Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-21
A CORPSE IN A BAG
Carried on the Back of an Italian
Through
-HE STREETS OF NEW YORK
Causes Suspicion Ofa Mysterious Murder
The Corpse Of Woman ChOked
TO Death.
A CHASTITY NEW YORK MYSTERY.

AVE" 4Ohhi A'oS <V'-Al ONNOSA 1850
morning Frenchman who proved to be
Louis Francis, of No. 3O7 Tenth avenue,
was arrested while on his way to North
river, bearing on his back bag containing
the mutilsted corpse of woman who had
been murdered. The policeman was at
traeted by Francis mysterious manner as
he moved along weighted by his ghastIy
burden, and stopped and asked what the
bag contained. The Frenchmsn refused
to give any explanation, and attempted
to move on, but the officer insisted
upon being informed as to the contents
of the sack. and took Francis
into sustody. The policeman then seized
him by the arm, whereupon he dropped the
bag and its contents upon the sidewalk. 1t
fell with "swashing" sound to the flags,
and the officer, upon opening the end Of the
sack, found, to his surprise and horror, that
it contained the mutilsted corpse OF a wo'
man. The body was doubled up and in an
almost nude condition. The policeman,
upon making closer examination, found
unmistakable evidence of the fact that the
woman had been murdered. There were
ghastly wounds about the head and
alse on the trunk, from which the blood had
flowed freely and had coagulated upon the
corpse.
Says il Was His Wife.
Francis was asked for an explanation Of
the mysterious affair and after recovering
from his confusion, declared the corpse was
that OF his wife, and that she had died a
natural death. Being without means nee.
essary to defray the expenses of funeral,
be had conceived the idea of carrying the
corpse to the river and throwing it in. The
officer refused to accept the explanation.
Francis again shouldered the bag and bore
the multilated corpse to the police station.
lie was placed under arrest and steps taken
to investigate the supposed mysterious
crime.
Francis is about 81 years of age, and
made no attempt to explain the affair when
closely questioned, other than to repeat the
story that his wife had died at their home
on Tenth avenue, and he was simply depos,
itiug the corpse in the river on account of
his inability to give it Christian burial.
Francis Improbable Story.
Louis Francis tells the following story:
Yesterday | found valuable dog, which
my wife afterward lost. | reprosched my
wife for losing him, and she swore at me.
At half past seven o'clock last night she
sent me out for beer. When | came back
found q man named VIM. Welch in the
room with her. Welch works in the same
shop with me. She sat on my lap and kiss
ed me. Then she threw glass at me and
then a can. She then went out. Then
Welch and | walked out half block,
and then left him to come home. When
came back she was lying on the floor
dead. | waited an hour, thinking she
would revive. She did not don't know
what was the cause of her death. She told
me before she died she did not care for me,
but she liked the man who put up the wine
for her. He is Leopold SacOnville, and he
lived with Mrs. Lynch, on Broadway. After
! found my wife dead took l6 cents and
went out and got drink. In halt an ho1G'
came back and put her in the bag to
throw her into the river.
She Was Choked to Death.
When Francis and his ghastly burden
were brought to the station house this morn
ing, the Sergeant IN charge Immediately
sent for the Coroner. On the arrival of
that Official he made superficial examina-
ton of the remains The face OF the victim
was much discolored, as was also the chest
and stomach, and evidence was not lacking
TO show that the woman had been choked to
death. II is now said that the woman
was not Francis wife, but his para
mour. Her name, he said, was Selma
Eehot. She was about 50 years Of age, and
has o son who resides in Boston. The
prisoner in his story says the woman was
acrn in PittsGeld, Mass, of French-Canadian
parents. where she was married to q man
named Francois Olivier, and that she left
him and came to New York with him
CFrancis) never lived happily with her,"
he said Francis is tall, thin Frenchman.
He showed no feeling. He was arraigued
in the Jefferson Market Court, and re-
manded until to morrow.
Francis, who is one year younger than his
paramour, has worked for some time in a
French polishing marble yard. Three
months agothe couple moved into the apart
ments 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 in
the neighborhood, but both drank freely OF
beer, the man often to excess. They quar-
relied frequently. Two weeks ago, while in
one of his convivial moods, he beat and
kicked her while she was on the floor. Upon
picking heri ur, he was heard By tenants in
the house to say; Il guess I've finished her
this time"
Once n Pretty Woman.
As the body of Selma Fehot lay in the
police station this morning it had the ap-
pesrsnce Of once having been that OF q
pretty womsn. Even the traces of disSip ips.
tion could not destroy this impression. She
was Of delicate complexion, with large ex.
pressive blue eyes, thick. wsvy, light brown
hair, and petite in figure, probably weighing
about 100 pounds. On the corpse were
scrupulously clean underwear, a black skirt,
snd an embroidered night,dress. About
the neck was twisted silk handkerchief
and about the thIost lines Of discolorstiou
and marks of finer nails. 1t was evident
the woman had been strangled to death BY
twisting the hadkerchief about her throat
r.-,na AVA ann none