Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-06-19

ARREST

Bruce.
On the Goth December, 1915, about
O'Clock in the afternoon. Emile Louise de
Beauharncis Cemme Lavalet,e,) availing
he self OF the permission that had been Civ
en- her. to communicate with Marie Cha
d. Lavaie.tc, her husband, condemned
TO death for the crime Of high treason, re
paired IN sedan chair, to the Conc!ergeric
AT tn PalSce of Justice The chairmen
were Joseph Guerin, alas Mnrengo, and
one Brigaud. Having arrived near the
gate OF the Conciergerie, EavaIette, the
wife, alghted firm the chair. and was in.
troduced into the prison, Benoit Bonneville,
her domestic, who had accompanied her,
remained iii the first chamber, called the
Avant- gre fife. During the course of this
visit, Lavalette sent for his daughter. aged
Is, who came, accompanied by Aune Mar.
garct Dutoit, female attached to her s.,
vice. aad aged so. Jean Baptiste Roqurtte
dc hereu;dec. senior, head goaier IF the
fiouse Of Justice, permitted her to enter,
although she was not furnished with per-
mission TO that effect
About o'clrckin the evening, Lavalette
sat down to dine with his w,fe, his daughter.
ana the WIDOW Dutolt. They were wsited
upon by J Ques Merle, turnkey of the
prison. particularly charg with the guard
OF Lavalette, who nevertheless paid him
recompense, because he employed him as
q domestic
Alter dinner Merle went for the coffee.
which he brought, and he was requested
not to come In again, untl he was rung for
About o'clock the bell was accordingly
iung, todssire Merle to tell the chairman to
be in immediate readiness, because Lava
lette the wife, was about to depart, but La
valette, as it appears, had turned to &C.
count the time during which he had been
without keeper had put on some of his
wlte's clothing, and covered his head with
her bonnet and feathers, having put on
tucker and gloves he soon after came ont
OF the prison with the aid of this disguise,
holding his daughter by the hand, and lean
ing cn the widow Dute,t and il il difficult
TO suppose that Merle did not perceive the
disguise. In order the better to deceive
the vigilance OF the goaler and The other
keepers. Lavalette conce=led his face with
han dkerchiet, as if sitting the sohs, and
driving up the tears. Outing this time Bon
neville had made himself secure of Guerip
alias Msrengo, and had procured another
chairman to replace Brigaut, who had re-
jected the offcr made 10 him. The sedan
chair was then ready, Lavalet!e entered
it, the daughter, following il to the end Of
the rue de ia Barilicrc, where Lava lette
having arrived, left the chair ard took to
fight, his daughter taking his place ia it.
In the mean time, thu escape was not vet
known in the prison, WHEN the gnaler, Ro-
quctte, sen. entered L.avalette's chamber
ne saw no one there, but he heard some
thing stirring behind screen lie went out,
and returned shortly after. Having then
called without, received au answer, and
feeling alarmed, he advanced towards the
nd z.6 4 Lot ta1o s.
he Immediately exclaimed, "Ah, Madame,
you have deceived me - and wished to go
out to give the alarm but il would appear
that the woman, Layalette, made some e.
forts to detain him. At last he got out of
the chamber, and immediately set off in
pursuit OF the sedan chair, which was come
up with at short distance, but no one was
found in it but Lava!ettc the daughter.
Merle, who had received orders from Ro-
ouette, jun. to run up to the rue de la Ba-
riiliere, in order to overtake, if possible.
the escaped prisoner, had, on che contrary,
returned TO the Conciergerie, under the pre-
tence Of satisfying himself as to the reality
OF Layalette's escape, and of visiting the
chamber. Merle had also at the mo neDt of
Lavalc tie S escape. takcn to the tavern one
Bodisean, whose superinspecti might have
proved fatal to the success of the plan.
All these facts gave occasion to a crimi-
nal inquiry against the authors or presum-
ed accomplices of the escape. Lavalette
the wife, being interrogated at the very
moment OF the event and since, has indeed
persisted, in declaring, that she alone, had
conceived and executed the project but
the enquiry did not in this respect, produce
any direct and positive charge that could
enable US to place any confidence in her
declarations.
1t appeared, on the contrary, to result.
that Lavaietts the wife would not, as well
as her daughter and the widow Quot, have
taken any active part in this project, but
that Lavalette would have conceived AMI
executed, without being aided by them, lis
plan of escape; and that he would not
have obtained from these three females,
any thing but passive obedience, which
their mutual relations render probable
As to Benoit Bonneville, he appears to have
knowingly favoured the escape Of his mas
ter, and 10 have been actively 90. operating
in procuring for him two charnen vino
could be depended upon, AID by attempting
70 Ssduce the man Brigault by the offer Of
IS LOUIS. Joseph t5uerin alias Marengo, dots
not appear exempt from active participation
in the escape, liz had joined ms lntreaties
TO those of Bonneville, 10 order to persuade
BrigaGit to accept the offers which we're
made to the latter. rs to the second
chairman, named Glossy, no trace has APP
peared against him of his having knowing
" participated in the escape, and he has
been placed out of prosecution since the
commencement oil the process. The turn