Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-08
THE MISSING PAPER.
A Lively Detective story from Paris.

One of the most singular cases which
are to be found in the police records Of
bloody deeds committed in Paris is that
of Nine. Ruquelaire, who was murdered
in her residence, II Rue Danton, on the
night of the 10Th OF June, 1873.
The last that was seen Of her alive was
Mt 8 o'clock in tine evening by one of hel
servants, to whom she gave an order con.
corning his service on the following morn.
ing, which indicated that she and NJ. Jean
Beauchamp, her lover, were about re.
firing.
The servant, rs he testified at the pre-.
liminary examination, saw, MS he stood on
the threshold of the door leading from
the hall into the salon, Nine Roquelaire
in her dressing-gown and her toilet ar.
ranged for the night he also saw NJ.
Jean making cigarette and reclining,
his face toward the door, in an easy chair.
Monsieur was frowning and seemed an.
CRY, although he said nothing. Evident.
ly he and madame had been quarrelng.
The last that was heard of her alive
was at II o'clock, by her maid, who, hay.
ing the privilege of absence for the eve.
ming, was passing through the hall to.
ward the staircase leading up to the ser
wants quarters.
Then she was entreating Beauchamp tc
forgive her. He had evidently accused
her Of some offense-" perhaps," said the
maid, "of infidelity." The girl paused
and listened for moment.
Then she heard M. Beauchamp-and
''his anger was terrible his words fierce
and threatening" and then she heard
madame exclaim
"Strike me, coward. have sacrificed
everything honor, position. friends-foi
you. Strike me; kill me. You have had
everything else from me that I could give
now take the last, and now-mon dieu !
the most worthless Of my possessions
my life. You seek the excuse to be rid
of me. You have found new love. ]
read it all. Every days life for the past
three months has been to me turning over
a new leaf in the revelations of your.na.
ture. have nothing to live for. Kill
me, coward !"
The maid, trembling and frightened,
ment: They had often, but not SO VIC.
their service. Early next morning the
servants, three in number, met as usual
in the kitchen. The man-servant, who
Woo uioo 4h. bcuuCuuLlp y Nultt, uuIueu
Francois, and the maidservant narrated
to each other what they had seen and
heard on the previous evening.
Francois then, ut 8 o'clock, went IN
stairs and knocked as usual at the salon
door to receive monsieur's orders. There
was no sound within. Only the echoes
OF his tapping ON the door.
According to his testimony, madame
tto,,aIlxr ola,af 1atn. II.
in dressing-gown and slippers and in the
salon reading the Moniteur, which was
laid at his door, never later thanS. Some.
times he rang for his valet before 0
sometimes awaited his coming.
An hour longer, and then finding nc
signs of life within, the valet ran out and
summoned sergeant-de-v vile, who burst
in the door.
An appalling spectacle fixed the gaze
of the little group gathered on the thresh
old of that chamber, and held them mo-
tionlcss as if they had been suddenly
transformed into stone images.
There, nearly in the center of the floor
in Der night robes, lay Nine. Roquelaire'i
body, looking like mass of CONCEALED
blood. The white linen robe, with its
lace work and embroidery, resembled q
CRIMSON bllrOuu. Ihe lace was mutlla
ted, crushed and almost out of human
shape.
The terrified maid servant uttered Q
shrek of horror and fell to the floor un.
conscious. Even for the,moment the ser
geant dc Vile, Injured as he was to scenes
Of murder, was for an instant awe, stricl
en- by the CHASTITY sight Then, recover.
ing himself, he started away, and in hall
an hour returned with other officers, the
commissaire and surgeon.
Examination showed that the woman