Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-05-21
New YORK, NAV 20

New YORK. May 20.
AT = O'Clock this morning, a Frenchman,
who proved to be Louis Francis of 307 Tenth
avenue, was arrested while on his way to the
North river. bearing on his back bag con-
tanning the mutilated corpse of woman, who
had been murdered. A policeman was at
trscted by Francis mysterious manner as he
moved along. weighed down With his ghastlv
burden, and he was stopped and asked what
the bag contained Upon his refusal to give
any explanation, the policeman seized Fran
els by the arm, whereupon he dropped the
bag and its contents to the sidewalk. The
officer upon opening the end of the sack
found 1t contained the mutilated corpse of
woman.
The body was doubled up and in almost
nude condition. There were ghastly wounds
about the head and also on the trunk from
which the blood had flowed freely and had
coagulated freely on the corpse. Francis de-
clared that the corpse was that of his wife,
and that she had died natural death. Being
without means to defray the expense of y
funeral, he had conceived the idea of carry
ing the corpse to the river and throwing it in.
The officer directed the Frenchman to accom-
Dany him to the 37th precinct police station.
the corpse to the police station. He was
placed under arrest and steps were taken to
investigate the supposed mysterious crime.
Francis is about 81 years of age. He 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 that he was simply depositing
the corpse in the river on account of his ina
bility to give it q Christian burial.
The Telegram says that the man who was
arrested this morning with sack on his back
the dead body of woman, is
Louis Francis, residing at 3O7 Tenth avenue.
The woman was not his wife. She was Sc
lima Fehat, 80 years old, and has son Is
years old, who lives in Boston. Francis,
who is younger than his paramour, has
" orked for some time in French polishing
marble yard, in West 32d street Three
months ago, the couple moved into the apart
ment where the crime was committed. Fran
els lived on the ground floor in the rear of
the structure. His three rooms were COM
fortably furnished and well 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. The woman had repeatedly
.Old the neighbors that she knew Francis
would murder her at some time. At eight
o'clock last night she stood in the court yard
alking with an acquaintance.
81 shall catch it tonight" she remarked
With sigh. When asked why, she replied
Last Sunday, Francis brought home Chi
,ese dog he thought more of than he does of
ne Yesterday went up in the park and a
BOY stole the dog from me-"
Soon afterward, Fransis entered the house
by friends. They drank beer
Until 10 o'clock, when the two men went out.
they did SO the woman locked the door,
'aying: "Tve got you out now, and I'm
yoing to keep you out"
This was overheard by Mrs. Mahoney, who
ives on the floor over Francis apartments.
Mrs. Mahoney also heard some one or two,
'he could not tell which, pacing in the lower
hallway until one o'clock this morning.
Believing it to be Francis waiting for the
ioor to open to let him in, she paid no fur
her attention to the matter
As the body of Selma Fehat laid in the
police station this morning, it had the appear
ance of that of a once pretty woman. Even
The traces of dissipation could not destroy
his impression. Delicate complexion, large
blue eyes, thick, wavy, light
brown hair and petite in figure, probably
Weighing 100 pounds. On the corpse were
clean underwear. black skirt
and an embroidered night dress. About the
neck was twisted silk handkerchief, and
about the throat lines of discoloration and the
marks of finger nails. 1t was evident that
The woman had been strangled to death by
twisting the handkerchief about her throat.
Francis was arraigned In the police court
his morning and remanded until tomorrow.
TO the reporter he told the following story:
81 was born in Abbeville, France. l am
81 years old. My wife's maiden name was
Selma Fehat. She was born in Pittsfield.
Mass, of French Canadian parents. She
vas married to a man named Francois Oil
vier. who is now living in Pittsfeld, Mass.
Their son is now living with his father. The
ION is Is years old. His name is Francois
also. I married her in the City Hall in Bos
on. was then working as broker in that
,ity. We were married in March, 1882. She
came here on March 26. When she met me in
Boston she told me she was married woman
,ut that she could not live with her husband.
She was always after me there. At half past
,even O'Clock last night she sent me out for
beer. When came back l found man
named William Walsh in the room with her.
W Walsh works in the same shop with me. She
,at on my lap and kissed me. Then she
hrew glass at me and then a can. She
hen went out. Then Walsh and / walked
,ut half block and left him to come home.
W hen came back she was lying on the
floor dead. waited an hour, thinking she
would revive. She did not After found
my wife dead, I took sixteen cents and went
out and got a drink. In half an hour came
back and put her into the bag to throw her
into the river"
Francis is tall, thin Frenchman and looks
as if he had not eaten a good meal for a year.
His hair and moustache are of q light red
color. His arms and legs are long an sim
ewy. His eyes are deep sunken and his
cheeks hollow. He showed no feeling in
court, and is apparently a shrewd man.
The coroner made an autopsy tonight on
the body of Selma Fehat. who, it is supposed,
was murdered by her husband. The autopsy
proved conclusively that death had result ed
from strangulation. The windpipe was
broken and the blood in the heart remained
Iluid, showing plainly that the woman was
suffocated. The lungs were congestsd and