Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-14
Gales ano Sketfbes.
CIRCrNSfANfIAL EVIDENCE.

wants. hall. in which was grand staircase
and cupboard, where the plate was locked
up, of which one Of the chambermaids
kept the key. In small room partitioned
off from the hall slept the rdlet-de-chamtre-
whose name was LeBrun the rest Of this
floor consisted Of apartments in which the
lady saw company. which was very fire.
quent and numerous, as she kept public
nights for play. In the floor up one pair
Of stairs was the lady's own chamber.
which was in the front Of the house, and
was the innermost Of three rooms from the
grand staircase. The KEY OF this chamber
was usually taken out Of the door and laid
on chair by the servant who was last
with the lady. and who, pulling the door
after her, shut it with a spring. so that 1t
could not be opened from without. In
lhis chamber were two doors, one COM
municating with a back staircase, the 9TH
err with wardrobe, which opened to the
back stairs also.
On the second floor slept the Able Pou-
lard, in the only room which was furnished
on that floor On the third story were
two chambers. which contained two cham
bermaids and two footboys; the fourth stO-
nv consisted OF lofts and granaries. whose
doors were always open. The cook slept
below in place where the wood was kept.
an old woman in the kitchen and the
coachman in the stable.
On the 9th of November. being Sunday,
the two daughters OF lie Brun, the valet.
who were eminent milliners, waited on
the lady. and were kindly received; hut
"a she was going 10 church to afternoon
service. she pressed them to come again.
when she could have more OF their COM
pany lie Brun attended this lady To
church and then went to another himself !;
after which he went to play at bowls, as
was customary at that time. and from the
bowling green he went to several places ::
and after supping with a friend he went
home seemingly cheerful and easy, as he
had been all the afternoon. Lady MaZel
supped with the Able PQulard as usual
and about eleven O'Clock went to her
chamber, where she was attended by her
maids Before they left her lie Brun
came to the door to receive his orders for
the nebt day, after which one of the maids
laid the KEY of the chamber door on the
chair next to it. they then went out, and
lie Brun following them, shut the door af
ter him and talked with the maids few
minutes about his daughters, and then
they parted, he seeming still very cheer
ful.
In the morning he went to market and
was ocular and pleasant with everybody
he met. as was his usual manner. He
then returned home and transacted his
usual business At eight o'clock he ex-
pressed surprise that his lady did not get
up, rs she usually arose at seven /; he went
TO his wife's lodging. which was in the
neighborhood. and told her that he was
uneasy that his lady's bell had not runS
and gave her seven louis d'ors and some
crowns in gold. which he desired her to
lock up, and then went home again and
found the servants in great CONSERVATION
hearing nothing OF their lady, when one
observed that he feared she had been
seized with an apoplexy or bleeding at
the nose, to which she was subject lie
Brun said at must be something worse ;
my mind misgives me; for found the
street door open last night after all the
family were in bed but myself" They
then sent for the lady's son. NJ. de Sa-
voniere. who limited to lie Brun his fear
Of an apoplexy. lie Brun said: 1T is
certainly worse; my mind has been m
easy ever since found the street door
open last night after the family were in
bed" A smith being now brought the
door was broe en- open and lie Brun en-
tering first ran To the bed. and after call
ing several times he drew back the cur
tains and said "Oh, my lady is MUIR
dered" lie then ran into the wardrobe
and took up the strong box, which being
heavy. he said: "She has not been rob-
bed how is this ?'
\ surgeon then examined the BODY.
which was covered with no less than fifty
wounds; they found in the bed. which
WAS full OF blood. scrap OF cravat of
coarse lace, and napkin made into a
nighicap which was bloody, and had the
family mark on il and from the wounds
in the lady's hands il appeared she had
struggled hard with the murderer. which
obliged him tn cut the muscles before he
could disen~age himself The bell
strings were twisted around the frame of
the tester. SO that they were out OF reach
and could not ring. \ clasp knife was
found in the ashes almost consumed by
the fire which had burned of all marks
of blood that might have been upon it :;
the key OF the chamber was gone from the
seat BY the door. but no marks of violence
appeared ON any of the doors. nor were
there any signs of a robbery. as large
sum of money and all the ladv's Jewels
were found in the strong box and other
places.
lie Bruu being examined said that after
he left the maids on the stairs he went
down into the kitchen; he laid his hat and
the key of the street door on the table,
and sitting down by the fire to warm him.
self. he fell asleep: that he slept. As he
thought. about an hour. and going to lock
the street door, he found it open that he
locked II, and took the key with HIM to
his chamber. On searching him they
found in his pocket key. the wards of
which were newly filed and made re-
markedly large; and ON trial it was found
to open the street door. the snte-chamber,
and both the doors in Lady Mazel's cham
Der. On trying the bloody nightcap on
LIE Bruins head. il WAS found to fit him
exactly. whereuron he was committed to
prison.
On his trial il appeared As if the lady
was murdered by sOme person who had
been let in bv Lo Brun Cor that purpose.
and had afterwards fled II could not have
been done by himself. because no blood
was upon his clothes. nor any scratch on
his body, which must have been on the
murderer from the lady's struggling: but
that it was lie Brun who let him in seemed
very clear No one t,f tho 1ockS va : for,.