New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-21
Horrible Murder.


Somewhere about the end Of January last,
H. Desfontaines, manufacturer of bronzes, Rue
Honore 422 in Paris, was obliged TO dismiss his
man.servant for misconduct, and he applied 70
one of the 6ureduT de placement register office for
servsnts) for another. The bureau sent young
man of about twenty four, who produced excel
lent certificates, and was at once admitted. Early
in the morning of the 18th the new servant who
had then been about a fortnight in the place,
went to the corner of the Rue Royae, and bar
gained with two commissioners 70 convey three
trunks containing, he said, goods and patterns to
the Center Railway, Boulevard de Phopital. de
then took the men TO the house; and, having told
the concierge that his master had already left for
the railway station that be was about TO JOIN
him, and that they should be absent several days,
be helped the commissionnaires to put che trunks,
which were very heavy, into hand.cart, and saw
them leave. He afterward went away himself
The neigbbors were greatly surprised to see
the shop of NJ. Desfontaines closed on the next
and following days but to their inquiries, the
concierge said that he had gone with his servant
on Journey which was TO last several days. AS,
however, he had not spoken Of this journey either
20 his relations or most intimate friends, and as,
moreover, his business required his presence,
some alarm was felt, and a communication was
made TO the Commissary ofPolice. An applics
tion was even made to the project to cause an
investigation Things were in this state when
u
ment Of the Indre informed the Minister of the
Interior that horrib y.mutilated corpse had been
found IN the railway station at Chateauroux,
in a trunk which had been sent from Paris. This
trunk bore the address, -" Moreau, matchmaker, at
ChateGuroux ;" but no watchmakero OF that name
resided or ever had resided, IN the town. The
trunk bad been opened IN CONSEQUENCE OF a strong
smell which issued from it. AS soon as this in
teligence reached the Prefecture Of Police, the
recent declaration re speeding the disappearance
Of 81. Desfontaines called to mind, and Or
deTsWere given 70 send uprhe trunk aud the body
10 Paris.
Inquiries having been made as to when and by
whom the box was sent from Paris, IL was ascer-
tanned that on the 1874 three trunks had been
taken 10 the station by two commissioners, that
one, resembling ladys travelling trunk, covered
with oil cloth and weighing 100 kilOgrammes, had
been sent separately TO Chateauroux, whilst the
other two which were more solid, larger and
heavier, had been taken by the owner to Bourges,
ard he had paid extra for them, as they exceeded
the weight OF luggage allowed to each passenger.
The trunk arrived in Paris on Friday morning by
the o'clock train, and it so happened that the
two commissioners who had conveyed it TO the
station arrived al the same time with the luggage
of person about to leave. They and the trunk
were sent to the prefecture of police and Judi
cial investigation was forthwith commenced. The
trunk, or rather box, was fastened with paddock,
and bound round with cords.
The judicial authorities of the Indre had placed
their seals on these cords. The address, " NJ. Mo
reau, matchmaker at Chateauroux was written
in bad hand, on a common piece Of paper, and
stuck on the box with waters. AS the box was
rather small, the murderer had cut the body into
pieces, and had deposited first, the trunk, then
the legs and then the arms and head. NJ. DESIGN
taines was a strong and courageous man, and the
murderer must have killed him as be was asleep.
1t is supposed that AFTER the commission OF the
crime, the murderer possessed himself of every
thing Of value in the shop and apartment, and
packed the property in the two trunks. The
apartment and shop have not yet been entered by
the authorities. Telegraphic dispatches were
tent TO the frontiers to arrest the domestic. He
was sfterward arrested at Paris and hes confessed
the crime.