The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-09-21
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Inquirerl
A Tale Of Horror.

The utter stagnadon Of political news here, owing to
the adjournment OF the Chambers, the absence OF the
King and royal family and Of the principal members OF the
government has been broken by the horrible drama OF
the Hotel Sebastian, Of which you will probably have
heard something sooner than the arrival OF this
letter Nevertheless the account OF an eyewitness and
earw.ness resident on the spot may not be unaccepa
be to your readers where the event is one which, con-
sdered all bearings, may perhaps be said to have
no parallel in the history of society in civilized lie Tor
Marshal Sebastian was, as is well known, distin,
gushed commander and dplomatst under the Empire and
under the Restoration He has engaged the specal con
leon, Emperor, he was sent as ambassador 70 Con.
santinope and shortly before his departure Tor that
place. he married the daughter OF the Duke de Cogny
member of the haus noesse and one Of the oldest and
most distinguished families of the Faubourg St German;
The lady had large fortune IN possess0n, and still
birth to female infant and died in doing, leaving the
marshal and ambassador, her husband, a young wild
over with newly born infant The child under the
care of nurse, lived. The state OF Europe such at
that tme that communication with Constannople other
wise than by land mpractcabe and the infant was
acc to Paris through ss h ITss no
beautiful and highly accomplished woman, and became
the nherress directly and by eyerson Of the fortunes
S Se, hi a 1uas g. ans her and
wealthy relatives In fine her fortune, IN possession
and in expectancy, amounted In value to twenty mohs
of dollars.
At eighteen she formed love match, contrary to me
wishes of her family with the Duke de Cholse Prash,
then only one and-twenty and the head OF anoe
family not less ustrous by descent than her own ana
Children were bon-sx daughters and three sons; and
the parents were still short of the meridian OF lie Inc
Duke being only 49, and the Duchess 80 Causes OF dis
senson arose Of late years between them, out OF clr
cumsances which engendered jealousy IN the Duchess
and separation was threatened by her. The queen
and Madame Adelaide, who honored her with their
especial friendship, however, ntervened and brought
about seeming reconciliation
On the nth Of the present month the family who were
staying at their magnificent chateau of Vause- Praslin,
came to Paris by the Orleans railway with the purpose
of proceeding to Deppe, for the bathing season. They
arrived in town at nine O'Clock in the evening, and mme
datey left the railway station in two carriages, one OF
which containing the Duchess and of the children,
directly to the Hotel Sebasan their town residence
in the Rue Faubourg ST. Honore and the others, with
the Duke and the other children, drove first to the resi-
dence Of lady who had been lately goysrnssss in the
where arrived about hour later than the former
carriage which brought the Duchess.
Common report says that the Duchess expressed her
dspeasure in strong language at this visit to the COVER
at such hour, and especially at her daughters
being brought there and that sharp alteration ensued
a s ns fd s
was on the ground floor, the windows opening upon
the csonnade Of the hotel which looks upon the garden
The Dukes room was separated from 1t by cabinet,
ante room, and other passages.
NThose who are familiar with this quarter Of the city,
will remember in walking up the avenue of the Champs
Honore after passing the garden OF the British embassy,
and before arriving a that Of the paas Eysees bourbon
there is pretty enclosure defended BY iron railing
This building is the Hotel Sebastian, and the resi-
dence Of the Duke and Duchess Of Praslin. who occu-
pied it common with Marshal Sebastiani the father
of the Duchess The hotel adjoins the palace on the
west side, and the Hotel Casteane on the east The
ed-room OF the Duke looked the garden. as we'll as
that OF the palace That of the Duchess next to the ho
tel Castellane, looked only on the garden.
Such being the description OF the place. let US return to
the awful narrative OF the facts not as they were unfold
ed the moment but the circumstances since devel
oped have disclosed them to u.s.
At halfpast four in the morning the Duke proceeded
to the Of the Duchess provided with three means
Of muer-that is say, with cords to strange, with
knife to stab and with loaded pistol Sranguation
presented several obvious advantages, and was, as
neck of the victim, but had not time to be drawn tight
before she started up made resistance and attempted
noise instantly the knife was resoed to- and stroke
wound inflicted, and blood flowed; but the object
aimed at missed, and the wound was not mortal.
The Duchess yet the bed, where she had been
asleep strong and powerful woman, opposed to a
under the middle SIZE she now struggled for life
She sprang from the bed, and struggle body to body
which he inflicted in rapid succession half dozen blows
about her neck and breast, none OF which. however
inflicted DEATH wound; The Duchess made Tor the bell
which beside the chimneypiece. She succeeded in
had seized the knife by the blade and her hand was
cred from it. She staggered then towards the wall be-
side the place, on which, in two places the print OF
the bloody hand was left The bell-cord where she
Ill
Inthe last blows the assassin had broken the knife,
and desiring doubtless to despatch his victim before
witness should arrive he seized the pistol by its barrel
and struck her number OF severe blows on the head,
by which she appears to have been stunned and prosa
ted on the floor near small sofa or dvan, which stood
beside the chimneypiece. The murderer then left the
chamber and proceeded to open one OF the windows IN
the adjacent cabinet
While these circumstances were proceeding, femme
de hdbre who had been reused by the bell had thrown
on her Clothes and down stairs to the door of the
Duchess's chamber, which she attempted to- open, but
failed it being fastened the inside She then called
up of the male domestcs, informing him that the
Duchess ndsposed, as she heard her moaning, but
could not open her door, and required the mans assist
ance to accomplish this The two returned to
the door, and again failed to open it. 1t then occurred to
the man try the windows which looked on the garden
and, being on level with the porchway or coonnade,
were easily accessible
The object of the Duke in proceeding to open the win
grounds for the inference that assassin had entered
from the garden and escaped by the means be tins
may, the Duke in the act of executing this pur-
pose at the moment that the servant presented him
self at the window 10 attempt entrance there to
the chamber of the Duchess He the figure OF the
Duke, who instantly retired on perceivng him.
The servant then returned to the door of the Duchesss
chamber, and having become seriously alarmed, forced
the door in. The window shutters being closed, the
chamber was family illuminated by night lamp the
Duchess stretched the floor with her head lean
ing the divan ION lighting the Candles which
al stood the chmney-pece the horrible spectacle pre-
scented by the chamber disclosed to the aghted
wants. The floor literally of blood; various
gle, laid disarranged around the The Duchess
still lived hut was speechess and scarcely sensible