The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-16
A French Crtrstnal % o ne u a. The
Ronard VIII Casc--Csn Louis HonaYd
he Marrin Chas. Ronarts, the French
3 . & 4. E

Cenvics9 %4ts<ts
A most singular exemplifeation of the
completeness Of the French criminal re.
cords occurred before Surrogate Hutch.
inys Yesterday. The famous Louis Bonard
will case was called up. This is the case oil
the cid Frcuchman who, dying in Wooste r
street some months ago, left a large amount
Of property by will to Mr.. Henry Bergh
and the Society for the Prevention of CRU
city 10 Animals. Since the will was adjust
ted TO probate several counsel appeared in
court and moved 10 set the will aside. on
The ground that they represented kins'folk
Of Louis Ronard, and that the testator was
insane at the tune OF executing the viii.
On the opening Of court yesterday M.
Coutert made the preliminary motion, and
stated he appeared for the following per-
sons. Jean Pierre Bonard. Francois
Barthelemv Bonard. Hortense Marie klavle
Bonsrd (Sistcr st. MaeloiSe), and Louis
Francois Lerc>que, son OF dead sister.
These persons the counsel stated were rela-
f;yes and next OF kin Of one Marin Charles
Bonard. who the counsel claimed was in
reality the deceased testator. Al. Coudert
moved that commission be appointed by
the court to take the testimony of these
persons and other witnesses in France.
MIR. John G. Boyd, counselt tor one of the
executors, lcau III oppustIiou W M WV
dcrt's motion several attidavits showing in
substance repeated declarations made by
Lous BoAard up to the hour of his death
that he had no relations living.
Al this stage Of the proceedings Mr.. L.
j. Moisscn rose and stated he appeared
for Mile. Josephine Bonard Claimed to be
niece Of the tcStator), and moved for an
adjournment in the Gaze. The motion was
dcutcd. but permission was granted by the
court for the counsel to file his appearance
and objection forthwith.
Mr. Elbridgc 7. Gerry, counsel for Mr..
Bcrgh and the Society for the Prevention
OF Crusltv to Animals. read an affidavit of
Mr.. Bcreh to the effect that that eentlem an
had examined the French Official docu-
ments Uhe deposition Of Jean Pierre Bon
arG) referred to by Vi. ConGo:t, and that
such document showed that Marin Chas.
Bonard, Of which the claimants were next
OF kin, was hardened French criminal.
The document recitod that Marin Charles
| Bonald was born at Sacquervilc, France,
April 81, 1915. Six years after, on the
death of his father, he came TO Balbec
and Llllcbonne and worked like his bro
thcrs and sisters. He worked ten years in
| the hrick-yard of NJ. Fossard at LiIlebonne.
| partly As q workman, but mostly as COM
miSsiounirc in fact for the last years of his
!
! FoSsard's commissions. In 1895 he COM
piled with the recruiting army law at Lille
drew No. " o." was drafted for the line,
| but was set aside as being flat footed. Up
! to that time he had borne q good character,
| though noted for q rather moroSe and tacl-
| turn disposition, but his life soon changed.
Towards the end OF the year 1888 he was
condemned to one years imprisonment by
the tribunal Of correction at Havre
for stealing wearing apparel. Barely re-
leased from confinement, he was again
condemned to a years Imprisonment by the
same tribunal for stealing money OIL the 18th
Of March, 1889, a,aa the decision of the tri-
bunsl was atfrIDSd by the Court of APP
pcals, sitting in the city of Rouen, on the
| Doth of April in the same year. Released
again in April, 1910, he returnedto Lille
| boune, and was arrested for his third theft,
breaking and sealing in 8 dweling-hou>e
(burglary) on the oath Of January, 1871,
taken before the Court Of AssiZes of the
Lower Seine. sitting at Rouen, and con-
demueG to six years imprisonment without
public exposure. After liberation in June,
1871, he was sent under surveillance to Rou-
en-, but did not appear much there us he
was marked man by the mouchards and
agents de justice. After the events Of 1S4S
and the riot which took place in kouen then,
one evening in June, rs Jean Pierre Bonard
was sitting by his door, Marin came up,
ragged and dirty, and asked for some
clothes and money. Not wishing any dis
cuSsion in the street, Jean Pierre asked
him into the house and there told him that,
owing to the disgrace he had brought on
| the family name, lie would do nothing for
him. Then Marin said, "Iou will not
give me any clothes, eh: No money, Ell
Well, am going away, and yon will never
see or hear OF me again. lie went away,
| aud was never seen again.
| After the reading of this affidavit, Mr.
John X. Porter followed Mr.. Gerry i'll an
elaborate argument against the granting OF
| the application. n. Coudert then closed
| the argument.
| Surrogate HutchingS will render his de.
cision on the motion to-day. Ii is under
stood that in the event Of I further dcvel-
opmcut in the case, romance OF French
| Grim nal life will be made public. 1t Is
asserted by the claimants, and will proba.
! bly be coutcnded by them, that after Marin
Charles Bonard, the French convict, came
| on that June night in 1913 TO the house OF
| Jean Pierre Bonard and was refused a.
siStance, by the proceeds of a robbery
which he committed he was enabled to
! leave France for this country, where by
untirng industry he boarded up the
| wealth which, remembering his being
driven from home by Jean Pierre, he left
not to any of the Bonards in France, but
| bequeathcd to Mr.. Bergh and the Society
| for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
| Nelc York World Of Thursday.
CoLoREp WoRKINGMEN's MEET1NG-The
| VoD,ea.s' Ciu6 and Social EUil.- Washing.
ton, Sept II, 1S11.-The colored working.
| men OF the fourteenth Legislative strict
have made considerable progress in their
organization, which is based upon deter
! imitation to secure higher WAGES. and liz