Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-23

vi eoo seSoho Aoofs DeIledlu the window OF
Aeissners bed closet the trellis bore mark,
as II some one had recently climbed up by It
the paint was scraped of, and here and thcr.
aspar had been cracked or broken. Then,
were marks also ON the sill OF the cabinei
window and footprints on the floor, showins
that in this way an entrance bad been gained
to Meissneris room. 'tf.t7 r
Q. In searching MeiSsneris room on ths
night OF the murder, in what position did YOU
find the key Of the room door!
A. The key was found hanging ON a mai
near the door.
Q. In order to reach the cabinet window by
means Of the trellis work, would any special
degree Of agility be requiredl
A. In my opinion, very special degree OF
agility would be required. should consider
it feat of gymnastics.
The janitor Mouton, recalled and re-exam.
ined, stated that there was no duplicate kew
to any room In the house. 1t was MeisSneri.
custom, when in his room, to hang his door.
key on ths nail where it had been found by
the police Had frequently seen it hanging
there
The Officer Of Police Lambert stated that,
according to instructions, he had walked al
his fastest pace from the head of the Rue
Dauphine to Mime. Dumaine's shop in the
Rue de fOdeon; thence by the Rue de Condo
and the Rue dc Biche to the Passage do
Mazarin. The time taken to cover this dis
tance had been 13 minutes 20 seconds.
NOTE BY THE JUDGE OF INSTRUCTION.
81. As to the time when the murder was
committed.-The medical testimony goes tc
prove that the dagger wound from which
Melssner died was inflicted at a late hour
on Monday night. The occupant of the room
next to Meissner's, Jules Pernet, the copyist.
heard dull, heavy noise, such as would be
caused by the fall of the murdered man: this,
he believes, was after 10 o'clock. The candle
taken upstairs by Meissner at o'clock would.
says the janitor Mouton, burn for about an
hour and half. Meissner's body was found
lying in front of his writing table: on tbe
tableware sheets of paper scrawled over with
unfinished calculations; he had been WORKING
at these when suddenly stabbed from behind:
his pen was found on the floor. The candle
therefore, was still burning when the fatal
blow was struck; consequently, if Mouton's
statement be accepted, the murder was com.
mitted before 1890. ...r.
"2. AS to Girard's connection with the af.
fair.-Here we have an uncle notoriouslv rich
nephew notoriously poor We have ample
evidence OF the existence Of bad feeling be-
tween this uncle and nephew. Mouton Is
witness of violent scene between them.
Cohen hears Meissner call his nephew a ras.
cal; Marsal-a most reluctant witness-testi.
fes that on the night of the murder Girard
stigmatized his uncle as cur and declared
that he hated him.
ms thn q Al
is spent by Girard and Marsal at tho Cafe de
la Source. They leave the cafe together at q
little before 10; at the head of the Rue Dau.
phine, where they reside, Girard quits his
friend, saying that he has to pay visit; 10
o'clock is striking as they separate. Girard
goes straight to the Rue de rOdeon, to the
residence OF his betrothed, Mile. Dumaine:
he remains with her, speaking on Indifferent
subjects, for very short time, not more than
five minutes. After Girard leaves Mile.
Dumaine there is no direct evidence as to his
movements.
"It is now a little after 10 o'clock-abou
ten or fifteen minutes. About this time
Police Sergeant GARNER, at his post in the
Rue de Biche, is passed by man of middline
height and slimly made, who hastens in the
direction OF the Passage de Mazarin. The
child Sophie Mouton sees the figure Of q
'tallish, slenderly-built' man glide swiftly
past her window toward the court of the
house; it is, she thinks, OF some time either
little before or a little after 10 that she sees
this man pass. 1t is true that the evidence
both Of GARNER and of the child Sophie
Mouton is indefinite with regard to time; but
the evidence of the one supports that of the
other. The Officer Of Police Lambert has
walked at a swift pace over the route fol-
lowed by Girard on Monday night; it tool
him about thirteen minutes. So far as the
question of time is concerned, the man who
passed GARNER in the Rue de Biche and the
man who was seen by Sophie Mouton at No.
l3 Passage de Mazarin may therefore have
been one and the same person; and that per-
son may have been Raoul Girard, the &C
cused
Beside the dead body of Meissner are
found an ivory wrist-stud bearing an initial
g., and japanese dagger with which the
crime was committed. Girard, when arrested,
IS found to have at one wrist button match
ng that found in Meissner's room; the button
1t the other wrist is gone. The japanese dag
ger is a rarity; only one other like it has been
ound in Paris, in the famous private collec-
ion Of M. deSt. Florent. At one time, as has
oeen proved by several witnesses, Girard had
n his possession a dagger exactly resembling
hat found beside the corpse of Meissner.
This weapon of Girard's was incloSed in q
,eculiar fan-shaped sheath, which has its
in the sheath belonging to the
lager of NJ de St Florent. There is no
roof that Girard ever parted with the dagger
cen in his possession.
"In what way does Girard explain these
which combine SO terribly to
rove his guilt? The story which he tells is
.rfectly connected. If his isexplanation breaks
own, it will be from no contradiction in it,
ut simply from its essential increI3litJ.
''Girard declares that, swayed by sudden
fprlsa, he went on Monday night to demand
lon2y from his uncle; that he entered the
com by the window, knowing that the jan
o. hal orders not to admit him; and, Lav-
~ entered, found the corpse Of Meissner ly-
g in pool of blood.
"lf the story be set aside, there is but one
tier explanation Of the circumstances.
Iirard and his uncle have quarre!ed and
uarreled violently; for year they have not
lct. Gpurred on by the want of money at
ne very time when the need of it was most
rcssing, Girard resolves on visiting his
aiserly relative, to demand a gift or loan.
Q himself says the repayment Of debt.
lie takes with him his dagger; if catrcatios
re unavailing, he will threaten; he will use
orce.
He enters the cabinet by the window, and
leissnor's room through the cabinet. The
larEs On the trellis-work on the wirdow-sill
the fact that the door of Meissner's room is
'und locked, and the key hanging in its &C.
lstCmed placa-bear. out Girard,s own