The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-08-04
Terrible Tragedy at Marseilles

One of the most fearful crimes which
has ever been committed in the south
of France, took place on the 9th OF
June, at Marseilles. The following
particulars of the affair are taken from
the local papers:
"About half past five o'clock yester-
day morning, as the workmen of the
building yard known as the PharO,
were proceeding to work, a. terrible
scene was enacted in q hotel restau-
rant, kept by M. Bonnefoy. Five PTS
tol shots were heard in succession, and
Immediately after the attention of the
men was directed to the spot by cries
Of 'Help!' and sMurder' The house
was entirely barricaded, and all the
keys had been hidden in order to pre-
vent anyone from putting stop to the
execution of the crime. A, few cour-
ageous men broke in the door of the
! restaurant, while some others got in by
Il window on the first floor, which has
been opened by NJ. Bonnefoy. Here is
what had taken place a few, minutes
before. About the hour above men
toned, Madame Bonnefoy had risen as
usual, and descended into the kitchen
to make the coffee. But, instead of
lighting the fire she went into the shop,
where, with her back against the door
and -barrelled revolver in her
hand, she waited till the rest of the
family came down stairs. The first
person who presented herself was her
sister Annette, against whom she had
lately conceived violent haired in
consequence of some attentions paid
her by one of the customers of the
house, who, it turns out, was Madame
Bonnefoy's lover. She had no sooner
descended the last staircase than
Madame Bonnefoy sent a bullet into
her breast. Without stopping to look
at her victim, the murdress bounded
upstairs into the room where her own
three 7 children We're sleeping. She
/ first approached the cradle of the
youngest, boy of five years. She
bent down, put, the pistol to his heart,
and fired. The noise of the fire i'm
mediately aroused the other two chill
dren, whose bed was by the side Of the
cradle. She again cooked her weapon.
"Mother, mother, |" murmured the ell
der, "what are you doing7" III. I'll
1Do not be afraid" replied 1.-THE
wretched woman, syou have nothing
to fear, all the money will be for you"
7@"And placing the revolver near the
other child's heart she fired, telling the
elder child to be off. .atA4tias8
"The boy went down stairs trem-
bling. The mother followed. E On
reaching the shop the woman took an
other staircase leading to the bedroom
of her husband. M. Bonnefoy, aroused
by the pistol shots and the shrieks of
his sister-in-law Annette, had put on
his clothes, and was about to descend,
when he met his wife. Without say
ing a word, she raised the revolver and
fired, sending a bullet into his stom-
ach. '''' e't-' SRA 80 oi.f ti
.'Having finished her butchery, the
murderess now determined to shoot
herself. She had already re-cocked
the revolver, and was holding it to-
wards his head, when her boy ran into
the room, crying s.1.,g ..s55f
""Mother-oh, mother what are you
going to dor ff8f1'5ti
"Hold your tongue, will you,' was
her reply; Il have spared you, and you
will be rich.' S<3Tti
'Placing her finger ON the trigger,
she fired, and lodged bullet in hel
own head and fell insensible on the
ground. Medical assistance was soon
at hand, and the victims forwith taken
Strange to, say, none of them were
killed, although all are seriously
wounded. Operations were immedi-
ately performed to extract the bullits
but in the case of the youngest child
and the father the doctors have not
yet succeeded, and it is feared that
that they cannot live long. The
wretched author of the tragedy is the
least in danger The motives which
led to the crime appear to be partly
jealousy and partly remorse. Madame
Bonefoy has fora long time past led a
very irregular life. Frequent dissen-
sions in the family were the conse.
quence, and the girl Annette always
sided with the husband. The day be.
fore the crime quarrel had taken
place in the restaurant between the
CUSTOMER above alluded to and NJ.
Bonnefoy, at which Madame Bonnefoy
was present. It was noticed that the
woman was touched with remorse at
her guilty conduct, and, from letters
which she wrote during the night, il
kappears she thereupon determined to
make holocaust of the whole family,
including her lover. Why she spared
the eldest child may be easily eonjec-
tured.Da - = ~ vrT
TIE BAPTIST AND PREsBYrERiAN.-In