New-York tribune., 1867-08-27
4 FRENCH MURDER.

Last May labOrer going to his work in the
forest Of Fontainebean saw lady lying on
the grass, near the roadside, as if sleeping, with
parasol over her face. There was apparently
nothing so unusual in this as TO excite remark;
but after the same figure had been noticed
in the Same position for several sue
cessiye days, curiosity was aroused, and
closer inspection was made. The woman was
dead Her fingers clutched the grass; the para
sol had been stuck in the ground as if to con-
ccal the face; and a part of the head had been
dcyourcd by worms or wild animals. lt was
believed at first that she had been killed by
wolves but surgical examination dis
closed the fact that death had been caused
by strangulatiOn Some one, said the physi-
clans. with an assault sudden and quick as that
of n panther, had clutched her by the Throat,
and then knclt upon her stomach, and in six
seconds the breath was out Of her body Fur
thcr investigation showed that, on the
eth of May, two ladies-one young, hand
some, and wel-dressed-had come to FOn-
tlineblcau from Paris, spent the night
at hotel, and the next day
gone into the forest. The elder woman re-
turned alone, and reported that sire had lost
her friend in the woods but expected to meet
her at the railway station. She declared that
she had no money, and was obliged to pawn
brooch for forty francs to pay her bill; but
when she took ont her purse the waiter saw in
il a lO0-fanc note. In the evening she went
back to Paris.
On the discovery of the body this woman
was traced aud arrested. She is the wife of a
NJ. Frigard, bankrupt silk-mercer of Caen.
She il described as very plain in appearance,
of small size, about IS years old. The muir
dered woman proved 10 be- widow named
Mcrtens, with whom Madame Fdgard had
been on terms of close intimacy.
Madame Mcrtens was not of ire
proachable character, having an inordinate
fondness for the society of young gentlemen,
and leaning toward the gay life for which
pretty French widows are proyerbial but she
had 5000 francs in bank, and Madame Frigard,
who was very much in want of money for the
purpose of buying ont an Italian warehouse in
the Rue Monthoon, seems to have thought it
not inconsistent with the virtues of
wife and a mother TO promote the pleasures OF
her young companion and second her am0urs.
Dahbng in alchemy and s0rce.y, inviting
Madame Mcrtcns to restaurants, drives, dinners,
and wine parties, flattering and cajOling her in
every imaginable way, she soon OBJ
tanned over the gay widow n complete
ascendency She concluded a bargain for
the purchase of the business in the
Rue Monthoon and paid the first installment
of the price with 1900 francs drawn from the
bank on an order purporting to be signed by
Madame Mertens. A second installment of
800 francs was paid in the same way week
later. There remained 5000 francs TO bc paid
on the 9th of May. On the 3D. Madame Frigard
bought u pistol She was not ready with
the money on the 9th, and begged and OBJ
tahed four days grace. On the eth she went
TO Fontainebleau with her friend, and came
back alone Two days later she paid the rest
of The purchase money, and took possession of
the shop.
When she was arrested, Madame Frisard
produced pretended deed of partnership with
Madame Mcrtcns. Experts pronounced this as
well as the drafts on the banks to be forger-
les, and the handwriting that of the prisoner
Papers belonging to the murdered woman
were found in her possession. The trial
began at Molun on the 9th of Au-
gust. The theory of the prosecution
is that the prisoner committed the murder in
order to conceal her forgeries, which Madame
Mertens could not fail soon to detect, and at
tho same time to get possession Of what papers