The New York herald., 1878-10-28
A MURDERER'S SUICIDE.

| PIERRE PROVOST, ACCUSED OF KILLING THE
FRENCH FAMILY. FOUND DEAD IN HIS cELL-
DETAILS OF THE TRAaEDY-vIoILAN1s
CHEATED OF THEIR PREY.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
vNcESxxs, Ind, Oct, 81, 1873.
Ono Of the most atrocious murders every perpc-
,rated was that OF the French family vacelot con-
sistiue OF four persons, on Wednesday night. and
which had q fitting solution to-day. Last
night the Coroner's jury rendered verdict finding
that the murdered persons came to their deaths al
tho hands OF Pierre Provost who was under arrest
suspicion. This, coupled with apprehension of lynch
ing seemingly proved much for Provost for upon
opening the jail this morning he found dead, hav
ing hanged himself during the night This act seemed
the more remarkable as he has remained stoid and
immovable IN his claim Of innocence, and the over
whelmng crcumstantial evidence produced no visible
change In hts dcmeanoE
THE DISCOVERY.
Al nvs minutes. aitor eight this morning Deputy
sheriff Runner into the Jail to breakfast TO
the tour prisoners The Jail has upper OF cells
four In each tier. Provost occupied . cell In the
lower tier, while the remaining prisoners were IN
the upper cells, one occupying cell directly above
him. Provost not appearing for breakfast Runner d.
rec,ed another prisoner to call him. He opened tho
door, looked n and reported 10 Runner that Provost
n
found the condition therein as toows:-Provost had
tied towel around his neck his coat no had fastened
TO the upper bench. which was about four iee from
across ench other, leaving openings OF about four
| inches square. Through these openings the coat
sleeves ung down. One Of these passed through
the towel and tied to tho other sleeve Provost hav
ing made this arrangement placed his body
neck and there remained until death ensued from
| stranguatioo His body was In diagonal position,
his head being the door, hts feet resting
| door. Ihe right hand resting on the lower bench
/ ana the lett hand hanging down. Hts head was not
over three feet from the floor, making u necessary
for him 70 draw body up and by resolute deter
mination hod It In that position until vitality was
| gone.
| Assistance being procured tho body was removed
| to an undertaking establishment, wncre the Coro-
ner,s Jury impanced and.a verdict rendered In
| accordance with the above facts One OF the remain-
Ing prisoners jail thought he heard slight strus
| Cling noise about midnight The medical eviden CO
before Csroners jury fixes the time OF tho suicide
| between two and three O'Clock. Provosrs features
are not distorted, ms appearance being natural, ex
cept body. which remains rigid IN the curved po
| siton as found.
YESTERDAY afternoon Father 0cslor, of the Catholic
Cathedral, BY request OF tho prisoner, visited tho
jail and renamed WIN MIN 40 hosr ne s.a,oa .nss
years OLD, but revealed no more oil MS previous hs-
tory After leaving the prison, having confessed the
| prisoner and promised 10 return tho next morning
| and administer sacrament the priest was told BY
many that there was grsa. danger ol tho prisoners
being Iynched that night Ho therefore returned TO
tho prison ana informed prisoner he had returned
| to administer the Holy Communion. Provost asked
| why ho had como at such an unreasonable
hour, 10 which Father 0ester answered ,s
was bost for MIN to be prepared TO ale,
as tho mob mi ght Kill him that night Provost asked
what would be the manner OF death and was told IL
would be shooting or hanging. Father Oestcr again
| exhortsd him to confess anything In his
| l,fo which would make him uneasy AZ
| to tho future, but the prisoner was
silent, Tho priest then administered the sacrament
and, giving him his prayer beads, LETT him. After
inc departure Of tho priest Provost declared himself
ready to die, and PROBABLY determined then upon his
| subsequent suicide.
| STATEMENT OF A PRISONER.
Ono OF the prisoners heretofore referred to says
that after the departure OF Father Oeser. Provost
was greatly distressed and sgiatsd ing a. times
He went TO hts CELL one Of the prisoners follow
| ing softly and pscpng In Provost seemed to be
tho distance from the upper bench TO the
| floor, stopping Immediately on discovering that ne
| was observed. Soon after the turnKsv locked the
| prisoners In and he was seen no more alive
LYScHKRs CHEATED.
general sense OF relief II experienced BY the en-
tire community al the tragic ending ot the AFFAIR." as
II is Understood an organ izatop had been consum-
mated OF a band vi vigilantes, who would have at
tempted their purpose to-nighl. HIS timely death
has, however, removed all necessity anu afforded
complete Satisfaction to tho citizens who. almost as
unit, consider him guilty. Tomorrow morning the
body will be inferred