Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
The Case OF Jacques lie Brun.

When a lawyer wishes to impress the
minds Of jury with the conviction that u Il
extremely dangerous for them 10 convict any
one on circumstantil evidence alone, he
rthearses a long list OF Instances in which
such proof has turned out 20 be deluSiOn
aud a snare, and prominently among these
there figures a garbled account of the trial
and conviction OF Jacques lie Brun. This
same case has often been related by law
writers, who, ignorant OF the tue principles
on which the rules OF evidence are base !, III
sist that direct testimony only is TO be re-
garded as of any weight. The true history,
however. OF the trial of the unfortunate lie
Brun gives support TO no such theory. On
the contrary, had his judges paid prOpar
regard TO the weight OF circumstantial evil
der ce he would have been acquitted. Here
are the facts in the case, as Set forth by NJ.
-- in his great collection OF Causes Gels
tTeS, published years ago.
Madame MaZel, residing In Paris, had
PASSED the meridian OF life, and was pIs-
sessed Of an ample fortune. She employed
retipue OF servants; two footmen, a coach
her twenty years, and was her butler, and
three female servants, composed her house
hold. A man called the Able Poulard llved
WITH her on footing OF intimacy which did
no honor TO her reputation. In the course OF
the summer Of 1898 she had taken from lie
Brun master-key, which opened all the
Poulard for his accommodation IN coming
and going at all hours. lie Brun had du-
plieate key, which he continued to use. On
November %, 1895, being the first Sunday In
Advent, Madame MaZel, who was very
punctilious In the exercises OF religion, went
70 vespers. She left her house attended by
lie Brun, on whose arm she leaned, and the
two fOOtmen followed her. AS soon as she
was In the chapel lie Brun Quilted her and
went TO hear vespers himself at the Jacob
ins, In the Rue St Jacques. Madame Mazel
upon her return supped, according to her
usual custom, -a-tete with the Able
Poulard- AT IL O'Clock she went to her
chamber. The maid, as was her usual Gus
tom, put the key on the chair, after which
they all Quilted the room, and LIE Brun, who
Lost a, 81.
10. He then went into the kitchen and took
the key Of the street door to lock IL; he took
ii of the hook, but finding himself cold, he
laid IL down on the table while he warmed
himself; and, being fatigued-possibly, too,
having drunk more than he was acoustic med
tO-he insensibly fell asleep. When he awoke
he heard the clock strike one He ran up 10
lock the street door, which, 10 bis surprise,
he found wide open, and, when he had done
SO, took the key with him into his room. So
Madame Mazel usually rose az 7, and the
servants, when 8 O'Clock struck the next
der that she had not rung her bell LIE Brun
had gone out early in the morning 70 see his
wife, TO whom he gave seven louis and some
other money, which lie babe her lock up. On
his return 10 the house he asked If NJ adams
Mazel was yet up. Being told she was not
be expires sed great surprise and uneasiness.
The whole household. by this time assembled
In the kitchen, determined to awaken her;
they went to her door ard raped loudly,
but all was silent. Some one suggested that
ing of the nose, to which she was subject, had
caused her 10 faint; but LIE Brun remarked
that IL must be something worse. "Some-
thing said he, "fs wrong. lam very uneasy,
because / found the street door open last
night" The room door was broken down,
and the servants entered. lie Brun went
hastily to his mistress bed. She was assas-
sinated and covered with blood.
NJ. De Savonnteres, her eldest son, at this
moment arrived, Madame Mazel lived apart
from her family, } and at once sent for the
Lieutenant Criminel. In the name or HIM
self and his two brothers he laid formal
complaint before that Official, and surgeons
were sent for To examine the body. About
nifty small wounds made with a knife were
found on her hands, face, shoulders, and
great effusion OF blood had been the cause
OF her death, for none OF the wounds were OF
themselves mortal. In the bed was found a
ed up in the form Of night-cap, which towel
belonged 10 the house, and was marked with
an as" The cords OF the bells were twisted
up above the reach of the hand, and tied To
the curtain-rod; IN the ashes was found a
knife. seven or eight inches long, the handle
OF which had been Of tortoise shell. but 1t
was nearly all burned of. The key OF The
chamber door was not found on the seat,
where the maid affirmed she had put It No
door was broken, and the two doors which
opened on the back stairs were both shut aud
Locked from the inside The key OF the
clothes press was found in It's usual resting
Place under the pillow: ON opening the
money-for, like all old dowagers OF that
perlod, she was an inveterate gambler-was
found, containing some three hundred livres
IN gold The key of the strong box was in
the same place, and In IL were found four
bags, each containing some !. 900 livres, and
many other bags con taining different sums,
On one OF which was written, "This is the
property OF the Able Poulard" Under one
bag there was an empty purse and red lea
tier vriting-cesk, which contained all Mad
ssne MaZels jewels, To the value of 1900
livres. In her pocket there was found the
sum OF eighteen pistoles In gold. Undouo t-
ecly some other motive than robbery had
caused the preparation of the crime.
The lieutenant criminel Questioned the
two women who attended on Madame Ma
lat Irr rrrl,a