The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-11-21

die close to the threshold, so as to
obtain sufficient light for her pur-
pose without running any risk what
ever of disturbing her intended
victim.
In moment more her figure dis
appeared in the gloom of the room
where her child and her guest were
sleeping. At this instant terrific
crash of thunder shook the earth,
and the tempest broke down the mar
row pass in which the house was
situated with a frantic howl. All
earthly noises were drowned in the
conflict of the elements. A vivid
flash of lightning, however, revealed
the figure Of Madame Maschez stand
ing in the doorway. She still held
the Ratchet in her hand, but it was
dripping blood.
In the brief moment which had
passed a human life had been taken
for the sake of few gewgaws and a
couple of hundred francs.
Such was the tragedy which oc-
Cured in the Andorre Pass on the
night of September 10, 1858, as told
at his trial by the husband of the
murderess himself. So quick and
noiseless had the crime been that the
little child, who had been awakened
by the crash of the storm, had heard
no other sound than that which had
disturbed her slumbers, and went to
sleep again.
The female tigress compelled her
cringing spouse, by furious threats,
to assist her in dragging the body
into the kitchen. Under cover Of
the storm this was done without
detection, and the pack was likewise
transported to the common room.
The sheepskin over which the muir
dered man h ad been lying was
soahc with his blood, and together
with his clothing, was thrown into
the ERE. The pools Of blood on the
earthern floor were speedily soaked
up by the ground.
The only evidences of the murder
left were the pack, the Ratchet and
the corpse itself. This latter was
quickly disposed of. In a shed at
the back Of the house were half a
dozen wine casks, most OF them
empty. Iuto one of these the body
was thrown, and at daylight Madame
Maschez headed it up with her own
hands and ran it full of water.
Several days passed, aud the Mas
chez house was always so beset with
visitors that no opportunity for a
burial of the body occurred. No
one had seen the peddler enter
The house, and his absence was not
noti' ed.
On September is, the little girl,
while at the village School of St.
Pol de Leon, exhibited very fine
silk handkerchief, one of number
contained in the peddler's pack.
The handkerchief attracted the at
tention of the village priest who
taught the school,, and be asked:
"Where did you get this fine ker-
chief, little one?''
"Mother has plenty of them," was
the innocent reply. "The strange
man with bundle who slept at our
house one night, and never went
away, had them.'
The child had unwittingly be-
trayed her guilty parent. Suspect
ing something from her remark,
the priest at once despatched mes
senger for the alcalde. He came
accompanied by a muleteer from
Andorre, who, that very morning,
had called at his house to inquire
for the missing peddler, to whom he
wished to deliver some goods. With
in an hour the school was dismissed
and strong party of villagers as
sembled, and, under the leadership
of priest and alcalde, set out for the
Maschez house.
The farm house was deserted.
From a gully behind it, however,
came a sound as of splitting wood,
and guided by it, the party pushed
on. AS they crossed the patch of
vegetable garden at the back of the
house they noticed smooth track
on the ground as if heavy wine
cask had rolled over it. On reach
ing the gully this track was
explained.
At the foot of the steep bank
Maschez himself stood, spade in
hand, beside trench, newly dug