The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-06-14
lnnocently Shot.
A CONFESSION WHICH CAME To LATE

A CONFESSION WHICH CAME To LATE.
1t was shortly before day break, on the
18th of February 1929, that the governor of
the military castle of Vincennes, Lieutenant
Colonel du Guernoy, entered the small dim
ly-lighted casemate, in which Armand Va
terigny, a sergeant of the Fourteenth Regi-
ment OF the line, belonging to the garrison
of Paris, was confued.
The prisoner, handsome young man was
heavily ironed.
Upon hearing the door Of his dungeon |
unlocked, be rose from his Mattress caus
ing his chains to clink nosiy.
"Vaterigny," said the governor to him,
gloomily, "y0ur last hour has Gomez
my God My God moaned the prise
ner, turning livid.
Your fate is just one, Vaterigny. But
His Majesty the King has ordered that you
be shot, and not be guillotined."
The young sergeant tried to speak, but he
waa utterly unable to pronounce few uohe-
rent words. He was evidently prey to the
nost intense terror.
At last, sinking back on his mattress, he
whispered, almost ipaudibly:
II cannot, cannot die. Is there no mercy
for me ?" .....
"Only on one condition, Vaterigny, will
your life be spared. Confess your crime,
name your accomplices, and you will get
off with the gslleys for ife.'
Suddenly the roll of drum was heard.
The sergeant gave start.
at is the platoon of riHemen that is form
ing for your execution" said the Governor.
Will you confess? ?"
"No, no " cried Vaterigny, in a tone Of
despair. 81 did not murder Marion Krsntz
III am innocent l have no accomplice.
Oh, God, have mercy upon mep'
, The wretched man threw himself upon
the stone floor, writhing in an agony of grief
and terror.
The Governor averted his eyes from him
and clapped his hands. Two soldiers ent-
cred.
l They dragged the prisoner from the case
ment and hustled him to the court yard of
: the castle, where he was tied to a stake and
, fired at by nine soldiers. He uttered roar
of pain upon receiving the first volley, and
5 died only after receiving another.
a Then the corpse was thrown into ditch
: filled with quicklime
1 The charge upon which the unfortunate
d man had been sentenced to death was a very
singular one.
/, He was the lover of Marion Krantz, a
# fne-looking young washerwoman, who had
o amsssed few thousand francs in her abori-
GUS occupation Her lover was somewhat
1t too fond of strong drink, and frequently
e asked her for money. On one occasion she
l. had refused to give him any, and being in
10 toxicated, he had abused her violently, anc
- the other people in the same house hac
heard him exclaimed again and again;
81 shall kill you for this"
/ A scufiie had then taken place between
d them. But quiet was soon restored
r, Vaterigny was hear to leave the room
l. and two hours later he returned, and ascend
q ed the staircase on tip-toe. Next mornin.
70 the woman Krantz was found dead in bed.
Her throat had been cut from ear to ear
d aud her bureau drawer had been force'
n open and all her money had disappesre,
!, from it. Vsterguy was found An hour la
l. ter in state of besstly intoIicaton at
70 low wine shop in the Rue Therisc.
ID His right hand and uniform were staine
ur with blood, snd in his breast pocket he hs'
t. three one-huudred franc bills, upon the bsc
of which the murdered woman had write
her name.
He was, Of course, arrested, and as 500
ut as he got sober closely questioned by M ex
at smining Magistrate
N He denied having committed the murde
Q. but had or pretended to have forgotte
b. everything that had occurred between hiI
and his inamorsts On the preceding day. !
consequence, he WAS sentenced to be gull
70 otined, but the king ordered him to be she
at Vincennes.
cd Seven years elapsed. No one though
n any more of poor Marion Krantz and h'
'er supposed murderer, when on the 18th
he March, 1855, Orderly Sergeant Luznnie
of the Twenty ninth Regiment Of the liz
,r entered the room Of his Colonel, and to
no him that he Was the real murderer of MarI'
,at Krantz, and hat Vaterigny WAS innocer
AZ He said:
"Vaterigny aud belonged to the san
.at regiment Afer his quarrel with the VOL
IRE an Krsntz, he told me how rich she Was,
VAS made him drunk and went to her roo
where murdered and robbed her, VIII
ful Vateriguy was drinking at the wine III
Dre where he was arrested. took him out
vas there for a few minutes, cut his hand, /
yer the three hundred francs into his bre
ee- pocket, aud then left him. He returned
nd the wine shop, and remained there
he night.
aid Luzonier was sent in irons TO Paris, a
he gullotiued there on the Sd of Octob
1886.