Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-18
RAOUL JACONNEAU.

sin.
4 very interesting case, in which cir
cumstantial evidence was employed with
the most horrible results, was the Jacon-
neau murder, perpetrated in France in
1921-one to which reference is often
made even now by French advocates in
their defease of persons accused of muir
der, as powerfully illustrative Of the I'M
reliability of even the most ingenious
theories of guilt backed by seemingly
perfect array of details of proof IN their
support.
Raoul Jacanneau was a student, who
occupied suit of apartments on the
fourth floor Of big house, No. 80 Rue
Polichon, in the Quarter Latin, Paris.
lie was wild young fellow, who opened
bottles much oftener than books. had
many friends-for be received liberal re-
mittances from his father, a retired mer-
chant of Diion-and, so far as anybody
knew, had not an enemy in the world
But one morning Raoul was
FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED
And gaping wound over his collar
bone, on the left side of his neck, showed
where thrust of long knife had pene-
trated his chest, severed the aorta and
produced almost instant death.
There was no evidence of struggle
with his assassin. He had, without doubt
been slaughtered in his sleep. The blood
covered the bed, dripped into great
pool upon the door, and had spurted up
on the wall at the bed-head.
There We're two doors to Nj. Jaconneau's
apartments. The one which entered the
bedroom from the public hallway was
bolted securely inside. That which gave
access to the small parlor was locked and
the key, when the door was forced open
was found to have fallen upon the floor
inside.
Vidocq had started his system Of de-
tective police but four years before this
1S17, and although. it was organized
upon the erroneous theory that "a thleI
must be set to catch thief" and conse-
qnently his
DETECTIVES
Were all rascals, they had among them
some very shrewd fellows. One of the
best ct the lot, man named Mu2ot, was
detailed to ''work up the Jaconneau
murder. and he must have done his work
6cenly if we are to Judge from the mar
ration IL the causes cele6re Of the mass OF
evidence which he was instrumental IN
bringing before the Judgd Instruction
Before noting that evidence it wall be
we'll TO remark upon what actually con-
stiruted his clews, and how they were
ln.nr 10
>ja,y the body OF RaouI Jaconneau he
found it as described. and the condition
NJ lis surroundings was as already noted.
That much was perceptible to everybody
Muzot looked for more.
On the floor he found violet, some
WHAT wilted, but in sufficiently good con,
ton to show that it had been fresh
violet the day before. On the breast OF
the dead man he found fragment of blue
silk thread, little more than an inch long
which had apparently at some time form.
ed part of piece of woven silk stuff
Both ends of that little thread were
DABBLED IN BLOOD.
But loop of 1t IN the center was free
from stain. Muzot examined it thor.
oughly with magnifying glass, and
came TO the conclusion that 1t had fallen
upon the murdered man from the assas
sin clothing, after the fatal blow had
been dealt.
He learned that Raoul had mistress,
Loyse Manique, who worked for mlllin
er, lived on the fifth floor OF the house il
which Raoul had apartments on the
fourth, and had frequently been over.
heard by Mad. Pelegrn, the FORTRESS
quarreling with him.
LOyse was Of the grisette class, but
not grisette st heart. She had glver
herself to Raoui because she loved him
i,ut she would not live with him III hi
apartments openly as his mistress: ant
so unphliosophic and so little grisett-lik,
was she that the thought of his goins
away at the end of his nominal studio
and leaving her almost maddened her
In fact, this girl had u strange idea tina
her lover should marry her, especially a
there We're indications that she was er
loEg to become a mother.
All the parties vino knew anything
or were supposed to know anything abou
the murder were required to pass pri
vate examination by the Judge d'Instruc
ton, in the presence only Of his clerk
and the following are the main points O
their testimony:
Papa Dubois Ga drunken fan-painterl
My rooms adjoln those of the late n
Jaconneau, with whom was acquainte
must have been about three o'clock O
the morning of the discovery of the mul
der that was awakened by the
LUaUBRIOUs HowLlNG
OF my very intelligent dog, Mustaph;
Ordinarily he Is remarkably quiet, Sc
dom barks, and never bowls, but then b
howled like the seven weepers. This
must have been because he smelied bloc
bot did not think Of that then. onl
thought of desiring to sleep, so thre'
boots and otter missiles at him. But
would not stop his bowling, SO put hin
out in the hallway, saying to mysel
'I4et him howl there. / shall fancy ths
some artistic female singer serenades me
But other dodgers had not that capacit
of fancy; for they then threw their boo
and other missiles at him.
IN. Landral, the RENTER, who lives G
the tlsor below, came up and swore
Mustapha with blood-curdling expires
ions. He found the intelligent dog pres
ing his nose to the crack at the botto
of N. Jaconneau's door, and only raislr
it to howl. M. l.andral, who is quie1
witted, OWNED the cause of the dog
excitement.
BLOOD HAD BEEN SPILLED.
In that room. He pounded on the doc
and called for NJ. Jaconncau, but in val
Then he summoned Mad. Pelegrin al
some neighbors. The FORTRESS had k'
and, as NJ. Jaconneau continued to
\