The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-12
CANADIAN JUSTICE.
Impending Execution Of a Cold
Blooded Murderer.
DETAILS OF HIS CRIME.
A Novel Petition for Communication Sent tc
the Governor General

The people residing between Rouse s Point N. Y,
and Lacolle p. o. as well as the residents Of both
these towns and the people for miles around. were
thrown into state of high excitement the oath Of
last July the announcement that a murder had
been committed within 100 yards OF the boundary
line between the United States and Canada. In the
township of Llcolle Naturally enough such
startling announcement, coupled with the finding Of
the murdered mans body, created widespread con
sternation, and steps instituted to find
the guilty party. The particulars of the murder
have never before received than local reference,
and the HERALD reporter who arrived here to-day,
succeeded in obtaining the following detas:-
On Monday, July %. matchmaker. known by the
name of Castafrolez, a resident of Rouse's
Point n. " appeared in st. Johns, P. O.,
which is twenty-four miles from Rouse's
Point and midway between the former place and
the city of Montreal. in company with Mr.. Matthew
Matheron silk and lace pedler of Montreal Casts-
frolcz had induced his companion to visit the from
tier, with view of entering into business with him.
Matheron had with him trunk and valse, the for
ner supposed to contain valuable goods and the
latter samples of the merchandise. The trunk
left at the depot in charge of the station agent:
the valise the traveller took with him. Matheron
had also a gold watch and chain, and was known 70
have about his person two packages Of money.
cAsTAFRoLEz's FRIENDSHIP.
Castafrolez and Mathcron visited the two hotels
here at st. Johns and had several drinks together.
Castafroez poured out the liquor and showed Mathe-
every possible attention and even insisted upon
carrying his valise. Early in the afternoon the
two men, in small boat engaged by Castafrolez left
Laeolle ferry for Rouses Point They stopped on
the way at dwelling occupied by one Walter Peters,
who lives the shore in the "Brsbn neighbor-
hood" five miles from Lacolle village. 1t was
near this point that Matherons body was seen float
ing on the water the following Thursday. Castafro-
lcz and Matheron went into Peters house to dry
their clothing. which had been saturated with rain.
At supper they laughed and oked freely and appeared
to be the most intimate and friendly terms. They
day were about Rouses Point all day, spending the
evening at the club ROOM Castafrolez played
checkers with his usual sang troid Matheron looking
on with apparent interest
FRONTIER.
Early Wednesday morning they both started in
boat down Lake Champlan and this was the last
time they were together. Castafrolez returned
alone and at later hour engaged young man named
Mandigo to him down to Lacolle ferry. After
passing Fort Montgomery he told Mandigo that he
desired to 80 ashore to get his valise which no pre-
tended he had left in clump of bushes in the morn
ing when he started down the lake. He had then
found he said he was not strong enough to all
the way. Obtaining the valise they continued on to
the ferry.
BACK TO CANADA
On landing Castafrolez Immediately went to tho
depot. presented the cheek for Matherons trunk to
the station agent at st. Johns and had it sent to
Montreal, with instructions that 1t to remain
there until called for. CastafrOleZ spent the time
before the arrival of the train about St. Johns where
he at the hotels and other places. He after
ward took the evening freight train for Stottvlle.
and from Stottville at nine O'Clock r. NJ. left on the
express train for Montreal There he called at Matl
erons lodging house, and when asked about his late
companions whereabouts stated he had gone 10
Albany N. ", and Twas all right" In answer to
| the same inquiries while Castafrolez was at st:
| Johns he said Matheron had gone West aud would
! return In the course of two or three weeks.
FLOATING BODY
| On Wednesday morning, at about nine O'Clock. .
how As1,tv
when they man rowing boat with some dark
looking object in tow. Az soon as the man saw that
he observed he moved to the rear of his boat and
the object behind Immediately disappeared from
sight
On the following Thursday afternoon Mr. Peters
observed the body of man floating the waters Of
Lake Champaign about three rods from shore and
little south OF his house, whore Castafrolez and
AIatheron had taken supper on Monday night. Mr..
Peters procured boat and summoning his neigh
bors the corpse lowed to the shore and placed in
outbuilding The body proved to be that OF Casta-
froezs late companion and from the fearful wounds
the head IL plain that he had been the victim
of foul play The nearest coroner was telegraphed
for and post-mortem examination made. It has
been supposed that the murder was committed on
the American sile Of the line where the valse
taken from the shore by Castafroez on Wednesday.
cAsTArRoLEz's FLIGHT ARREST
Castafrolez after reaching Montreal lost time in
getting far away possible. After the discovery
OF the murder announced and the police Of the
United States and Canada had been appraised of 1t,
keen lookout was kept for Castafrolez Every train
and steamer closely watched. The fugitive ar
rived ut Kingston, Ont, on Sunday by steamer, and
arrested landing by two Montreal detectives.
He had in his possession gold watch and trunks
containing silks and other goods said to belong to
the murdered man. The prisoner was at once taken
back to- Montreal and locked up. He then made .
statement denying his guilt.
1t is supposed that Castsfrolcz believed Mathe
ron to have large amount of money at his lodging
house in Montreal hence his visit there on the fol-
lowing Thursday, with the probable intention OF
numbering Matherons housekeeper and then robbng
the place. When, however, he learned from the
housckeeper that the money not in the house he
departed.
MS ANTEcEDENrs
Castafrolcz's antcccdents. far as / am able to
learn here to-day follows:-His real name In
| Cypren de Meribcl He was born in the department.
OF Mont Blanc in Savoy, and is forty-one years of
age. He cmigrated to Boston in 1862 remaining
there six months. when he went to Montreal where
he resided and worked practical jeweller and
matchmaker uutil about two years since. He then
| removed to Rouse's Point. where he kept small
store up to the time of his arrest. His record in
France not to be good. for il is said that he
| murdered his wife's paramour and had to flee the
| country. He married again in America about four
| years ago.
His appearance is not forbiddinr but his eyes are
restless and have rather sinister expression. He has
| dark hair and beard both tinged with gray.
The murdered mans body was taken to Montreal,
and when shown to the prisoner he did not appear
to be much affected by the sight of ii. nervous
| twitching of the mouth. He was then brought out
to st. Johns and locked up in jail An inquest was
held in barn the scene Of the murder. The
suit that Castafrolez held for trial ON the
charge of murder.
Castafrolezs hat was found by one of the Montreal
detectives in the woods distance from the shore
of the lake. on the American side of the line
TRIED AND SENTENCED.
| On the 18th day of October last the Court OF
Queens Bench. for the Ibervillc District. opened
here. Judge johnson presiding and Il. T. Paradis rep
| resentng the Crown. The Grand Jury brought In
two indictments against Castafroez one for murder
and the other for larceny. On the 11th OF October
| the trial began the accused pleading Not guilty.
After two days the jury found verdict OF murder in
the first degree, having been out only twenty min
utes. Castafrolez was accordingly sentenced to be
hanged on Friday. December IL. and was then taken
| back to jail.
A SINGULAR PETITION.
petition begging for communication Of sentence
was circulated and received quite large number Of
| signatures. The reasons given why the prisoner
should not be hanged are certainly novel. They ara
hrst 'because there has been execution in
| the Iberville district and second, because
Castafroez would prove in the Penitentiary for life
useful member teach the Italian arts to the other
| prisoners
An to this application has been received by