Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-23

From the Neeo York Sun
A tall, wiry FTenchmau, whose back
bent under the weight of a bullying can
vas sack, which was slung over mis- left
shoulder, suddenly wheeled around the
corner ofTenth avenue into West Twenty
eighth street Wednesday morning, and
started down the dimly-1ghted thorough
fare toward the North river IL was
about 2:l5 O'Clock, and the only other
person stirring in the street was Police
man Thomas Mccormack of the West
Thirty-ninth street station. The French
man walked halt = block at an ordinary
gait, but skunk in the shadow OF the
houses and cast anxious Chances around
from his deep sunken ewes. When he
caught sight of the policeman near a
lamp post on the opposite side Of the
street he quickened his steps smartly and
got behind big truck. The policeman
noticed the movement, and felt sure he
was a burglar. He ran across the street
with his drawn club.
what have you got in that bag?1 he
cried. as he caught the Frenchman by the
shoulder.
my wife," was the reply.
Mccormack started back dumbfounded
and stared with bullying eyes at the
FTenchman's bristling red moustaobe and
then at the bag that he held clutcbed
tightly IN both hands.
81 tell you right" the prisoner repeated
coOlly. 81 have got my wife in the bag.
found her dead. am too poor TO bury
her. and ! was going TO throw her in the
river.D
Then the Frenchman swung the sack off
his shoulder and carelessly let 1t drop on
the sidewalk. coarse canvas towel
that was tucked over the opening fell of
as the BAG struck the pavement. 1t re-
Vealed two female feet covered with red
wooden stockings protruding above a
woman's head. The body was doubled up
and tucked tightly into tie sack.
The policeman seized the Frenchman
by the arm again and raped loudly for
assistance. The alarm brought Rounds
man Piess running around the corner at
null speed. They got more policemen.
and carried the dead woman to the station
on a stretcher.
The Frenchman leaned against the rail
at the station house and stared at Capt.
Washburn with perfect selt-possession.
81 am Louis Francois" be said, with a
strong French accent. ~ live at 307
Tenth avenue, and l found my wife dead
there when L came home. didn't kill
her."
Capt. Washburn locked him up in cell
and telegraphed for a Coroner. Coroner
Messemer hurried in, breathless, at
O'Clock. The body Of the dead woman was
still warm and the limbs pliable. The
sack was made Of coarse canvas. II was
about three feet long and half as wide.
In a circle on the side was stamped in
black letters;
Fancy bakers, Christian, extra, Indian
The body was so tightly wedged in it
II Z 70 mil of 81
licemen to remove it. it was that Of a
buxom little French woman of about 35
years of age. Her dark brown hair fell
over the shoulders In thick mass. and
was cOiled in Montague curls over her
forehead. The face was dark complex
Toned, and it's expression indica ted that the
woman had been cOmely when younger.
The hands and feet were small and we'll
shaped. The body was clad in a chemise
and petticOat, and colorod silk handker-
chief was knotted about the throat.
There was a bruise on the right side
OF the neck, and the marks Of finger nails
indented the flesh on the left side. 1t
appeared to the Coroner that the woman
had been chOked first, and that her asSail-
ant had then fitted a stick or something
of similar shape int the handkerchief
and twisted 1t around like a tourniquet
till she had suffocated. The knot of the
handkerchief left mark where 1t had
pressed against the flesh.
Sergt. Thomas went to the cell and
called the prisoner. The latter heard his
footsteps, and snored with tremendous
vigor. 1T was pretended and unnatural
snoring, and Francois ceased it and
sprang to his feet when the key was fitted
in the lock. The Coroner and the police
men looked at him curiously as he stepped
out of the cell. He was clad in rough
gray working clothes, and was shod with
cheaD green cloth slippers.
"What did you do to your wifeY' the
Coroner asked suddenly.
"She was lying on the floor when | got
bome,n the prisoner said nonchalantly.
81 tried to wake her up, but she was dead,
and l pat her In the bag. l did it alone,
with nobody to help
EYES, you finished her" the Coroner ex-
claimed. "What's the use OF your trying
to lnpke me believe you didn't kill her p
@''No, l didn't kill her" the prisoner said
doggedly, 81 didn't do it.v
The police locked the prisoner up again,
and then started out to find evidence 10
support the theory that Francois strangled
his WIFE
- Francois moved into his rooms, at aO7
Tenth avenue last February. They are
on the drst floor Of three-story frame
tenement in the rear Of that number.
-Four families live In the tenement, and
il IS one OF a row of similar buildings on
MY. narrow courtyard. His wife was
caileA Selma. Little could be learned Of
lier history, but she is supposed TO have
been French Canadian. She was a dex-
ferrous and industrious seamstress, and
added TO her husbands income by making
shirts. Francois Is a baker by trade, 81
years old, and was born in Abbeyville.
near Paris. He came 10 America, ard
worked for a baker in Boston. There he
first met the woman he Is accused Of
etrangllng. She was living under her
maiden name Of Selma TedrOt. BE was
married by the May or in the City Hall at
Boston, Ia 1884, and discovered shortly at
terward that she had a husband still liv-
ing, by whom she had a son, who is now
in Pittsdeld.
Quarrels were frequent after the couple
moved Into the Tenth avenue house, and
franc0ls beat her 50 numerically that
his brutal treatment became TIE talk Of
the nelghborhood. They had a fight on
basisu sunday, and Francois jammed her
head against the kitchen wnll With such
violence that the blow knocked a large
hole in the clustering. She was unable
10 20 out for several weeks thereafter.
One Of her eyes was still disc0l0red from
this beating when Francois left her az
home on Sunday morning 20 go % High
Bridge 10 cut dandeliOns for salad. A
httla Japanese hound played about him
on the grass. Expecting that a reward