The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-30

could be addueed. that these two per-
sons had been seen by no one else.
4 doctor testified that Gomez had
been struck from behind on the head
with a Ratchet, and Ratchet was pro-
duced which was proven 10 have been
found In an old well In the rear Of
Loume's dwelling.
| An iron monger. Of Heelle, swore that
he sold the Ratchet TO young Loutne, to
the best Of his knowledge and belief, q
few days before the murder, but he
couldn't swear positively that the pur-
| chaser was Loulns.
For theaecused. testimony was offered
showing their good character. aud Mon
sieut Reutillier and his daughter testi-
fled ms TO their having been at their
dwelling from to 3 O'Clock ON the even
ing Of the crkne. The jury acquitted
the. elder Lour f. but found the younger
guilty vi, y, with With en'Sauating circumstances,
SENTENCED ToIMpRIsoNMENT FOR LIFE.
He was first sent to the bagne ut Roche
fort, but subsequently, transferred to
Dfest. This was In February. 1870. His
| friends did all in their power to secure
a mitigation Of his sentence. but In vain,
and his betrothed spent thousands Of
francs i'll consulting eminent counsel,
and doing all In her power 10 secure the
release OF Henri. whom she believed to
be utterly innocent.
After q few months had passed. Au-
gust Terneaux renewed his solicitations
for the hand OF Marg sret Reutillier. It
was in vain. however. for she remained
true to her first and only love, and de-
ciared her intention OF going into q
nunnery rather than contract marriage
with any one but Henri.
In the meantime Jules GormeH. the
murdered farmers nephew. and only
known relative, had taken possession OF
the estate, but did not disturb the ruins
Of the old dwelling. He removed from
the locality. and was said to have gone
to sea.
In January. 1876. he unexpectedly
made his appearance at La Motto, and
| offered his dead unple's property for
sale. Monsieur Reutillier purchased 1t.
and conveyed ii as an act OF friendship
to old Loume and his wife. whose cir
cumstanoes had been greatly reduced
by their unfortunate son.
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.
Soon after this conveyance was effected
Loume and his hired man went to work
TO remove the ruins OF the burned dwell
ing. After they had been at work some
time, and had carted away q large part
Of the debris, they came to an iron graf
|
front Of one Of the windows to give light
to cellar The grating was still in its
place. though forced down by the weight
Of material which had fallen upon it,
and when the grating was fully exposed
to view q singular fact was disclosed,
Between the bars was fixed a mans half
boot. 1t was held tight in the bars just
above the heel. 1t was In good eondi-
ton, though wet. and looked az though
1t had been there for some time.
Loume's attention was called to this
fact and the sight of it raised q strange
turmoil within him. The scenes of that
dreadful night when he and his son dis
covered the dwelling on fire came up
before him with startling viyidness. One
after another each circumstance arose
In it's place, and not the least important
Of them was The fact that ON that night
two men came from the direction Of the
dwelling. lehped the fence and fastened
on the road toward Bazaille. and that
one Of the men
HAD NO boot ON THE RIGHT FooT AND
WALKED LAME.
A glance at the boot fixed in the graf.
ing showed that it was the right one,
Here the old man saw vindieation of
his aon's character. for did not this
boot. found after seven long Years fixed
IN the grating before the murdered Cor
mez's dwelling. substantiate the testi-
timony that he and his son had given
No one had approached the dwelling
since the corpse was removed. The
ruins had lain there untouched through
all those years, and what could be plain
er than that one of the murderers OF
Gormez. in escaping by the window. had
caught his boot in the grating; that it
had been firmly fixed there. that he
hp1 les ~ Ill In fryh sfr ia
in trying to extricate it with the boot
on, and that finally. Us the flames
gained ground. and as last resort, he
had drawn his foot from the boot and
LEFT IT STICKING IN THE GRATING.
All these thoughts passed through
Loume's mind like u flash. He called
the attention OF the men to the boot
and got from them an explanation how
they had come upon it in removing the
ruins of the walls. Then he dispatched
one Of them with brief letter to the
Mayor Of La Motto, and remained on
watch with the others until his lordshil
! arrived. That funotionary WIS soon on
: the spot with local Judge and two con
! stables.
Loume pointed out the boot and gave
his explanation of the extraordinary
circumstances.
The Mayor and his companions were
greatly astounded, and conceded will
Loume that it was calculated to throw
J light on the crime for which his son wal
) enduring Il dreadful imprisonment.
} The grating was carefully raised AMI
conveyed. with the boot still fixed be
tween the bars, to the office OF tht
Mayor of La Motto. There another
fact Of staring nature was revealed
, On the lining Of the boot, near the top
was a name In ink, still distinctly visi
! BILE. That name was
AUGUST TERNEAUxl
The facts just narrated were kept Sc
, cret. and Loume sent for an eminen
lawyer to consult with him on the dis
covery. On his arrival, every circum
stance was gone over with great care
a Young Terneaux was the rival Of Henri
: Loume, and jealous Of his success witt
7 MuIs.a Ilt Ralltiller But VI II at had til a