Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-04-28


MAN IN PRrvY AT PARs.-The following is trans
lated from one of our late Paris papers
The following horrible details of homie de, through
negligence, was brought before the 9th Chambre
and for two hours, has struck with horror the ma
gistrates and audience. The is that of young
man, confined by accident in the vault of privy in
the Rue st. Denis, and when extricated from his
horrible prison, at the end Of seven days and seven
nights, expired the moment he saw the light. Here
the facts obtained from the examination of the
witnesses.
Phe vault of the privy, at the house PA Rue ST.
Denis, and forming passage through TO the Rue du
Ponceau had been cleaned, and before closing the
mouth with the large stone, II was necessary TO
await the visit of the health inspector. Meanwhile
il was temporarily closed by two boards placed
orosswise over it. The Inspector having arrived,
descended into the vaults approved of the work, and
gave permits sion TO have IL sealed up.
1t appears, that during the interval OF time betwxt
the visit of the inspector and the arrival OF the mason
who was to close IKE vault, Monsieur Duchene,
clerk to his brotherin-law, at No D. Rue Porteton,
having occasion visit the privy, did not perceive
the hole, badly guarded by the boards which were
probably dsarranged by the Inspector, and fell into
the vault A few moments after, the mason arrived,
closed up the hole, and retired.
Three days and nights passed without any noise,
single groan, betrayng the presence of living
being in this horrible abyss AT the end OF this time
the inhabitants of the house thought they heard
smothered cries, apparently issuing from the ground
One of the little girls of the family was kept awake
two nights in succession by this noise and, in her
leved it to be the smmering of the water in their
kitchen. The following night the most plaintivs
cries, apparently from the bowels of the earth,
heard by the porter Langois he Immediately
arose, lit his lamp and descended to the cellar but
hearing nothing there, he gave up his search.
At length, at the end of seven days and seven
nights, the cries Of agony of the unfortunate Du-
chene were distinctly heard by of the dodgers,
who ran in haste to inform NJ Lebrun, the keeper Of
the house Lebrun listened and hearing the stihed
groans, cried through the hole, Courage, courage,
then ceased. A dog also, that M. Lebrun took with
him, not the last to hear the cries and showed
by his movement and pteouS Inning, that he heard
the voice well as the others. Ii was now DO
longer matter of doubt, but the horrible truth
evident, that had been confined in this dread
full prison for seven days and seven nights.
They fastened to open the vault, and two men
descended in short time they returned, bringing
with them the unfortunate Duchane, in a horrible
state to des scribe but still breathing. The extre
mites of his lower limbs nearly in a state Of
decomposition his face, covered with filth, could
hardly be recognised; and Gvid, greenish COM
plexo had taken the place of the fresh colors Of
youth and health. A physician called on the spot,
exerted for him all his skill and succeeded, for
few moments, in terminating the spark Of life Du-
chene made few movements, and opened his eyes,
but closed them Immediately his dilatcd pupils
could not look upon the light, and, whilst they
bearing him to a neighbourng hos pital, he expired
On examining the body of the unfortunate Duchene,
it found, that in his fall he had fractured his
skull, and the wound followed by an instanta-
neous congestion OF the brain. This circumstance
shows that he must have remained for long time
insensible, and, consequently, had not the power,
when the workmen were scaling the vault, to make
known his presence by his cries and when, at the
end Of three days he came to himself his voice
much enfeebled TO he distinctly heard by those
outside.
On statement of these facts, Monsieur Lebrun, the
keeper Of the house. and the porter Langlois,
brought before the 9th Chambre, and accused of
having been, through negligence, the cause Of the
death Of Duchene. Ii was extremely affecting to
hear the brother-iN-law of the deceased give, in
voice broken with sobs, the character Of him who
had been snat ched from them by horrible death.
"He was" said he, "a model for all young men
we did not know in him single fault. lie was gay,
light-hearted, and happy, like all those who have
the approval of good cons science"
Nj. fernaux, the advocate to the King, called all
the severity Of the laws the porter Langlois -
An example is necessary; and the importance Of
these facts will not allow tbs magistrates TO be in
dugent."
The tribunal acquitted Lebran, and condemned
Langlois TO imprisonment Of three months.
Gazette des Tribunaux.)