The Washington critic., 1885-07-30
A MOCK HONEYMOON
The Tragedy of Two Young People
who Followed the Road 10 Ruin.

The Tragedy of Two young People
who Followed the Road 10 Ruin.
A Paris correspondent writes to the
New York UoylH' A murder case has
Just been tried in the Court of La Loire
that has excited much interest on account
of its originality. Some time ago young
man flung himself from the second story
of the Hotel d'Europe at Saint-Etenne.
He was picked up in Il dying condition,
not that he was seriously hurt by his fall,
but before precipitating himself from the
gallery he had shot himself through the
head and hacked his breast with a sword
cane. In the room where the suicide was
attempted beautiful young girl of 10 was
found lying dead in bed, having been shot
while sleeping. For some time il was i'm
possible to discover the names of the vic
tins of this double tragedy. The young
man refused to give his name. The whole
story was brought out at the trial, how
ever. which was long and exciting.
The young girls name was Marguerite
| Vagnair, the daughter of Il respectable
workingman of Lyons. The young man
was likewise of good family. His name
| is Tony Auray, and he is % years Of age
lie studied medicine and fulfilled his Mill
tary service as superintendent of an in
| lirmary. Having completed his term of
service, he felt tired of life and resolved to
die, to use his own words, "aiter being
loved by woman who had never been
loved by man." He fancied that his ideal
woman was somewhere in the world,
though where he could not tell. Having
unexpectedly fallen heir to a paternal in
| Ia. &c q no
youth set out in quest of his ideal woman.
He turned his face toward Lyons, and
entering the Grand Theatre one evening,
seated himselfby the merest chance be-
side young girl. lie glanced at her; he
had found his ideal. She was Marguerite
Nagnair.
When the audience. dispersed he fol-
lowed her quietly to her residence, Rue
Montgollier. The following day, and for
several days after, he passed up and down
before her window Marguerite saw him,
and glanced at him with admiration
Two days after their mutual Interchange
of looks they had eloped. The former
medical student had represented himsel
as the son of millionaire to dazzle this
innocent girl of 10. His first act was tc
purchase for Marguerite u superb toie
and to send back to her family the humble
, apparel she wore, "not wishing" as h,
said, "to keep the clothes that belonged tC
the poor girls parent" The youthful
lovers Immediately set out for Paris. Fol
five weeks they led life of pleasure, and
when Tony Auray' purse was depleted h
proceeded to Saint-Etiennc, where th
pair took apartments in the lIote
d Europe, under the name of NJ. and Nine
Marat.
The idyl was finished, and they resolved
to crown its termination in a truly poeti
manner. They would die together. Ton
Auray, however, declares that he used al
/ possible means to save the life of thi
@ young girl for whom youth had as ye
). scarce begun. He implored her on hi
knees over and over again to return to he
=. parents, and even bought revolver will
V the intention of frightening her by TIN
: horrible threats of suicide. Marguerit
. was inhexible. II will not leave you,
!. she cried, "and if you commit suicide
= will throw myself into the Rhone." A
b, she begged of him was, in the manner {
II her death, not to cause her any unnecc'
u :, sary suffering. 1t was in obedience I
u this request that he killed her Will
II sleeping, without warming her of the fats
= hour or inhicting on her the torture of
= last farewell When the girl had thu
u unconsciously passed from sleep to deaf
o he took the revolver, four chambers {
= which had been emptied into her brair
II and fired the fifth and last into his owl
q But as death was stubborn he plunged hi
. swordcane several times into his hear
q and, to make his purpose trebly sure, pre-
u cipitated himself from the gallery.
u The shot blew his jaw to pieces, and
!, he wear a palate henceforth it will be Il
u artificial one. He has been snatched frol
i the death he so much coveted to fall int
!, the hands of justice and pay the penalt
u of the tragic fate of the tender girl whol
: he stole from the peaceful bosom of he
> family in his crazy groupings after h
!, "poetic ideal"
ii The jury of the Loire by verdict {
% tragic irony, has condemned the murdere
J. of Marguerite Nagnair to imprisonmer
J. for life at hard labor. The jury explaine
Q its motive as follows: The murderer trie
e to condemn himself to death; the jur.
= therefore, would inAict on him the mo
i terrible of penolties-it would condem
l. him to live.