The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-02-28
MISCELLANY.
The Murderers of Limours.

y
the public officers Of the criminal court
of Rambouillet in France were conduct
ing searching inquiry into all the facts
connected with the mysterious series OF
seven murders i'll the canton OF Llmours,
the terror of the country people was M
creased bY the reports OF new crimes add
ed to the list.
Robbery in these as in the former cases
was the evident object. On one Sunday
evening aIgranary situated directly oppo-.
site the parish church in the village OF
Vaugrigneuse was fired by Iacenhafles.
Two hours later, at Norville, not Tar
distant. another building, in which straw
and grain were stored, was burned.
Sacks of grain were carried away by the
robbers.
An ola married couple named Ber-
ard weret living in an isolated cottage
ataplace; where two roads crossed near
the forest of Charbonnieres. The hus-
band worked at the estate OF that name,
while his wife sold refreshments to trav-
elers.
On january s, Berard, on returning
from his toll. found the cottage door lock-
ed, and upon entering through window
saw the dead body Of his wife extended
IDon the eihearthstone. A blow with some
blunt instrument had broken the skull
and inflicted a rectangular wound. Five
hundred francs had been stolen. The
press in which this sum of money had
been kept was the only piece OF furniture
disturbed. The conductor of stage who
knocked at the door about half past four
that afternoon was surprised that old
Madame; ;Berard did not appear. After re-
peated knocks hoarse voice asked What
was wanaed. The conductor replied that
he was in hurry, and wished for drop
to drink TO this there was no answer
On looking through the window he saw
Madame Berard sitting on chair ano
leaning against the wall, with hel
head down ON her bosom. He conclu
ded she had been drinking too much, ane
left, She had been killed half an houl
before.
At Dtgny, some sixty miles from tn
scene OF the other tragedies, three day
before this murder an old woman names
Iebrun Mas killed i'll the evening at he
home. Notwithstanding the intervenin!
distance. the manner of inflicting death b,
crushing in the skull tended to show tina
the LimOurs assassins had extended thel
operations to Digny.
The most singular story. however,
that of The murder of two itinerant hel
ring dealers who were wont to peddle the
fish about the little villages in the distrit
of Limours. These two men had disal
peared. One evening peasant saw an
cart driven by man in a white blouse pas
rapidlv along the river road which leaC
to Vert.le-Petit. ltwas moonlight
and the peasant saw protruding from Il
back of the cart the heads of the TWO fls
dealers Their throats were cut and Il
skulls had been crushed.
On Jan. 20 people in the town OF Lir
ours were disturbed by the disappearan
of Desire, a postman, who nad lett
home on the previous morning. Inc p
lice found him after long search dead
his knees at the foot of a fir tree.
had stranoled himself with his own han
kerchiGf. This letter was found III l
sack:
Il die innocent; but l can make tho
guilty of the assassinations known.
''These are their names:
SLebpuf, formerly a butcher apprentl
of Alien, now at Paris, where he works
the slaughter houses of La Vlllette..
"GiIard of Limours, his father-in-laW
"GHillemard. nephew of Madame V
ance, called the Forester of Bois-Dard
g HFrDQuet of Angeryilliers.
ssThe wine seller of Angeryiiliers.
The letter concluded with an appeal
behalfof his children who are left orphal
On Wednesday the four accused
ndmett were aTeSteu. "A eIcpasoh
sent to Paris, and Lebeuf was taken II
custody by seven officers who went to
room st Rue de F'landre. Leboeuf is
gigantic stature and great strength, q
bears 4 strong resemblance to Victor Il
anuel. He quietly succumbed, howey
in the;presence of such force. Ii is $
that d club belonging to him has %
found at the slaughter house OF La Vile
with pieces of human hair adherlng TO
On Thursday Leboeuf was taken to Ra
bouiliet, where he is now in prison.
seems probable that these five men are
real criminals judging from the charaf
of their employments and the impro
biIity1of the suicide Desires falsely acc
ing tile innocent in his last moments. !.
in many other cases, confession has d
what the keenness of detectives failed to
compiish. The burden of his secret
ton heavy for the poStnlan to bear: Wht