The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-11 00:00:00

BOCARME.

COURT OF ASSIZES OF MON:—SexTH DAY.
The Court assembled on Monday morning at half-past
ten, and the two accused were brought in.
Emerance Bricourt, aged 26, was then placed 'in the
witness-box; bat she immediately became indisposed,
and a glass of water had to be given to her. In answer
to questions of the President, she said that on the 20th
November last she was in the service 'of the two accused.
She could not say whether or not they lived in good in-
telligence, as she had only been with 'them a fortnight,
but the Countess had been very kind to her. The Count,
however, was very severe to his wife; when he ordered
anything she was obliged to obey; and he always spoke
menacingly to her. Witness had 'twice 'seen the de-
ceased Gustave; the first time he came he had spoken
to her, and had afterwards conversed with the Countess.
The Countess received him' in a very friendly way.
The second time she saw him was on the 20th November.
On that day he arrived at 10 o'clock, and breakfasted
with the Countess. Witness did not see the Count,
but had been told that he was also at the break-
fast, (M. de Bocarme here seemed affected,) She had
told the Count that there was a good deal of disorder in
his household. It frequently happened that the Coun-
tess was obliged to prepare the dinner. When she had
ordered anything, the Count gave counter orders, and
the Countess dared not reply. On the 20th November
Gustave told her that he intended to stop to dinner, and
asked at what hour it would be ready. She said that
there was no fixed hour, and he answered that it did not
matter once in a way what hour it was. Whilst' wit-
ness was dressing-the Countess, the Count came in and
asked at what time the dinner would be ready. The
Countess said "Immediately," and she plaoed her. arms
round her husband's neck. Witness observed that, as
soon as she should have done dressing the Countess, she
would lay out the table—she having been ordered to
wait at table, although that was not part of her ordi-
nary duty. The Countess ordered her to take the din-
ner of the governess and the children' to the children's
room, though,they ordinarily dined with their parents.
The Countess said that she could not"hale them at table,
as business matters had to be discussed. She also
told her that when she had removed the dinner she
was to retire. When witness had cleared the table,
only half a bottle of Champagne was left, and the Coun-
tess said she would fill Gustave's glass from it.
Witness did not again see Gustave until after his death.
Whilst the dinner was going on, a poor countryman, to
whom the Countess had promised assistance for a sick
person, came, but the Count asked his wife what right
she had to meddle with such matters, and prevented any-
thing from being given. Witness, after dinner, took
away several glasses. She remarked that Gustave
neither ate nor drank anything until after he had seen
the Count eat and drink the same things. The Countess
had made some apple tarts, and gave some of themeto
the deceased. Tho3e tarts had been made in presence of
Gustave. Witness after dinner went in with the lamps,
but the Count sent her away, and ordered her to go up
to the children's room. Whilst there, Justine Thibaut,
another servant, went out, but presently returned in
great terror, and was so weak that witness had to sup-
port her. Witness asked what ailed her, and she said,
" No, no, not now; I will tell you hereafter!" and she
afterwards related that sho had heard Gustave exclaim,
Oh ! oh ! help—quick—help, Hippolyte!" Justine
also told her that she had heard the cries as she was
going to the kitchen, but she was so troubled that she
hadanade different statements on that point. Justine
hail seen some one leave the dining-room, and close dif-
ferent doors, as if to prevent the noise in the dining-
room from being heard.
The President—Did you not think of going to the
assistance of Gustavo?—Yes, Sir; and shortly after I
elpioaguthel .
4d noth butT e I r
oh seizeawas
dobn theieo, handle
sadon
if h went to the door of the antechamber of the Count's
apartment. ge was so troubled, so trembling, that he
hf h
ewe h
as a d d
n
very he oosob
foreheads e rtveed dtohoaarst.
re-
ceived a cut with a knife. I asked him what was the
matter, and he replied "Leave me!"
Did he close the door after,him?—No, Sir.
Did his voice appear changed?—Yes, Sir.
To what could you compare the change?—To that of
" a man who had committed a bad action."

When you went down again, what did you see?—l
saw the Count running with a jug full of warm water;
the Countess was so frightened that I dared not speak
to her. She said to me, "Emerance, go up stairs again."
I followed the Countess in spite of her, and saw her en-
ter the room in which her husband was. The Countess
spoke low to the Count. I heard a noise similar to that
caused by vomiting. In going a little after into the
room, I saw that the Count had vomited in a basin. I
made no reflection at the moment, but afterwards I
thought that poison had, in a struggle, fallen on him.
The witness then proceeded to say that she had re-
turned to the children's room, and had stated to the
other servants what she had seen. She had said that
what was taking place below did not concern the ser-
vants, and that if they were wanted the bell would be
rung. The Countess came to the room, and took her
daughter, the little Eugenio, in her arms. She was
greatly agitated, and pressed the child wildly to her
breast. She asked for a glass of water, saying that she
had eaten salt meat and was dreadfully thirsty. Wit-
ness did not give the glass of water because the Count
barred her passage. The Countess then cried, " Gus-
tave is ill!" She believed, also, that the Count cried
the same thing. Witness was ordered to go to the
kitchen for a light; she did not see then a jar of vinegar,
which had been there previously. Shortly after the
Count eatered the kitchen, and said, " What a misfor-
tune! Gustavo is dead! I expected to find him on a
chair, but he was on the floor." Witness went into the
dining-room, and saw M. Gustave inundated with
vinegar, and there was an odour which she had never
experienced before. When she saw the Count in the
antechamber, he had on a great coat—when she saw
him in the kitchen, he had on an old dressing-gown,
which had not since been found. The Countess did not
follow her to the kitchen. Whilst witness was in the
kitchen, she heard her cry, " Ah! mon Dieu! Gustave
is dead!" When witness saw the body the face was co-
vered with vinegar, as if it had been plunged into a
basin-full; and the Count rubbed the nose with vinegar
as roughly as he would have done a floor. Witness was
indignant, and said that that was not the way to treat a
sick man. She observed scratches and bruises on the
face of deceased, and that his shirt collar was as tightly
pressed round his throat as if he had been strangled.
There were marks of blood on the shirt collar and the
cravat. idetween eleven and twelve o'clock at night
witness and other domestics went to the dining-room to
ask if the Count and Countess had any orders to give.
They were not there; and they went to the room to
which the body had bean conveyed, to see if they had
gone to reader assistance to Gustave, although there was
no hope. Witness saw in a retired part of the chateau
a light, which caused her to feel fear, and she cried,
"Who goes there? who goes there?" The Countess
answered, "It is I." Witness asked what had become
of the Count, and the Countess said that he had gone to
seek for vinegar. Witness asked why he should take that
trouble, when he had so many servants? She then
went to the governess, Isladlle. Pate. She afterwards
saw the coachman, who expressed surprise at the Count
and Countess having fled to the chamber. Ho said be
suspected something, and proposed that they should
examine the dining-room, which they did. They found
a small knife, and she observed that it seemed to her
that Gustave had used it to defend himself. The Count
told the Countess to hide everything which could cause
a misfortune to be suspected. That appeared very
strange to witness. The carpet in the dining-room had
been partially turned up. The dining-room was washed,
by order of the Countess. In the night following the
crime neither the Count nor the Countess retired to rest
before five o'cicck. In the course of the night the
Countess burned several papers. The Count carried a
large packet of papers to the kitchen fire, and made ono
of tho servants burn it.
In answer to the President M. de Bccsirme said that
the papers were old ones, which had been in a lumber-
room, but he admitted that amongst them were two
from tho gardener at Ghent. As to the letters burned
by his wite, he said that perhaps they were correspond-
ence with persons with whom he was not acquainted.
The two letters of the gardener were relative to venomous
plants.
The female prisoner stated, in answer to a question,
that amongst the letters destroyed was one of her hus-
band's mother, another of his sister, laid the others were
from M. Van llouette. The latter had been burned be-
cause they referred to poisons.
Emerance, having been again questioned, said that
she knew that the cravat of the deceased had been burned
by order of the Countess.
The Court then adjourned, but the President told
Emerance that she would have to be again examined.

SEVENTH DAY.
The trial was resumed on Tuesday.
The witness Emerance Bricourt again appeared in the
box. She said, in answer to other questions, that she
thought it was the Count who bad said to her, when she
had gone to the dining-room with lights, "No, no—
later." Gustave had not mentioned to witness, when
she saw him on the 20th, that she could not attend at
dinner as he had to talk of business with his sister and
brother-in-law. She gave the watch, chain, purse, and
pocket-book of the deceased to the Countess after the
body had been discovered. When Dr. Semet went down
stairs, after having examined the body, the Count and
Countess said to him, " Weil—bow is Gustave?" At
that time the body had been undressed and washed by
order of the Countess, and both sho and the Count must
have known that he was dead. Their question to the
doctor appeared very strange to her. On the 21st
November the Count and Countess called her to their
room, and the formersaid "Gustave has died of an attack
of apoplexy—if you were questioned, what would you
say ?" Witneis answered, "I should tell the truth." The
Count told her, and the other servants, not to say thate
the doors had been closed, as that might coysre,hti:
enarst, e,st,soTwthhaaset pwreilsle ndt,
~ and
She
said,whenseemed.
them. The Countess exclaimed sevsral times,' ,r,'Pm-ise
Etnerance! Gustave died in her arms!"
maniac. in which. she
oor
taiwy questioned
e irns depose,
aPel ce o the
rs de dhewe"ihrt h her husband. Wo.ritness, J ustine,
the
irginie, went to the cure of Bury' to,,as,k him how
give evidence, and b
Counthwpa
neeo
rra ntle
vden
should
tidtell the truth." On learning that they had
yout he e said, My children,
gone to the eat* the Countess appeared disquieted and