The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-20
rRAUpM.4NN, THE MURDERER'

IaterParticuIars Of his Trial and Con-
viction-His Confession and subse-
ouent Retraction Thereof-DialoSu
Retween the Criminal and the Judge.
The Paris papers are filled with the details
of the trial and conviction OF Traupmann,
the Pantin murderer. The most Important
evidence given, on December %, was tnat Oh
M. Roussin, the chemist, who stated that there
was positive proof that Jean Kinck, Sr, was
poisoned by prussic acid. NJ. Granperet, lne
Procureur-G General, in reviewing the case, said
never had more murderous assassin than
Traupmann been brought before court OF
Justice. There could be no doubt that Ira'lp-
mann had no accomplices, and that ne, ana ne
alone, had been guilty of the crime OF winch
he was accused. The Procurcur-General, IN
concluding his speech, demanded ssat tne
punishment should be equal to the
crime. When NJ Lachaud opened his
speech in defence, looking to the previous in
difference manifested by the prisoner, the per-
sons in court were rather astonished at the
. tears he shed when his counsel alluded TO MS
mother and family; he fairly broke down and
hid his face in his hands. The prisoner was
found guilty at late hour, and sentence Oh
death was passed. On hearing his sentence
he smiled and bowed to the court. When the
cab-driver Bardot was giving his evidence,
and related his conversation with the young
Kincks left in his vehicle while Traupmann
vas engaged in numbering their mother and
sisters, both Judge and audience were carried
away by their Indignation, and the president OF
the court could not refrain from asking
the prisoner, who was listening calmly
to the recital. if he would never
have CLEAN of feeling. On another
occasion the whole assembly hooted the
prisoner when he required to his old system
of Defence concerning Ills pretended accom-
plices, and some of the spectators appear to
have indulged in abuse of the criminal, which
circumstance failed to have any effect on
him. The caulkT Haugnel,' who saved
Traupmann from drowning at Havre, when he
jumped into the BASIN of the port, was ap-
plauded in court, and highly complimented by
the Judge. THE sentence Of death passed upon
Traupmann called forth an outburst OF ap-
8 plause among the spectators, which was,
however, speedily suppressed. The condemn
ed himself did not show the slightest sign OF
feeling. He bowed to the jury unafFectedly,
and was silent on his way from the court to
the Conciergerie. Upon re-entering his ce |
he did not display the same gaiety rs on the
previous evenings, and could hardly stlfe
certain emotion. He took no nourishment
with the exception of a glass Of wine. The
following particulars of the trial are from the
Paris correspondence of the New York World:
TRAuPMANN's PORTRAIT.
Even the criminals appearance was familiar
to everybody before he came into the dock.
True, there was futter of excitement as he en-
tered, but was due to the satisfaction of meet
ing the reality of the familiar mental concep-
ton; for there was not q trait OF the criminal
which the mind had not accurately conceived
He was, perhaps, younger than had been eX-
pected; but how often had we been told to
imagine beardless youth, without indications
of muscular power, whose soft voice and mod
est appearance bore prtmd tdcie evidence to
his innocence We all knew his strengM lay
in his forearm, and in the accurate deNteriSy
necessary in his trade (he was a machiuist.)
We had been told beforehand he was flat
shsuldered. fat-footed, with thumb as long
as his fin gers, well-made nose, high and
prominent forehead, and handsome ears. We
expected to hear him speak French badly, TO
call himself Draupmann, and call every b as II
it were p. He came in as easily as If he were
entering cafe, and saluted the audience
with a cold. salute, just as one gives on enter
ing public establishment where one is in some
degree familiar with its other trequenters. The
audience sprang to their feet with wild curl
osity (your mob Is ever me,e mob, though
composed of fhigh-bred people} without ruiiling
his self-composure.
TRAUPMANEs EXAMINATION.
When the presiding judge ordered Traup-
mann to stand up to be examined (yOu know
here the prisoner is examined by the presiding
Judge, who conducts the examination of all the
witnesses,) he rose, modest but unabashcd,
and with a loud, clear, brutal voicc-the voice
Of butchers boy-answered the questions
put to him. AS he stands he seems even weak
er and more youthful than he appeared sitting.
The examination nils seven columns OF gu our
newspapers, for it lasted four hours. The
greater part of it is barren Of interest even to
us here, therefore l select the more salient
parts of it.
TRAUPMANN'S CoNFESSION-JEAS KINcK'S MUIR
DER.
am the sole perpetrator of the assassina-
ton of Jean Kinck, Of Gustave kinck, of Nine.
Kinck and Of her five other children. The
25th August last went to meet Jean kinck,
whose coming l expected, at the BOlWlller
Railway Station. We got in the omnibus TO-
gether and went to Soultz, where he left his
luggage After eating something at the
bakers, We went on tc Wattawiller, where We
bought bottle of Wine, and kept on our way
towards the ruins Of the Chateau de Herin-
fuct. Before we got there, we had already
drank portion of the wine in the bottle. |
carried the bottle. had in my pocket phial
of prussic acid which myself had made. TAX
Ing advantage of Il moment when Jean kinck
did not see me, / poured the contents of the
phial into the bottle, and when we reached the
brow Of the hill invited Jean Kinck to drink,
He did so aud instantly fell dead. This took
place about o'clock 2. NJ. The place was
completely deserted. dragged the corpse
some five or six yards from the road. | dug
with my hands grave in the ground, which
there is composed of gravel and frable earth,
and buried the corpse near 4 large oak. Be-
fore | inferred it | searched Kincks clothes
and took possession OF all his papers; among
them were two blank checks. two 100 franc
bank-notes, his watch, and twelve francs in
small change. returned to my fathers house
and stayed there uni! the Sd September, when
sat out for Paris. While remained ut my
fathers house | assumed Jean kinck's name
and initiated his handwriting Kept up a cor
rcspondencc with Nine. knck, at ROubaix,
also filled up the two blank checks had found
in Jean kinck's pocket, but sent to ROubai1
only one for 550Uf., whose proceeds ordered
to be sent to me at Guebwillcr. When
went to RoubaiX, some time afterwards, |