The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-03-20
4 THRICE-CONFESSED MURDER,

In the early part of the last century tber
lived near the town fPont de Pain, in tn,
south of France, brick and tile burner
named Joseph Wallet. Joseph was an in
dustrious man, skilfull in his profession
and his bricks and tiles were in great re
quest in the neighborhood. Among hi.
nelgnpors were Joseph Sevos and Anton,
temperate habits, who suddenly disan
peared, after having been seen the preyiou
evening-February 10, 1724-in a state O
lneeriety. They were no where to be found
and when week elapsed without thei,
making their appearance, the question arose
What had become of them?
After some inquiry, it was found that
Pin had gone to Dombes, and enlisted-a
thing he often threatened to do. But OF
Sevos there were no traces. This was the
more strange, seeing he was in good circum-
stances and the possessor of small prop
erty. Some thought Pin must hsve made
away with bis companion. but others COM
onIted this idea, under the impression that
ifPin had committed murder, he would have
meo. no one knew whittier, instead of en-
listing as soldier.
While public curiosi Y was on the stretch
TO discover what had become of Sevos, a
rumor was pfppagated that all was not
rlght with the family of Wallet, the tile
burner. 1t was said that they were very
much discomposed, as if conscious of hav-
Ing committed grievous crime. The re.
port spread rapidly through the country,
and the Attorney General Frillet, lost no
ime IN inquiring into the facts. The re.
suit OF his investigation was. that on the
is,h OF August, 1724, he filed an informs.
tion to the effect that son Sunday evening,
Inc 18th of February, Joseph Sevos, after
senng and drinking in Wallets house, had
suddenly disappeared, and has never since
ben heard of. That further, according to
general belief, he had been murdered in the
uier's house, and Eurried under the stove
but that afterward the body had been raised
and consumed In the kim
upon this Information, proceedings were
commenced By the authorities at Pont dc
ram, end witnesses summoned. The per.
son was man called Vaudan. He averred
that on the night of the 10Th of February
navlng been to Mastalion, he was returning
py Wallets house, about three hours before
Daylight, when he heard a great noise. and
clearly distinguished the words:
HEIDI HelpI / will confess every
, aalng Forgive me this once, and spare my
Whereupon a voice, which he knew to h,
Joseph Wallets, answered:
we want no more confessing. Yor
must die!'
=, This sort of dialogue continuing som,
ume, the witness became alarmed; but anx
ious to hear the Ell d of it, he hid himself be
n,nd push, whence he distinctly heard the
plows that were given to the victim. Sad
denIy, however, all became still, and Dres-
emily afterward the door of the house open
eu, ana Wallet, accompanied by his wife snt
Mo sons, came out, bearing a dead BODY
anlcn they carried to the brick kiln. and
hefc buried. He added that three or fou]
SWays siterward he made pretext to call OF
salet az the brick kiln, In order to see If he
Tula recognize the place but, from wha
oeen removed, and he had since learned thu
me murdered person was Joseph Sevcs, an,
mat on Good Friday the Wallets had con
sumed the body in the furnace.
tnere Were several other witnesses ex
sMiheo but on close inquiry it appeared
.nat they had received their Information
from V2Idan. However, the presumptior
appeared so strong agaiDs. the Wallets tina
spsit m arrest was decreed, and executed witt
aa uae aggravated circumstances that so un
naaua ~ crime seemed to Justly. 4 brig
af aSe 3l mounted police. followed by mo,
Sn,u Sr ne lowest class, procee1ed to the tile
inc J,., mouse, and. amid hooting and howl
da !, Gisxged away the whole family to Pom
"V VAN, am, and shut them up in prison.
Nv wnae these things were going on. the,
,.;,h wS party who looked on the whole affsi,
nrsns msn Idissatlsfaction. They ventured tn ex
press doubts Of the guilt OF the Valiats :" ont un
protested against treating them nh, Al. =.
much severity; while Antoine Pin ~, :,
was assuredly not free from sn.n;c;an' ' Mn' l'
allowed to range the world at pIessurs "a
last the matter got SO public thar II raso,.a, "a
Paris; it was talked Of at court. md r,,iNS rscns'
cd subject for the salons: and "a tha ,'tsn !, y
ladies' and gentlemen became curion. ~. y
learn the truth of the business, orders wer
forwarded to Dombes to arrest Antoine Pr
ana send him forthwith to Pent de pair
no sooner did the fugitive find himself i
PRISON than he volunteered a full confession
ne sad that nobody knew better than h
me particulars Of poor Sevos' murder; an
sIst ne was resolved, be the consequence
wnat they might, that he would disclo:
the whole truth. "''0''S
Un the evening of the Is n of February.
sald ne, - and Scvos were drinking in Va
h mouse, when Sevos took It into hi
hhead, peing drunk, to rep-oach Wallet wit
Deing the cause of Dupler's death wbere
upon, In rage, Wallet took up heavy #
On On mat stood upon the table and sfruc
vos such blow on the head with n tho
" 'en backward to the earth, crying, sMcr