The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-25

Der might certainly be fastened with the aid Of
q key on the inside, but the duchess was not in
the habit OF doing 50 al night She might do
so during the day when she was dressing or
was wiring. have not remarked that The
lock was in such a state that this door could
not be fastened. am certain that il was in It's
proper state six weeks ago, that is, two or three
days before we went TO the country. After
having done as describe, | retired to my
chamber, placed in the enire sol above the bou-
doir of madame. was yet in deep sleep,
when was awakened by two rapid and strong
ringings Of the bell. and at the same time
heard the Duchess give utterance to frigh,ful
cries. instantly got out Of bed and rapidly
pu, on my stockings and gown which fas-
tened a, went down stairs. met Auguse
when went down. arrived at the same time
as Augusle at the door of the an,echamber at
the bottom of the stairs, for he also had heard
the noise Of the bell, and the cries. Augusle
took the key 10 open the door, but when he
endeavored 10 do so it resisted his attempts,
and he then perceived that il was fastened by
a lock on the inside Augnste and myself then
went round by the grand hall, and on arriving
together al the door communicating with the
bed chamber we found it impossible 10 open il,
Notwithstanding we made every effort TO force
il. The cries had then ceased, and there was
the silence of death. We then went in the gar
den by the descent 10 the grand hall. Auguse
tried the blinds of the bed chamber and of the
boudoir, but they were fastened. We then
proceeded through the garden TO the extremity
Of the boudoir, and from thence we perceived
the door leading into the place called the wood.
en- staircase, open; this leads TO the antecham-
Der separating The apartments Of the duke and
the duchess. We proceeded by this way 10 the
dressing room, of which we found the door
entry OF the bed chamber OF madam, but we
Withdrew instantly, saying, "some misfortune
has happened. perceive smell of gunpow-
der" These words very much frightened me,
and ! entirely los, my senses. We dared not
enter into the chamber; and we withdrew
through the garden and the grand saloon TO
procure assistance. 1t was very dark in the dress
ing room, Of which the shutters were hermell-
caly fastened, though it was daylight, outside.
did not see any person in the garden, and
went to Madame Mervlle, the laundress of
madame, and who had been in the service OF
her family for forty years. M. Merville went
with Charpentier, but remained in The court
yard with Madame Mervllle. They introduced
themselves by the antechamber of the dressing
room into the chamber of the duchess, where
they found her assassinaled. They returned
to US to inform US Of this frighlful circumstance
ran 10 the porter to tell him TO 60 and seek a
surgeon. | believe that they then returned to
the chamber Of madame, but | am ignorant Of
what passed, as remained in the. court yard
did no, go into lhe chamber of the duchess
until after the body had been covered with a
sheet, and when the commissaire de police
had arrived. Every nigh, they took care 10
fasten the windows at the inside, and of the
doors al The back Of the house, with the aid Of
bars Of iron, and to each shutter a bell was
fastened. The valet de chambre attached to
the personal service of the duchess was yerv
careful to place the bars of iron and their bells
in the proper position,
Briftard. servant Of the Duo, eorrobora,ed
many points in the testimony of his fellows
OF the household, as 10 the Praslin troubles.
the notorious adullerous connection between
the Duo and the governess, the distress of the
Duchess, SC. But his wife. who had also
been servant there for the same time, sup
piled an important link in the chain of circum.
umstances. We have had the evidence Of the
woman who saw the Duchess las,;-Mad.
Briffard says: aH ~.
THE MORNING AFTER.
"My husband came alone that night to the
hotel, on the arrival Of the duchess thai
might be about half past nine at night-the
duke arrived at about ten O'Clock. Ga the
morrow morning, about five O'Clock, was in
bed with my husband, when Madame LIE
Claire struck strongly at the windows of our
apartment My husband instantly jumped GU,
OF bed and opened the door. Madame entered
in great fright, and said, "auick, quick ];
gel up, the duchess has twice pulled her bell
very rapidly, and with great violence, have
gone to her door and attempted 10 open it, but
it is locked inside. heard piercing cries in
her apartment, followed by silence, fear that
some misfortune has happened, or that
madame has had a nervous attack'' I fol
lowed Madame lie Claire, putting on my gown
in the court yard, and we then met NJ. Mer-
vile and Augusle, who said that the duchess
had been assassinated. Madame Merville was
sitting upon step weeping and saying, IAN
was lost" answered, "Quick, quick.
Madame Merville, she perhaps is not Dead"
and FASTENED towards the hotel. arrived in
the grand hall, and ran 10 the door Of commu>
nicatlon between that and the bedroom.
seized The handle 10 open the door, and the
I HI, -