Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-01-25

of scared people in the narrow passage
way anxious to get sight of this new
horror of the Rue Ferons.
eft may be suicide" said the COM
missaire.
"The wound has the appearance of
being inflicted by nervous hand, adj
ded the surgeon.
One of the officials, a detective, ex-
amined closely the woman's hands-the
one which was closed about the razor
handle, and the other which lay stiffened
beside her. He made no remark, how
ever, but arose from his STOPPING posi-
| ton.
The body was removed to the morgue,
| the official inquest was made, and the
report of the decision sent to the project.
It was that "There was no evidence to
show that the woman, Lizzie Purvois,
| had died other than by her own hand,
and that she had probably committed the
act through temporary insanity, caused
| by hunger" That was the return IN
| brief.
Only one of the officials dissented from
this opinion. This was the detective
who had examined the woman's hands SO
| closely. He was young, and had an
ambition to distinguish himself. AS yet
in his year upon the force he had rot
had case upon which to exercise his
talents. He thought he saw, did this
young mOuchard Pierret, a mystery in
this affair, and an opportunity to win the
envy of his comrades.
Ambrose Purvois, the husband of the
dead woman, disappeared from the Rue
Feron, despite the watchfulness of
Pierret, and a little later Pierret was
sent with two of his comrades upon
secret mission to Troulon.
In the latter part of the year 1866
there appeared in Paris the Count Hor-
ace Croissart, accompanied by hand
some woman, who was, he acknowledged,
the countess, his wife. They rented a
magnificent furnished hotel in the Rue
DIES Martyrs, and very speedily made
themselves known to society. The count
was man of fashion, lavish in his ex-
penditures, and it was not long before
he was accepted by society as one of its
favored "set., The countess at the
opera, and the reunions and receptions
of the nobility, was received with all
that Difference usually bestowed upon
the possessors of wealth and title.
The count donated largely to charity;
his equipage was among the finest to be
seen in the public drives, his establish
ment luxurious in its appointments.
One day his valet was mlssing-and in
fact ran away, and the count was neces-
sarily obliged to take a new one, who
was recommended as being in every way
proper. He presented certificates from
two or three of his former employees, all
Of whom were In the best society. He
was a gem of fellow, ready, expert In
his duties, sharp eyed and seemed to an
ticipate every desire of his master,
His term of service as the counts
valet had extended to the third month
when In the month of April the valet ap-
peared before the project of police, and
sending IN his name was Immediately re-
ceived by the official, alone.
monsieur lie Project" he said, "the
time has come. The drama is in it's last
act"
The project smiled.
"And you have played your part per-
fectIy, do you thiuk?"
"That is for you to Judge, Monsieur
The last scene Is Ont only remains for
you, the manager, to close the perform
ance."
You began your part" said the pre-
feet, Gin January, 1868, in the Rue Fer
ron. You have been playing three years.
Have you succeeded in making your
share In the work interesting ?"
Monsieur lie Prefect," said the new
valet, "I have concluded my work, and
now, as the Detective Pierret, I say to
you, the Count Horace Croissart is but
another name for Ambrose Purvois, who
murdered his wife, Lizette Purvois, in the
Rue Feron, and cencocted, adroit villain
that he is, the story of her having killed
herself"
ga fine piece Of work, eh, my friend
Pierret. Now, how did you learn your
part-the first as well as the last act %
When l accompanied the commits
saire to the Rue Feron and saw the
woman weltering in her blood, [ said to
myself here is chancellor you, Pierret,
to earn name for yourself. I examined
the body after the surgeon. examined
the woman's hands. What I noted 7
kept to myself. I saw that the razor
was clutched in the left hand of the
woman. Then [ examined the fingers
of the right hand. I saw by the ap-
pearance of the thumb nail and that of
the forefinger that she was in the habit
of biting her nails, as some people do
when in deep thought. Now left
handed person would instinctively put
their left hand to the mouth first; but
here you see the nails on her left hand
were smooth and perfectly pared. There
fore, had she committed suicide she
would have drawn the razor across her
throat with her right hand. Evidently
the weapon had been put in her hand
after she had fallen, by her assassin.
Il kept my own counsel. I watched
this Purvois / inquired into his habits
and his ways of life. I discovered moth
ing OF any consequence save that he and
the woman apparently lived happily to-
gether; and from the postmaster learned
that in the week of the murder he had
left letter bearing the postmark of
Marseilles and directed to Lisette Pur-