National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-16
DOMESTIC TRAGEDY IN FRANCE


A domestic tragedy which began during the re-
cent war In France was hrousht to q startling
close by Q scaffold scene in Orleans the 4sh Of
December 1873. On that day Frenault de Cham
paunes was guillotined for having murdered his
own mother Jeanne Louise, and her second hus-
Four years ago Jeanne Louise Doury was the
wife OF Bernard Champanne., a prosperous IrJ
goods merchant at Mersigny- near Orleans. She
was in 1859 still woman OF great beauty, al
though she had already . son. young Frenault,
nineteen years old. The youth was endowed with
1878. he disappeared from his fathers house, and
shortly after It was discovered that 60 900 francs,
intrusted to his father as one Of the village super
viSors, was missing. NJ. de Champsnnes had u
boOkkeeper named George Pencllon, apparently
devoted to his master. Upon this Penolion's svi-
guilty Of having stolen public funds, and SEN
fenced to twenty years transportation. His father
tried hard to ascertain the whereabouts of Fren-
discovering that his son was in Rio Janero and he
received from Frenault letter In which tho
young man acknowledged having taken from tbs
safe only about 5000 francs. He had been caught
in the act by Penollon, who had advised him to
fee At once. He had gone to Brazil, and had OBJ
suSe =, ~ 1ns ne "S %
unfortunate father laid this startling letter be-
fore Penoion, who pronounced it tissue Of fsis,-
hoods.
Meanwhile the German army took Oris ms,
and on the 2lst Of October approached the v,iiaso
of Mersigny. Some Frauc-rireurs fired at tie
German Troops from the houses, and the con-
querors in realisation, shot Of the inhabitants
Among theso ten victims was Bernard dc Chm
pannes. On the 9th Of July, 1873 young man in
the village tavern, and during q repas: the land
lord told the young stranger all about tho oxecu-
tcn of Bernard de Chapannes, not emitting that
the latter had confessed previous to his execution
to the curate Of Niolles. The stranger was hardly
able to conceal his emotion and ieit the tavern
rather hurrieffly. A Jew minutes walk brought
i'm N
front of which bore the inscription: '-ScIgc Pencil
lOn." The stranger stood as petriiicd upon read
stepped to the front Of the store, bearing child
in her arms. Upon seeing her. the young man
stepped up to her. exclaimins; My mother;
terror and alarm. "What:" she cried: " is that
you, Frenault!" He replied in the affirmative.
boy che Tsl01ed a E ar
to the sendarme.S Your husband !" asked
sslr. Dc eSay m ans.
ried him six months after your fathers de.
cease. This is his ssn-your stepbrother: But
you something" She ran back into the house
and soon returned with . satchel. which sho
handed to her son. At this moment man stepped
through the back door into the store. The woman
whispered, 1T is my husband" kissed Frenaule
and stepped back. The young man Iurriedly LEFT
as e Ii. OF anS
the curate. The priest was deeply moved upon
hearing who his visitor was. He then told Fren-
his poor frther, and gave him letter which his
father haG entrusted to him to hand to his son
should he ever meet the latter. The letter con-
tanned the announcement that Bernard de Chap
annes had long suspected the existence of iGtsoa
between his bookkeeper and his wife. He ex-
els, e.; his grief having never nea5a IT.
nate young man into the most intense agitation.
All ct once he opened the satchel given him. It
looked at some Of them and suddenly said to the
priest, Lock At these coins they are brazilian
gold pieces" Without vouchsahng further ex-
plantations he LETT the bewildered priest and hur-
ried again INTO the night.
Next morning he was found In senseleSs con-
diton, and covered with blood in front OF the dry
goods store of Serge Penolion. physician found
that Frenault had been stabbed repeatedly in the
breast with knife. The wounds, however, were
not very serious, and the young man was soon re-
Meanwhile still more startling discovery had
boon made. The door.of Penoilou's store was open,
room, in the rear Of the store, lay the blood
stained corrses of Serge Pcnolion and his wife.
Their throa,s had been cut from ear to ear. The
and piece Of cloth attached to il, Afterwards
found TO have been torn from the coat Frenauit:
Tho latter made no secret Of the, part he had
played in this terrible drama. He had returned
TO Mersfgny, and had knocked q. Penollou' door.
Penollon himself opened Il to him, and had been
piorsd him not e kin him. The Young man prom
fsed to spare his stepfather,s Rfe II the latter
would answer him few questions.
Penollon readily accepted this proposition, and
had taken him into the bedroom where Jeanne
was. In the presence Of the latter Pen0l0n then
confessed that he had, before the death Of De
Chapsnnes, entertained . iiaison with the wife Of
the latter; that, upon discovering the robbery, hc
had himself appropriated the other s, 900 frances
I hat he hasi also appropriated SG0o francs which
De Chapannes had sent his father in Brasilian
gold from Rio Janeiro: and finally that he (Penol-
Toni had fired the shots from the windows Of De
Chapannes, and had denounced the latter to the
German soldiers. .Thereupon," Frenault 10
Chapannes said. "I seized the infamous villain
and cut his throat. Then Irushed upon my mother,
and, notwithstanding her sapplieations, killed
her, too"
The natrioide- was. tried for this double murder,
and, repeating his horrible confession, sentenced
to be xuilIotined. The prisoner received his sen
tencs with. the utmost composare. To the last
moment he said he did not regret his bloody decd.
As amatrictde he was guillotined with a vail Of
black Grape over his head. Before the oblique
knife fell down. upon his neck, he exclaimed:
' FstheE, l. have avenged theer-