Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-12-25

AN.NV AHfA7-AT aHEFlHb ub INC mouse NO. -
Ruo D1uphine, bore witness 10 tho fact that
Girard did not return home until after two
o'clock on Tuesday morning, and that his
coat sleeve was ripped up from the cuff toths
shoulder.
Isaac Cohen, money-lender, stated that he
had known tho deceased Joseph Meissner for
over thirty years. Meissnor was a man Of
eccentric and miserly habits. Remembered
visiting him On one occasion, and passing on
the stairs the accused, Eaoul Girard, whohad
just left hisuncle. On that occasion Msissner
had complained bitterly to him Cohen Of his
nephcw's conduct, saying that the young
man was a scapegraco, a rascal; that he had
been eytorting money, as usual: and that he
Ncissner) would be ruined if this went on.
Had Heard Meis-Icr say moro than once that
he expected to be murdered some day, for the
sake Of the treasure he kept in his room.
Had advised Mei:sner to send tho treasure to
his bankers, but he had not done so; could
not bear it to be out Of his sight. When
Meissncr spoke Of expecting to be murdered,
it was without reference to any individual.
The Police Sergeant GARNER gave evidence,
that, onthe night of Monday, the 9th, he had
been stationed in the Rue de Biche. Remem-
bered that, while standing at the street corner,
aman had passed him, walking very fast, in
the direction of the Passage de Mazarin.
The ran was Of middling height, and SHINY
made, wore q low-crowned hat, AMI had no
greatcoat. Confronted with the focused, de-
clared that Girards figure resemblel that Of
the man whom he had seen. This was after
ten O'Clock; thought it must have been nearly
Ealf-past ten, but had an impression that the
half hour had not yet struck. 1t MIGHT have
been only q quarter past; it might have been
twenty minutes; couldLot say with certainty,
but thought it was near the half hour.
Superintendent Ledru stated that he had
made a careful examination of tho court and
exterior Of this house, No. ID Passage de MAJ
arin. Round three sides Of the court was a
trellis of stout wood, reaching to o distance of
about two feet from the sills Of the windows
on the second floor. Beneath the window of
Meissner's bed closet the trellis bore marks
as if some one had recently climbed up by it:
the paint was scraped off, and here and there
aspar had been cracked or broken. There
were marks also on the ell of the cabinet
window and footprints IN the floor, showing
that in this way an entrance had been gained
to Meissner's room.
NJ LII bCdlC ulllS NlCl0SilcT 3 IOO1l OH Ile
night Of the murder, in what position didyou
find the key of the room dCo:l
A. The key was found hanging en- a nail
near the door.
Q. In order to reach the cabinet window by
means of the trellis work, would any special
degree of agility be req1ired9
A. In my opinion, a very special decree of
agility would be required. l should consider
it a feat Of gymnastics.
The ~janitor Mouton, recalled and re-exam.
ined, stated that there was 10 Duplicate kew
to any room in the house. 1t was Meissner's
custom, when in his room, to hang his door.
key On the nail where it led been found by
tho 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 tie Rue
Dauphine to Nine. Dumaine's shop in the
Rue de rOdeon; thence by the Ruo de Condo
and tho Rue do Biche to the Passage de
Mazarin. The time taken to cover this dis.
tance had been - minutes 90 seconds.
NOTE BY H JUDGE OF INSTRUCTION..
81. AS to the time when the murder was
committed The medical testimony goes to
prove that the dagger wound from which
Meissner died was inflicted at O late hour
on Monday night. The occupant Of the room
next to Meissner's, Jules Pernet, TIE ccpyist,
heard a dull, heavy noise, such as would be
caused by the fall of the murdered man; this.
he believes, was after 10 o'clock. TIE candle
taken upstairs by Meissner at 8 O'Clock would,
says the j~anitor Mouton, buzz for about an
hour and q half. Meiss2cr's body was found
lying in front of his writing table; on the
table were sheets Of paper scrawled over with
unfinished calculations; he had been working
at these when suddenly stabbed from behind;
his pen was found on tho floor. The candle,
therefore, was sill burning when the fatal
blow was struck; consequently, if Mcuton's
statement be accepted, the murder was COM
mitted before 1880.
"2. As 10 Girard's connectic With the af.
fair.-Here we have an uncle VIGOROUSLY rich,
a nephew VIGOROUSLY poor. w hare ample
evidence Of the existence of bad feeling be.
tween this uncle and nephew. Mou.on is
witness of a violent sceno between them,
Cohen hears Meissner call his nephew q ras
cal; Marsha most reluctant witaes5-testi.
fcs that on the night of the murder Girard
stigmatized his uncle as q cur and declared
that he hated him.
christmas eve, the evening Of the murder,
is spent by Girard and Marsal at the Gaze de
la Source. They leave the cafe together at q
little before 10; at the head of tie Rue Dau.
phine, where they reside, Girard quits bis
friend, saying that he has to pay @ visit; 1C
l o'clock is striking as they separate. Girard
goes straight to the Rue de rOleon, to the
Q residence of his betrothed, Mile. Dur2aine.
he remains with her, speaking on Indifferent
subjects, for q very short time, not more than
five minutes, After G..rard leaves Mile,
{ Dumaine there is no direct evidence as to his
movements.
] 'It is now a little after 10 ~o'clock-about
ten or fifteen minutes. About this tim
Police Sergeant GARNER, ct his pest in the
] Rue de Biche, is passed bya man of middline
height and SHINY made who hasteas in the
direction Of the Passage do Mazarin. The
child Sophie Mouton secs the figure Of G
D 'tallish, slenderly-built' man glide swiftly
past her window toward tho court of the
house; it is, she thinks, OF Gorno time either Q
l little before Or o little after 10 that she see.
this man pass. Il is true that the evidence
{ both Of GARNER and of the child Sophie
g Mouton is indefinite with regard to time; but
] the evidence Of tho ono 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 took
] him about thirteen minutes. So far as the
question Of time is concerned, the man who
passed GARNER in the Rue do Diche and the
man who was seen by Sophie Mouton at No.
~ i f.