Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-08-16

was able to make an lntelllglble statement
It was to this effect: He had quarreled with
Madame Roquelaire on the evening of he
assassination. They had often had similar
lovers disagreements. She had terrible
temper, but her anger seldom lasted beyonC
the hour.
"On this night I had playfully accused
her of liking some one else better than my
self.
"She retorted; words made words, and
still in lest said I would correct her-shak
ing large closed fan at her with a pretense
of rage.
ed myself, put on my hat, and taking out
nv valise, 1 babe her goodnight, left the
house and started upon trip to Bordeaux
which had long been contemplating, and
intended to come to her Immediately upon
my return. We had separated in like man.
ner before that. After day or two we al
ways came together again, and we were de-
voted to each other.
81 am not "a brute; I was her best friend
Why, then, should I have killed her beat.
en- her to death so cruelty, whom so often
caressed ?'' -n
NJ. Beauchamp'S story was not belleVed'
1t is not in the creed of the police to believe
anything an accused party may assert.
Mime. Roquelaire was buried, the house
locked up, put under seal, and guarded day
and night by the sergeant-de-ville.
The servants were subjected to close sur.
veillance in order to retain them as witness
es in the trial of their master.
The conviction of Beauchamp was regard
ed as fOregone conclusion.
Mons. Jean Beauchamp's antecedents
were those of a man with a moderate in
come, man little known in society; rarely
seen at the theatres or other places of pub
lie resort; reticent as to himself or his af-
fairs, and, in fact, by the few with whom he
sought occasional companionship, looked
upon. as sort Of genteel, well dressed
sphinx.
In two days the trial of NJ. Beauchamp
approached it's conclusion. He had for his
advocate one of the shrewdest members OF
the French bar, and for whose ability the
court and the Procureurd' Etatha the great
est respect.
The last witness had been heard, the
State Counsel had made his first plea, when
messenger entered the courtroom, pushed
his way to the counsel for NJ. Beauchamp
and gave him package, whispered a mo-
ment to him and departed. A French ad-
advocate arose, opened the packet, took
from it copy of the Moniteur, unfolded it,
and addressing the judge, said:
81 think that this trial can now have but
one result-that Of the release of NJ. Beau
champ. I have but three new witnesses
to offer. One is few lines in this paper,
the Moniteur, bearing date June IA, 1873,
one day before the murder of Nine. Rogue
laire. will read them:
"'Escaped from private Maison de Sante
of DR.. Roquet d'Allaire, patient accepted
and registered as Jean BOudinot, insane
from jealousy; placed in the asylum by his
wife, Nine. Matilde Boudinot, May II, 1871,
as incurably insane and violent; height five
feet ten inches; powerfully built, brown
hair, scar on cheek; was clad at time of
escape in dark, close suit"
s'This notice." continued the advocate,
'I offer in evidence"
"But what has this to do with the ac-
cused or the crime ?'' asked the Procureur.
"We shall see. 1 now call DR.. Allaire."
DIR. Allaire came to the witness chair.
He stated that BoudinOt the escaped luna
tie, imagined he had mission to kill his
wife for her infdelity. He had sworn to do
it, and he would.
'sWhere is Nine. Boudinot?"
"Until to-day did not know what had
become of her. She sent her payments
regularly for the custody of her husband,
but after the first three months never again
visited the asylum. She removed from
the Rue Livaudais, No. 47, where she had
resided, and all trace of her was lost"
''What sort of a woman-I mean what
sort of age and appearance ?"
"About twenty-five. Here is photo
graph, in this velvet case, which was left
with her husband, and which we took away
from him, as the sight of it seemed to in
crease his fury in his intervals of delirium." !"
The advocate took it from the doctor and
handed it to the Procureur.
Compare that with the portrait of Nine.
Roquelair found in the house of NJ. Beau
champ"
''It is the portrait Of Nine. Roquelaire," /"
invoIuntarily exclaimed the Procureur.
"Precisely," said the advocate. "NOW,
then, call my third witness, Pierre Roster
sergeant-de-ville, until this morning on du-
ty guarding the house of NJ. Beauchamp, in
which the murder was committed"
Pierre Roster stood up and said in answer
to the advocates question:
"For two days past the passers-by on the
opposite side have reported that the house
was haunted. One man told me he had
seen frightful face at the upper windows,
which came and disappeared. Yesterday
afternoon notified my reliefof these strange
reports. With the consent of the Commits
AAoS1
after floor. We reached the cellar, and
were about leaving it when we heard a
scratching sound at the rear of the dark un-
derground chamber. Turning our lamps in
the direction whence the sound came we
saw, huddled up in q cOrner,a a terrible look
ing object. 1t was a man, with fierce, hag-
gard face. He sprang up, but not so quick
" that we did not throw ourselves upon
him, bear him to the grounda and secure him
before he could recover from his surprise.
We called for assistance and conveyed him
to the Commissaire's Office, taking. with us
the club, very heavy piece of wood resem-
bling the larger end of a billiard cue. This
weapon was covered with aots of blood and
fragments of dried flesh. The man was ev-
identity very nearly famished."
"Who did this man prove TO be?"
'This morning the Commissaire, ascer-
tanned that he was Jean-Boudinot, the es-
capped lunatic.'
tsDid he speak or answer the Commits
saire's interrogations ?' :.
eyes. He said he had killed his wife
and had danced the DEVILS jig upon her
body. The only things we found upon his
person were this bit of paper and bit OF a
pencil, both stained with blood"
"This piece of paper" said the advocate,
holding it up, "eXactly fits the written pa
per 1TOIIl WHICH III WAS VOlll, loulllt LII viz
blood near the body. This is the pencil"
"There remains now but one more state
ment necessary. That is mine. promised
the accused, my client, not to reveal his Sc
cret unless it was absolutely necessary. 1t
is now necessary as the finale of this case.
sMme. Boudinot was Nine. Roquelaire.
After her husband was incarcerated in the
Maison de Sante, through his having sever
al times attempted her life, she became ac-
quainted with NJ. Jean Beauchamp. They