St. Paul daily globe., 1885-05-21
Arrest of Frenohman in the Streets of
New York While Carrying a
Corpse in a Sack.
The Body Proves to be That Of Once
Pretty Woman Strong Evidence
of Murder.
The Story of Kidnapping by a ship
Captain at New Orleans
Confirmed.
Gaggart. the Companion of the Brook
lyn Bridge Su uicfde, Under Arrest
--Crime Notes.
0Eurderof Il woman.

New YORK, May 2O.-At o'clock this
morning Frenchman, who proved 10 De
Iouis Francis of 301 Tenth avenue, was
arrested while on his way to North river,
hearing Oh his body the mutilated corpse OF
woman who had been murdered. Inc
officer was attracted by the mysterious
movements of Francis. as he was weighted
down by his ghaStly BURDEN and he was
stopped to see what the bag contained. Inc
Frenchman refused TO give any information
and attempted to move on, but the poIlce-
man insisted on being Informed OF the con-
tents OF the sack and took Francis Ill Gus
todv. The policeman seized Francis by
the arm. vhereupon he dropped the bag
and its contents upon the sidewalk. 1t fell
with q smashing sound TO the sidewalk, and
the officer on opening the sack, to his sur
prise and horror. found that it contained the
mutilated body OF woman. The body
was doubled up and almost nude. The
policeman. ON closer examination, found
unmistakable evidence of the fact that the
woman
HAD BEEN MURDERED.
There were ghastly wounds upon the
face and the trunk from which the blood
had flowed and coagulated. In reply to
the officers questions Francis declared that
the cornse was that of lis wife, and that
She had died natural death. Being with
out means necessary for funeral, he had
resolved to carry the corpse 10 the river and
throw it in. The officer refused to accept
the explanation. Francis again Shouldered
the bag and bore the mutilated corpse to
the police station. He was placed under
arrest and steps taken to investigate the
supposed mysterious crime. FRANCIS IS
about thirty-seven years OF age and made
no attempt at an explanation When closely
questioned. other than TO reply that his
wife had died at their home on Tenth
avenue. and that he was about to throw the
corpse into the river on account OF his III
ability to give it
CHRISTIAN BURIAL.
Louis Francis tells the following story:
yesterday l found a valuable dog, which
my wife afterwards lost. [ reprOached my
wife for losing him, and she swore at me-
At T:3O o'clock last night she sent
me out for beer. and when l came back L
found a man named William Welsh III the
room with her. Welsh worked in the same
shop with me- She sat on my lap and
kissed me- and then she threw a glass at
me and then a can. She then went out.
Then Welsh and l walked out half a block,
and then left him to come home. When
| came back she was lying on the floor
dead. l waited an hour thinking she
would revive, but she did not. | don't
know what caused her death. She told me
before she died that she did not care for me,
but she liked the man who put up the wine
for her. He is Leopold Saconville, and he
lives with Mrs. Lynch, on Broadway.
After [ found my wife dead ItoOk 10 cents,
and went out and got drink. In half an
hour l came back and put her in the bag to
throw her into the river"
The woman is not Francis wife. She is
Selma Fehst. 3S years old, with son IS
wears old. who lives in Boston. Francis,
who is year younger than his paramour,
has worked some time in French polishing
ward. Three months ago the couple moved
into the apartments where the
CRIME WAS COMMITTED.
Francis lived on the ground floor in the rear
structure. His three rooms were comfort
ably furnished and neatly kept. Both were
persons in appearance above the average OF
the neighbOrhood but both drank freely Of
beer. the man to excess. They quarreled
frequently Two weeks ago, while in one
of his convivial moods. he beat and kicked
her, telling her to the floor Upon picking
her up he was heard by tenants i'll the build
ing to say: - guess I've finished her this
time" As the body lay in the police station
this morning it had the appearance OF once
having been pretty woman, dissipation
not aiding to dispel this impression. She
was of delicate complexion. large. express
sive, blue eyes. thick, wavy, brown hair,
and petite in figure, weighing about one
hundred pounds. On the corpse were
scrupulously clean underwear, black skirt
and embroidered nightdress. About the
throat were lines of discOloration and marks
of finger nails. 1t was evident that the
woman had been strangled to death by
twisting the handkerchief around her neck.
The autopsy shows that Selma Francois,
when the body was being borne to the river
by her husband, was strangled. The hus-
band is in jail.