The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-08-25 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS CRIME.

An ioitraordinary • is thought to have been
e, tart at Villemonbh.' a charming little place in
h., envirens .4 Paris, not far (rem Rainey, one "f the
most frequented spots near the city. In lieCt Made-
moiselle Menetret, living on her means, and
trim 3$ to 10 years of age, had bought, in the neigh.
bourlassl of Villenemble, a pretty villa, which she
went to live in, soul which she t.s.k great pains te
improve by planting :LIM otherwise. She furnish...l
the house at great expense. With Miuleinuis..ll.•
Nlenetret lived an ..ld maid 1111111 ed
servant, half companion, whom she twitted ILI :1
friend, and wit of conimieeration took her with her
everywhen.. Nfiuleinoiselle Mercier was th.• daughter
of a manufacturer who had been ruined, and whose
family. comiseesl .1 a son and two daughters, lived
in misery. t4..111.• 11101111101 utter Mademoiselle Nlenetret
and fur companion had taken up their abed., at
Villemmilde, the former suddenly disappeared.
Mademoiselle Nlereier remained alone and continiesl
to occupy the villa. When interrogated by the neigh-
hours regarding the disappearance of Nlademoiselle
Nfenetn•t, ‘l.•reier said that her friend enterti t i ttt ..1
strong religious views and had retired ton t.N.nvi•nt in
a foreign ta.untry, aiel left her in charge of affairs.
In fact, Mercier drew the rents and gave receipt,. in
the mime of Nlademoiselle Ilenetret. Some time
after the disappearance of her mistress she went from
home, and when she ca back to Villeinonble she
brought with her a general procunition, which she
eaid liad been given vi her in the presence of a
notary in Luteinhorm ny Made 'sale Idenetret, her
friend, and in virtue of which she wes authorised to
dispose .4 the income of Mademoiselle Menetret in
whatever way she th.abght At and without restriction
of any kind. She finally took her abode at
Villemouble, brought her father and her two sistere
to live with her, drew regularly the rents of Made.
moiselle Menetn•t, made great alterations in the villa
to suit her taste, built two wings in the villa to
accomm.slate her brother and sisters, received in the
house a number of friends, and in all respects con.
ducted hereelf like a well.to.d proprietor. From
tone to time she showed her neighbours
letters which she sent to Mademoiselle Menetret,
some of them containing money, part of the in.
come of her friend, which she was transmitting, she
said. to the convent. In spite of all this and notwith-
standing the time that had elapsed, neither at Ville-
monblu nor at Rainey was the story vdd by Made-
moiselle Mercier believed. All sorts of rumour* were
circulated to explain the disappearance of Made-
moiselle Nfonetiet, and these at last CAMS ti the ear.
of M. Kuhn, the ehrf dr. *deck. This magistrate re-
solved to look int.. the affair, and not to be too hasty,
but to rev that there was ir.sod ground for taking pro-
ceediuirs. Ile satisfied that the receipts
by means 14 which Mademoiselle lercier drew the
various I.IIIIIS dile to Mademoiselle Menetrut bore false
eignatune,, and hie inquiriee at the post-otfiee enabled
him to ascertain that 0 ademoiselle Mercier had never
addressed any letter, registered, or not nifietered,
to Made ‘lenetret. Ile then suspected the
worst. SOOll he learned that Mademoiselle
who eliepocted that he ISM watching her and who
had alim heanl .4 the rumours in circulation, scam
making preparations to leave the country. Ile no
I. nger hesitated, but CiilllllllllliCated his suspicions to
M. Boucher, the l'rociinur .4 the Itepublic, who
ordered a .109, d'lastraeli,,,, to accompany M. Kuhn ,
to Vi'leinolibl.• sod to open an inquiry then.. When
the two mitgistrates, accompanied i.y the
commissary of police and several police officers,
entered the property the four persons who were in
occupation were terrified and attemptad vi make their
escape. But the door* were shut and they were pre-
vented from leaving. After the howl° had been
examined the .1 lje ordered' search to lie made iit
the garden siirnm ing the h
,ouse. it was not without
result. In turning over the plot in front Id the Mete.
the workmen employed found at depth .1 CA
oentienkres ii lied of lime fnini which they took
human remains. A medical man examined them and
found t., lie the lames of a w.onen. While this was
twother, became livid
Irt'sntligt:"iats.Vl,,"whilleert.‘wi.eircsi:Srte. nithliretended to go mad.
They moss! their hands v, heaven and said they were
going vi fetch a li' ly banner in order to exoon ttttt mi.
cat. there present. Mademoiselle Mercer, however,
remained quiet. She *aid her friend was still at the
convent, lest iii,,' would mu' .t say when. it WAS ilitilated.
Mlle Said that it was no wonder they had found human
bongo in the garden, because it had .inc, lesoi a bury.
ing ground. This *abortion was found to Is. fides.
Seeing it warn impowilile to adhere to this statement.
she IleTeetlloll IlUt Ma Kuhn —"Oh I I know what it
is nu have Wier fiw, You are looking for the remains
.if KIM 136hiner, the victim .4 Fel. Those 1.01•1111 til
136 the minains of a woman, and I do not see why l'el
may not have buried his old gem ant in this place."
After hearing this declaratiou, and in view if the
moult .4 the owarcli iii th.• garden, the whole lamily
were taken into cust.sly. The brother remains at
Yillonosildo for further then.. Thu
sisters, who kept screaming in a furious manner, were
reinov3.3l to Paris amid the hisses and cries lof a crowd
who saw and beard them removed. Th.• ""nl luau
caused great exeitement all over the country.

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