Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-09-16
REMARKABLE DETECTION OF A MURDERER IN

The Court Of Assises Of the H,u Rim has lust been
occupied four days In trying named Maurer for mur.
der On the TIL May, female hswker, uamed Ceriate
accompanied by her two Ia young man named
fontan, and young woman named Guirsud) len the vii
Age oil Mittach to 60 to Kruth. Arrived the top o
high mountain, which necessary 70 pass they "a
down to rest and the counted her money con
s'sng OF $50 fr' Aer whio they set out the youns
man going on about 200 yards in advance. All Z, once
no head his mistress cry "Jean como to me-help" Or
'uraing round he attacking her with hsay,
Sticks until she soon fell beneath their hows The 70
male servant on seeing her mistress assaied took "a
Hight but the two men pursued her. and attacked her ia
the ssme way. Rontan struck with terror and feeling
nmse TOO weak to oppose the men, threw aside the bale
OF goous ne was carrying aud down the mountain to
htuth There he stated to the authorities what had oc
CURED They Immediately went up to the mountain and
round tue womsn lying dead her head and face were
covered with bruises The dead body Of the servant was
found at some little distance; her skull had been fractured
oy tremendous blow. Tho womsn's purse was taken
away.
strict search made, and all tho woodmeu employed
gu the mountains were strictly Questioned but clu to
inc murderer could DO discovered Things remained In
this state until the aeth July, 1885, when was discover,
Cd that woodman named Montagnou Of Vldenstien
had committed suicide by hanging himself to . tree Il
Immediately became reported that no of the
murderers, aud that he had killed himself from remorse
This caused Investigation DO made aud il was
tia: the day Of the murder be been
work on the mountain with Msure close to where the
crimes were committed that he had worn dress similar
to that which Fontan had described but had changed il
before returning home that washed his own linen
stead OIL giving ususfts his wife that had made
nee wash pair OF trousers and dreaduly angry be-
cause she did not do quick enough that he had re-
ceived some injury n the which be would not let her
see; that no was frequently heard mu,ter strange
things to himself and say aloud Provided Maursr al
ways tells the same tale but he is chatteng fellow aud
will let out tho truth that he had more than once uues
toned MS ~ue as to whether she thought Aaurer could
DO trusted; that ho had frequently for conceivable
reason asked her aud other persons pardon him that
he had often asked his own children and the children
OF his neghbors IL God would pardon great criminal;
that one day he had said to his wife, 'Yes Madelon
II was aud Maurer who murdered the two
women! You will say after my DEATH for an innocent
exclaimed, II cannot live in this way; must die" In
consequence of all this Miurer arrested The follow
ing facts were then discoveries He on the day OF the
murder was working with Moutaguou short distance
from some other men, and just the time OF the murder
these men were surprised to hear longer their go
lug. Alter the murder his face was observed to be
scratched and he could not state how it It
observed also that he had changed part his dres The
trousers he took of he to his family wash and
clearly appeared that they had been stained with blood
After the crime he was seen frequently engaged in
conversation with hontAguon, aud IL supposed they
were concerung something. Although bis earnings
not large spent money very freely day. on receiving
bis pay, be made the strange remark Il have now money
which is not stained with blood" Moreover he attempt.
ed TO cause some innocent person to b, suspected Of the
crime. Finally, his dress corresponds with that Of one
Of the two described b. FJltlri aud Fon.iu on
being confronted with him, said he thought he re.
cognized him. The declared guilty. bnt with ex-
tenuating crcumsancc and tae colgt condemned him TO
imprisonment with hard labor for lifo.