The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-30 00:00:00

FANATICISM AND MURDER.

A young Count Liedekerke entered a village church
near Namur, and shot his two sisters while they were
engaged in their devotions before a crucifix. We read,
in a Brussels paper, that the only motive for this dread-
ful crime was an insane fanaticism. The prisoner
walked all night after committing the murder, and
boasted of what he had done to a peasant whom he met
on the road. On being arrested he offered no resist-
ance. He was taken to prison, and soon afterwards was
onfrontced with the corpses of his sisters, and asked if
he recognised them, and if he knew how they had been
murdered. His reply was " Yes ; I slew them for their
idolatry." He then went on to ascribe the deed to the
over-ruling will of Heaven, quoted Deuteronomy to
justify the act, and declared that if he had found his
father and mother perpetrating the sin of idolatry he
would have destroyed them without hesitation. He also
added that the elder sister was shot dead at once, but
that he had to fire twice upon the younger. The first
shot inflicted no mortal injury ; so he loaded his gun,
and fired upon her again. On further examination it
became fully evident that the prisoner was a mono-
maniac. His fixed idea was a furious zeal for the res-
toration of the Hebrew mode of worship. lie called
himself a disciple of Moses, and protested against
some annuities left to his sisters as violations of-
the Jewish law of primogeniture. The Eclaireur of
Namur gives the following additional particulars of this
most extraordinary eve:. —" The young Count de Liede-
kerke, who we hear proceeded on foot to within a short
distance of Iluy, returned home yesterday afternoon
about three o'clock, without appearing at all concerned
about what had taken place. He ordered dinner and
sat down at table, but was soon arrested by the
gendarmes, who had remained at the Chateau of
Garonsart, and was conveyed in his carriage to
the prison at Namur, where he was confined. At
a later hour he was brought back with proper
precaution from the prison to the chateau, to see the
dead bodies of his two sisters. An eye-witness of this
distressing scene informs us that the murderer had a
wild and furious look, and spoke very decidedly. lle
recognised the two sisters, saying, " That is Arnoldire,
and that is Hyacinthe ;" and then added, that "he had
a right to kill his sisters, because he was opposed by
them in his religious belief ; and that he had read in the
Bible that it was lawful to get rid of those who stand in
the way of our salvation." We have learnt many other
particulars respecting the behaviour of the unhappy
lunatic. After going backwards and forwards twice
to Namur, he returned to the chateau and looked for
the steward, threatening to kill him, but not finding
him, he had inquired for his own sisters. Leaving the
scene of the murder, where he had remained long
enough to be seen by several witnesses, he met a pea-
sant at a little distance ; the latter saluted him, and
he coolly told hint that he had just killed his two
sisters, and that he was going to do the same to the
Prince de Lannoy, his brother.in-law. At that mo-
ment he was still armed with his gun, which he had just
reloaded. The only thing that he earnestly demanded
at the moment of his arrest was his Bible. It seems that
another idea had occupied his mind. lle fancied that
he had an exclusive right to the fortune of his parents,
to the prejudice of his sisters. The Prince and Princess
of Reyna-Wolberg arrived at Garonsart yesterday
evening at eight o'clock ; the scene was terrible—the
Princess fainted as she alighted from the carriage, and
the Prince had scarcely strength to support himself.
The scene in the chateau was most distressing. The
Countess Arnoldine was 36 years of age, and the Coun-
tess Hyacinthe 29. The funeral will take place on
Wednesday.