Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

he night he fore. lie Bru7, who was next
81 He'd Upon, gave with co al clearness an
'cOUr 81 everything that al happened o
rim self from the time Z his going out with
his n lslress to vespers down TO the moment
OF bis examination. He was arch ed, ard
there was found upon him the Fey OF tie
hall, where his pantry was, and a N aster-
key, with large wards, which on trial was
foJ nd TO open the door of Madame MsZeis
cha mber, upon which the lieutenant crimt-
lei ordered him into Gust dy. On putting
on the napkin IL was I, und 100 small for his
head; they examined his bands, but there
were no signs OF blooi on them, nor on his
clothes; nor were there on any part OF his
person any marks of that resistance which
IL was very evident the unfortunate victim
had made. Some OF the hair of the ruffian
who had killed her she had torn of, and still
held clutched in her hand. LIE Brun was
again examined In prison, aid neither on
found the least cause TO believe him the
guilty person. They next examined the
logging Of his wife, where Dothing was found
his linen, to compare 1t with a Shirt which
was found stained with blood In the garnet,
hidden under some straw, land which 1t was
reasonably supposed had be- worn by The
ass assin,) and with the lace neck cloth. Two
OF the female servants declared that this
neck cloth never had belonged TO LIE Brun,
but said they remembered having washed IL,
or one just like 1t, for a servant named
Berry, who had been dismissed from the ser
vice OF Madame MaZel about four months
before, because he was detected in roobiDg
her. No resemblance was found between the
shirt ana tnose belonging to lie Brun, nor In
any inquiry that was m ade did the slightest
circumstance arise that tended 10 Tx the
charge on him.
On Jan. IA, 1899, NJ. De SavOnnieras pre-
sented request 10 the Lieutenant Crimlnel
In his own name, and in that of his two
brothers, demanding that lie Brun should be
declared duly convicted OF having murdered
Madame Mazel, and Of having ROBBED her Of
a quantity OF gold coin that VS. In her
strong box; and That ne should be at the same
time deprived and declared unworthy of a
very handsome legacy which had been left
him by his old mistress. With such force
was that latter point urged that 1t was plain
ly apparent that this same legacy was the
real source of all enmity of De SaVOunieres
toward the unfortunate LIE Brun.
M. D'AucOur, who was employed as LIE
Bruins advocate, showed conclusively that
1T was impossible he could be guilty. The
deceased had received above fifty wounds
and had evidently made great resistance,
but The prisoner had not even the slightest
scratch on his hands, or spot of blood on his
so much smaller than his head that he could
not put IL on. The knife was not his; the
neck cloth was known to belong TO another
person; The shirt was not like any he pos
sesked; IL was unlike not only in quality,
but also in size, and was made for small
man, whereas LIE Brun was tall and robust.
The INSTRUCTED zeal of the prosecution was
strongly urged upon the court. Why was
not inquiry made after Berry? Berry, who
had once robbed Madame MaZel; who was
known to be an Infamous wretch, capable of
Known TO belong; who was in Paris about
the time OF the murder, and had been seen
since With an amount of money which he
could not have honestly obtained. Why was
no notice taken of the Abbe Poulard? an
e uivocal character at best; priest who,
after being in two orders, actually belonged
10 none who had access at all hours TO the
house OF Madame Mazel; who had been seen
To enter at midnight-the hour the muir
der was committeeman who had an interest
in the death Of his benefactress, which LIE
Ignorant IN
HIM had not.
The counsel on the other side laii great
stress on the possession of the key, on LIE
Bruins exclamation This is not apOplexy,
but something worse" and on the seven
louis he gave his wife TO lock up, and which
1T was pretended was part of the money
taken from Madame MaZel, although no
Identification of IL was even attempted.
Never was there q clearer case. There was
no direct evidence either way. A single cir
cumstance-the possession OF a master key,
of which duplicate was known TO be IN
exist6nce-was all that could be urged
against the prisoner, while in his favor there
was mass OF clTcumstantial evidence, clear
prePOr Gerating, and convincing. His ac-
qulttal seemed certain, but we who occa-
sionally feel inclined to grunole at the per
Nersltles OF jurleS, would do well 10 stuiy
carefully the history of French Jurisprudence
! e ore the revolution. Poor lie Brun was
iTled at different times before fifty tive
judges, men whose business was the trial of
causes, and whom the knowledge
which comes from experience should have
e.tllghteL ed. But other causes were at
wOIk-they always were at work III
the old French pdrtementS family inf
ence, friendship, money social relations
all exerted an influence on these bodies
which Juries rarely feel. To their Ubiquitous
dec siOIs on many occasions was largely
due that intense hatred of the old system of
procedure which made its overthrow one OF
the earliest steps of the revolution. OF the
eleven judges who first tried him two de
clared that they required further informa-
IiOn, two voted that he might be put TO the
torture, and six condemned him TO death,
and that, too, In the most cruel manner that
On Feb. p his case came up tor review,
aud sentence was passed upon him by TWEEN
fur her inquiry; the other twenty decided
iOr the torture, ordinary and extraordinary.
LIE Brun was In consequence put to this
dreadful trial, but amid the most dreadful
oltures persisted in declaring his innocence
On the 9th, twenty-five other judges being
ass embed, two voted that be should be sent
TO the galleys for life, but the rest voted for
an adjourned inquiry OF twelve months, dur
ing which lie Brun was to remain In prison,
though his wife was TO be at liberty. LIE
Brun, who had all this time been kept In a
dungeon without being allowed TO see any
one but the jailer, was now allowed to re-
ceive his wife, children and friends; but this
torture had SO reduced him, though a very
athletic and healthy man In the prime or
life, that his wife had only time to procure
for him the administration of the sacra-
ments. As he received them he again SOL
emily protested his innocence, and xpired
amid the despair OF bis wife and children.
and the regret of all who knew him.
A few weeks after this occurrence inforn1a-
ton was given to the Magistrate OF Sens
that man named Gerlat, Otherwise Berry
bad established himself I'm that town as a
dealer In horses, and without any visible
means by which he could acquire money to
support such traffic. He was arrested,
ana upon him was found a watch which was
known to belong TO Madame Mazel. Pro-
cess was Instantly commenced against him ,
and witnesses examined. Several persons
swore they had seen him at Paris st the time
OF the murder; woman swore she saw him
come out OF the house after II o'clock ON the
night 1t was committed. A barber deposed
that he had shaved him the next day, and .
having observed scratches and wounds on
his hands, Berry bad told him that they
were made by a cat which he had attempted
to kill. The shirt and neck-cloth were
proved 10 be his by comparing them with
these found upon him.
Berry was put To the torture, when he con-
fes sed that he had concealed himself In the
garret or the house from the Friday to the
Sunray, FEEDING upon bread and apples,
WI ich he had put into his pockets: that on
ST nday morning, when Madame Navel uant