Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-16
The pnris Murder.


The London and Paris papers are filled
with the details of the murder of the Ouch
ess de praslin and the subsequent suicide
of her husband, which we have heretofore
mentioned. The following summary of the
affair in an editorial article of the London
Times, may interest those who have not met
with a detailed account of this most horrible
EVENT.
The story of the Duke de Praslin is fin
ished. The murder and the suicide have
followed closely upon each other, and a SIM
gle week has seen the commencement and
the end OF the most atrocious crime OF the
century. The indirect consequences OF this
horrible exposure are yet to come; bat as
far rs the public is concerned IN the taie
itself, it is now over, and any niuch more
accurate knowledge of the facts is now be-
You'd the reach Of man. The suspense, the
lconjectures, and the conclusion--the various
reports and the successive disclosures--the
Frightening obscurity, the unravelled plot,
and the final catastrophe which give such
character and attraction 20 a Judicial and
formal investigation, trial, and defence, have
been all now superseded by the commission
of another crime, which at once cOnYiets
and crowns the original guilt. The only
two witnesses who could have spoken to the
deed are now gone, and what has been al
ready ascertained is all that win probably
ever be known respecting the murder OF The
Duchess de Praslin. la future chronicle
of the Orleans dynasfy--a period but TOO
comparable with the famous Regency OF the
same house--the fatal episode viii read
somewhat ms folows:-
On the 18th Of August, IN the year ls47,
n, y - Of
the highest station, and Of large possessions,
returned TO his hotel in Paris, accompanied
Inv the Duchess and other members OF his
family. On entering the city, before pro-
ceedine TO his hotel, he drove, with two of
his daughters, to the apartments Of young
wonan who had previously been goyerness
in hts family, but who had been dismissed
nj the instance Of the Duchess on account of
her intimacy with the Duke. On his re-
pairing subsequently to his own house, high
words passed between himself aud his wife
concerning the visit he had thought proper
10 make. but no great deal was observed 10
come of the matter. aud the family retired
TO resi- AT the usual hour. The Duke aud
Duchess slept in separate apartments, which
were on the first floor at the back Of the no.
tel. looking into a small garden, the Dukes
room communicating by short passage
with that Of bis wife, who thus lay alone m
her chamber, although a waItIng-maid nsu-
ally slept 10 an ante-roop adjoining. About
three o'clock on the morning Of the 18Th,
this maid was awakcned BY a sudden aud
violent pull of the Duchess bell; she nn-
medately ran to the door, found il bolied,
and was startled at Hearing something ike
faint groans within.
IN her nrocuriur assistance. the door was
forced open, when they discovered the Ouch
ess on the floor weltering IN her blood, with
no less than fifty wounds on different parts
of her person. Every thing befokened that
desperate struggle had taken place in the
chamber. The wounds Of tie unfortunate
lady were such as to show That many OF
them had been received while defending
herself from the assassin. Small articles Oh
furniture were overturned on the iioor.--
The marks of a bloody hand were visible
on the walls aud doors in several Places
Portions Of hair were found adheriBg 10 the
bed, add a lock Of the same color and tex
fure was cIutched in the dying lady's hand.
Though life was not actually extinct when
she was discovered by her attendants. yet
she was gate seuscless, and expired after
very few minutes. Immediately on the
alarm being given, the Duke rushed into
the room and threw himself on the body 81
his wife in a state OF great emotion. As
soon a. attention could be given 10 tne eyi-
dence around. II was observed that no rob
berry had been committed, and that murder
alone could have been the Object Of the GRIM
inal. There was window open heading 70
the garden behind, bat the watchman usually