Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-21
CVoL. L. No. SO.

! graf himself opened the door, and stood SO in the
passage as to prevent the husband from entering.
| He first denied having seen Marie, but after
wards on the husband insisting, he pretending
to recollect that he had seen her in the church,
out bad refused to listen to her coniession.on ac-
count of tine negligence and disorder of her.
dress. He then led the husband down, The 3
Churchyard away from the house,, and after al
moments conversation, abruptly quilted him,
and returned to the Presbytery. He ordered
tire servant who did not sleep the house, to g0
away, without giving her time even TO clear az
way for supper Then, not surprising that he
was watched, he set about disposing Of the body
of'his victim. He tied the hands and feet, and
attaching rope to the neck, he lowered the boz
dy out of the window, into back yard. He
then went round to this yard, and taking hold Of
the rope, dragged the body after him to arising
ground, called La Roche. The head, as il
bounded over the stones, for the ground W as UNI
even and rocky, f,ft behind portions of hair and
! flesh, which were collected the next day, aud
brought forward rs proofs of the horrid decd
He had, previously 10 lowering the body, strip-4.
ped it, and left the clothes behind with the ex
ception of neckerchief which he brought WITH
him for a purpose we shall seeby and by. On
reaching the spot called La Roche, it appears :
the thought first struck him of cutting the body
IN pieces flor he bad made previous prepara- -
tons for this dreadful operation) and he then at
tempted to do it with a small pocket knife, but
IN endeavoriDg to separate one of the arms near
the shoulder, the blade turned and became use q
| less. The blood spouted from the wound in
great abundance, and covered this rev erend de- s
mons face and clothes. Fooled in his purpose, y
he seemed to become delrious from disappoint.
rnent and fear, and tying one Of the feet of his
victim to tree, he cxerted all his herculanean
strength TO tear the body, limb from limb; but
failing in this, he returned to the house for Z,
more fit instrument for dissection, the kitchen
Ratchet or cieaver. With this instrument he
separated the thighs from the trunks, and threw
them into rapid stream that discharges itself
into the Isere. He then lifted the mutiIatesit
trunk upon his shoulders, with which be hasten-
ed towards the Isere. into which he plunged IT (
He then deposited on the river side the uecker-
chief of poor Marie, in order to make it suppos- )
ed that she had drowned herself On returning
TO his house lie burned the clothes Of the
murdered Ouaric, together with his own clcr.
| ical robe, winch was actually stained with
! blood, and threw the ashes into the PRIV
| On rejecting il he had removed all traces Of :
the crime, he recollected with dismay, that lie
had left the pocket knife behind him; lie iii.-
| ncdiatcly returned TO the spot, but after tle
| most minute search hc could not find it. The
knife, which WAS produced at the trial had al
ready been found by labouler, who Mt the
/ break OF day was passing near La Roche, and
| had his attention caught by pool of bleus -
| bloody rope, and biack-Landle KNIFE lying by
it. The knife he took up, but fearing IT might
bring him INTO trouble, ne threw u into a bush
|
ed, took up the knife second time, washed II.
and took II home with lirn. When Miup.rai's
servant-uaid appeared before bin in the morn
/ ing, she was pale trembling and bewildered
! Nlingrat alarmed by her appearance, asked her
abruptly what was the matter with her The
poor eir' thought in vain to convince him that
| she had seen or heard nothing, except a fe,v Z
| means, which she supposed proceeded from him s
self being Ill. The curate, however, contirjIed z
to question her, the girls fears ,got the better
OF her, she threw herself upon her knees, and
Joining her hands, exclaimed i'll the most suppii-
caling manner, 6 Oh, Sir, permit me to go away:
can no longer bear it :" This exclamation
was thunderclap for the curate; he clos ~
saw that this weak minded superstitious In.
honest creature, was mistress of his life and 80
cTet.-ie got between her and the door. aud
aiter lew moments reverie, he seized her bv
] tiie arm, and dragged her into the sanctuayT
forced her down upon her knees on the stems ~
Inc altar, and then taking from Che itaberi,aeIa
me host, he put IT into her hands telling her ,,e
should either make up her mind t., die or
taie most solem oath upon tie body and biees
OF christ, never to reveal what She rad Seen or
heard on the preceding night. The unEortunate
girl, halt dead with fear and horror, took the
oath prescribed. After this extraordinary scene
Nlngrat resumed his tranquility. How eyer,,
some days after as some young shepherds were
fishing in the stream which flows INTO the Isere.
one OF mem on drawing up his line, found a ia;
|
sight they fed towards the village andtoJd what
had taken place. The authorities repaired to
the spot, the thigh was recognized 10 be that of
a young woman, and there, of Course was no =
longer any doubt as TO Marie Germ having beer, 8
murdered. As public opinion pointed out Min
gratas the assassin, he resorted to last effort to-
remove suspicion from him. The authorities
had ordered the thigh to be buried in the church,
yard. .Ningrat repaired tbitiicr and ordered
the thigh TO be removed, say ing it should not
festin consecrated ground, for Marie Germ had
committed suicide. and then, affecting to faii
into state of fanatcsl excitement he excIairn-
| ed--'' Yes | saw that she was possessed of the
devil Yes, by satan, who carried her away IL,
his arms, and plunged with her into the afyss of =
hell" Those who were present could contain
no longer their Indignation, but loudly cursed
and hooted this hypocritical rufTan the oppro.
briurn and horror of their cantors. The ncx.
morning while MiDgrat was at breakfast two
gensdaTBIes entered they were not CHARGED 10
make him prisoner, but merely TO watch his
motions. He appeared drcadfullv alarmed bntor.
deHyoed to conceal it, &jpvited them TO payttajse
OF his breakfast. Before breakfast was over tbs
vicar fZulliD came in and brought letter from
his CHrate 10 Nlingrat ON the subject of the ruuy
der. The concluding words Of this ;efter ,..,.,
" The murmurs a1oat respecting the a>ssss;r,'
ton OF the woman weigh heavily upon vo,,jr
you are guilty, ny inSid,Hy.n MiDpfat f.,ol ~
advice and fed The Mayor sent The gems.