have come there by train on Sunday evening. They belong to the bourgeoisie class. The woman — who was found to be enceinte, and who was cruelly wounded in the stomach—still wore earrings, a watch and chain, and all of them carried money in their pockets. The police are investigating in every direction. Amongst the horrible details it is stated that, to all appearances, the woman, who is supposed to be the mother of the younger persons, was killed by blows from an axe or hatchet, whilst the others were stabbed repeatedly with a knife, and doubtless more than one knife had been used besides the broken one which was found near the bodies. The younger children had evidently been attacked while they were eating, for in their hands were found, tightly clasped, pieces of bread and sausages. The youth of sixteen must have made considerable resistance, for his clothes bore all the signs of a struggle, and his body had been pierced all over with stabs. It has been ascertained that on the previous night five tickets had been received from persons who had arrived by the last 1 train which was proceeding to Paris, and it is conjectured that these may be the persons who have been assassinated. The circumstance that there were only five tickets, while six persons were found murdered, is explained by the supposition that the youngest child may have travelled without being paid for. After the bodies had been seen by the judge d'instruction and the chief of police, who arrived about mid-day, they were placed in covered carriages and taken to the Morgue, accompanied by an escort of soldiers from the neighbouring military station at Aubervilliers, which is situated about a stone's throw from the scene of the murder, which is close to the railway station at Pantin. From the information gleaned by the papers, it seems that a j'oung man of about 20 took lodgings near the Northern Station. He gave his name as Jean Kinck, from Roubaix, and said thafc he had nightwork, and would only want his room in the daytime. Kinck's movements attracted the suspicion of the inspector of the lodginghouse, but he paid his bill every morning.

On Sunday evening a woman and five children asked for him, but he was out. They went into the restaurant attached to the hotel, and the woman, on being asked if she would dine, said she could not afford it, and that she did not know where she was to be taken; the children appeared full of spirits. The woman, after engaging two rooms, left, and never returned. Jean Kinck only reappeared on Monday morning, when he took his key, and mounted hurriedly to his chamber. He changed his clothes and came down stairs in about five minutes. On Tuesday, on his room being searched, a shirt and trousers stained with blood were found, and a bit of a handkerchief, such as the eldest boy had been strangled with. On Monday a telegram, " Wait, we are not ready," reached Jean Kinck's address from Roubaix. The culpability of Kinck appears evident, also that he was not alone. It is now remembered that on Sunday evening a woman took ten tickets at the Northern Station for Livry. The woman and her children made six, but who were the other four ? A wine seller of Raincy states that the murdered family dined at his house, and that three other persons dined at a neighbouring table, and all conversed together. When the family left only one of the four men went out at the same time. It seems beyond reasonable doubt that on Sunday afternoon Jean Kink purchased a pickaxe and a spade in the Rue de Flandre, but the traces, so palpable in his case, are very indistinct where his accomplices are concerned. However, another arrest has been made, and a man in a grey overcoat, supposed to have been implicated in the crime, has been found drowned in the canal near Raincy. Who was the fourth man ? The dead bodies of the victims are still at the Morgue, in a private room. The unfortunate woman, on close examination, was found to have received twenty-three wounds. No one can imagine tlie motive of this crime. The Gaulois remarks that the woman was not dishonoured; neither watch, rings, nor money appear to have been taken; and as no papers were found on the bodies, the names of the victims are still a mystery.