The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-10
A FRENCH TRAGEDY.
A Man Slabs His Sister-in- Law six times al
ter Robbinp Her

Man Slabs His sistor-in-Law.six times af-
ter Robbing Her.
The London Times correspondent in
Paris writes to that journal on May &c: A
terrible story has lust been unfolded at the
Assize Court of Mines. l will tell it as
briefly as l can A Spaniard called Jaime
Sancho had for many years lived with his
wife at Beaucaire. The husband was a
chDonier, and, as the couple were labo.
rious and honest, they enjoyed an excellent
reputation, and were esteemed by all who
knew them. By dlnt of hard work thew
managed to save sum of nearly 5000
francs, with which they purposed to return
to their native place, Tarragona, and there
buy back little property which had for
merly belonged to the family. Last Oc-
tober, indeed, they had made journey
with this object, but, not being able to come
to terms with the proprietor, they had re-
turned to Beaucare. While waiting for
some good investment for their earnings
they hid the money in the house where they
lived alone, in the Grande Rue. On the
eth of November, at . o clock in the MORN
ing, they received visit from a fellow
Jose Vague, and said he was sent by San
cho's brother-in.la law, named Praty, to an
nounce his arrival at Marseilles, and to say
that his son had been arrested by order of
the Spanish Counsel, as wishing TO avoid
the consumption. Vague further produced
a letter purporting to be from Praty. le-
questing his brother-in-law to come at once
to his assistance at Marseiles, and asking
him to receive Vague as a friend. Sancho
therefore, at once departed for Marseilles,
and left his countryman installed in his
house. Vague went out twice during the
evening, and ten minutes after his return
on the second occasion, at about s 80, the
door-bell rang. Nine Sancho was going
down stairs to answer it, when a thick
wooden covering was thrown over her head
| from behind by Vague, and at the same
- - '-------,------
oud man entered. The newcomer at once
rushed toward the unfortunate woman and
commenced beating her about the head and
| body with a bludgeon, Nine. Sancho, it
should be added, being eneeinte at the time
| The two rufians next garotted her and tied
her hands together with rope, and then
her keys were taken from her pocket, the
newcomer saying to Vague in Spanish
"Iiold her fast; l know where the money
is" What was the poor woman's horror
to recognize the voice of her husbands own
brother, Francisco Sancho Caretta whom
she had left in Spain a month before, and
supposed still to be there? Evidently he
knew Of their money, and she remembered
that he had asked them to lend him 1000
| francs, and had even struck her on their
refusal She at once saw her terrible pos
| ition, and that there was only one chance
of escape namely, to remain perfectly
still. This she did with the marvellous self
possession, while Vague still held her and
| Francisco Sancho was rihing the drawer
where the money was kept. Not word,
not groan, escaped her lips, though she
must have been in fearful pain. At last
| Francisco Sancho said, ave have what we
want" The wretch then drew long Cat
| alonian knife and stabbed his sister-in-law
| with it six times successfully, Still this
| really heroic woman played her difficult
| part. Not a cry did she utter, nor give
any sign of life-not even when her broth
er.in-law put his hand to his heart and said
| to Vague "She is dead" The ruffians
then developed their victim in all the linen
they could find, and hurriedly left the house.
| Bv a miracle not one of the knife-thrusts
had touched a vital part, though they were
all aimed through the covering at the heart.
| The poor woman, faint and bleeding, man.
aged by means of her teeth to free herself
| from the linen, the wooden cloak, and the
cord and crawled to her bed, where her
screams brought no assistance, for the room
did not open upon the street. Her agony
that night must have been awful. AT last,
| in the morning, assistance arrived, the
alarm was given, and the assassins we're
arrested at Montpelier. AT the trial Nine.
Sancho gave her evidence in the clearest
way, and described the minutest details of
the terrible scene which she had under
gone. Her appearance in court naturally
excited the greatest sympathy, Nj Millet,
a doctor, deposed that Nine. Sancho had
only escaped by what have already called
it above, miracle. The jury found both
prisoners guilty, with-why, it seems hard
to decide extenuating circumstances in
favor of Vague. Francisco Sancho was
therefore condemned to death and Vague
to penal servtude for life. No one who
reads these lines will assuredly wish that
either of the sentences should be COM
muted.
|