Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-09-25

OFthe Extraordinary Murder Of the Duchess
de Choiseui Praslir, and the Suicide OF her
Husband .... g. a
The following are the particulars Of this ex.
traordnary occurrence. The Duchess is the
daughter Of Marshal Sebastian, Of one Of the
oldes, and most distinguished families in
France; .Av
At eighteen she formed love match, contra.
~ to the wishes of her family, with the duke do
Choiseul. .PrasIin, then only one and twenty,
and the head Of another noble family, not less
illustrious by descent than her own, and pcsses.
sed of large inheritance. To this marriage
nine children we're torn, pix daughters and three
sons, and the parents were still short Of the me.
ridiap life, the Duke being only 42 and the Du.
chess 30. Causes Of -dssension arose Of late
years between them, out OF circumstances
which engendercd jealousy iu the Duchess. and
q separation wss threatened by her. The
Queen and Madame Adelnid, who honorcd her
with their especial friendship. however. in,erve.
ned, and brought about q seeming reconcilia.
ton.
On the l1th Of The present month the family,
who we're staying at their magnificent chateau
Of Vauee Pnslin, came to Paris by the Orleans
railway, with the purpose Of proceeding to Di.
effe. for the bathing season. They arrived in
town at nine o'clock in the evening, and nme.
dia,ely LEI, the railway station in two carriages,
one Of which containing the Duchess and some
OF the children, went directly 10 the Hotel Sc.
bas,iana, their town residence, in the Rue Eau.
boure St. lionore, and the others, with the
Duke and the other children, drove first to the
residence of lady who had been lately govern.
ere 10 the family, TO visit her, and thence TO the
Hotel Sebas,iani, where it arrived about an
hour later than tho formor carriage, which
brought the Duchess a.e t-aH -.-'
Common report ssys that the Duchess ex
pressed her dispIeasure in strong langusee q,
| this visit 10 the gcverness st such an hour. and
especially at her daughters being bruugh, there
and that a sharp altercs, ,ion ensued. Be this ..
il may a! was quiet, and the ttmily had retired
TO rest at eleven O'Clock. The Duchess BED
room was on the ground floor, the windows O.
pening upon the colonnsde of the hotel. which
looks upon the garden The Dukes room wa,
spara,ed IRON il by a cabinet, sn,e.room and O.
thcr passages
Al half past four in the morning the Duke
proceeded TO the room Of the Duchess, provided
with three means Of murder that is 70 say with
cords 10 strangle, with knife 10 stab, and will
loaded pistol. Stranguation presented &c
veral obvious advantages, and was, ss is suppo
sed, frs, tried. The moose was slipped over tn,
neck of the victim, but bad not time TO be dfuwr
tight before she started up, made resistance, ant
attempted noise. Instantly the knife was re
sorird to, and stroke was made at the neck
aimed at the jugular srtery. A wound was In
hicted and blood flowed, bu, the object aime,
at was missed, end the wound was not mortal
The Duchess was as yet on the bed whore sh
had been asleep. A strong and powerful WI
man, opposed to a man under the middle size
she now struggled Tor lite. She sprung iron
the bed, and struggle. body 10 body, ensued
The assassin IVES still armed with the knife
with which he ipAic,ed in rapid Succession hal
4 dozen blows about the neck and breast, non
Of which, however, inflicted a death. wound. -
The Duchess made for the bell, which was be
side the chimney piece. She succeeded n res
ching 1t and ringing it, In accomplishing ,hi
she had seized the knife by the blade, and be
hand was frightfully wounded, one Of the fr
gers being nearly severed from II. She stag
gefcd then towards the wall beside the fire
place, on which. in two places, the print OF tn
bloody hand was lett. The bell.cord whet
she grasped it was covered with gote.
In the last blows the assassin had broken III
knife, and desiring. doubtless. to desps,ct r.
victim before witness should a,rirei he seiz,
the pistol by is barrel and struck her namb
Of severe blows on the head, by which ,he
peaIs to have been stunned and pros.rated
the u or, near q small eofs or diyan. viii,
stood beside the chimney place. The murder
then left the chamber, and r.oceeded to op,
one OF the windows in the adjacent cabinet,
While these circumstances we.e pruceedih
. aJemme de chamber, who had been ,oused
d the bell, had thrown on her clothes. and cat
9 down stairs 10 .he door Of the Duchess cha
} Der, which sas attempted to open, bot failed
o being fastened on the inside. She then call
J, up one Of the male domestics, informing h
e that the Duchess wss indisposed, as she hes
% her moaning, but could not open her door, a
4. required the mans assistance TO sccompl
Pc THE. The two servants returned to the do
Il. and again failed TO openit. 1t then occurred
ly the man to Try the windows which looked on