Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-03-05
A WOMAN'S REVENGE FOR AN
INSULT.
Killed With a Bread Knife-In.
cidents Which Led Up 10
the Tragedy.
New York Tribune

In room on the top floor of the
tenement No. 404 Sixth avenue. last
evening, Elizabeth Quinquinet, a
marri I'd woman. stabbed and killed
Desire Houvet, well to do French
cook. When arrested she admitted
her guilt. The woman was born in
Sydney, Australia, and was married in
that place thirteen years ago to
Antoine Quinquinet, a French cook.
After they had lived happily together
tor several years the couple went to
San francisco, where they lived until
three years ago, when they came
to the East. Quinquinet was a
first class cook, and he found no
difficulty in securing place in the
family OF Henry s. Barker, at No. II
West Thirty third street After a
while he made the acquaintance Of
Houvet, who cooked for Henry s
Fearing, a banker, whose house is No.
D West Thirtieth street. The two
cooks became great friends, and one
day Quinquinet introduced Houyet
to his wife. From that period
dated all the future trouble. Houyet
began TO pay more attention to the
wife OF his new acquaintance than the
circumstances seemed to warrant.
When the two cooks went to Newport
last summer with their employers
families, Houvet's visits to Mrs. 0iuu-
qulnet became more frequent than
ever. Still the husband did not sus.
pect that anything was wrong.
About a week ago, however, he
received an anonymous letter which
stated that his wife was unduly init
mate with Houvet. Quinouinet AZ
soon as he got the letter wrote a note
to Houvet, aRd asked him to come
and see him in his home at No. 4O4
Sixth avenue, and have a talk over the
matter and try to arrange some UNDER
standing. The hour for the meeting
between them was fixed at 8 o'clock
last night. Houvet went to Ouin.
quinet's room half an hour earlier
than the appointed time. He found
the husband absent and Mrs Ouin-
quinet alone. Houvet, according to
the womans story, made improper
proposals, to which she refused to
accede. A quarrel followed. She &C
cused him Of running her life. The
Frenchman finally got up in a rage
and swore at the woman. As he
said this he prepared to leave the
room. Just as he was about to pass
out Of the door the woman seized a
long, ebony handled knife, such as is
used by cooks to cut bread with, hav-
ing blade four inches long, and
springing after him, plunged the knife
into his back between his shoulders.
The knife entered his heart. Houvet
gave loud scream and ran down the
steps Of the building. When he
reached the street he fell fainting
into the arms of two friends who
were passing They .endeavored to
get him to neighboring drug store.
but he died before he had been drag
ged along the sidewalk ten PAGES
Captain Williams and Detective
Schmittberger went to the woman's
rooms and arrested her and took her
to the stationhouse. The body Of the
murdered cook was also taken there.
Quinquinet came into the station,
when he was told of the news. He
shrugged his shoulders and took the
matter coolly. He said his wife was
thirty-two years old, and had eight
children by him, all Of whom died.
Coroner Martin called at the stations
house in the course Of the evening,
viewed the body, and took the state
ments of his wife and husband. The
woman is a small person. She seemed
to glory in what shc had done. After
stabbing Houvet, she had wiped the
blade with piece of paper and put it
cereiuiiy aside.
Houvet was twenty y.nine years old,
and was good looking. He is reputed
to be worth $4,000.