Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-04
A TRIAL UNPRECEDENTED.
A Dominican Monk Robs a Mon.
astery and is Acquitted.
From the London Datly YeqOs.

From the Lond0n Datly Eeaos.
Bordeaux has been in a state of excite.
ment about the trial before the Assize
Court there of Dominican named Pierre
Brochard, doctor in theology, and re-
markedly fne-looking man of 80, with a
long brown beard of exceptional luxurl-
ance. The Indictment sets forth that on
March 81 last malefactor entered the
Dominican monastery at Lille, and with
the aid of false keys succeeded IN opening
the safe in which money, Stock Ex-
change securities, and other property
were kept. He carried off twelve de ben
lures OF Austrian Rente worth 10000
francs, and upward OF 5000 francs in
bank notes and gold. This robbery must
have been committed by person familiar
with the monastery, as no window was
broken, nor was any noise heard by any
one belonging to the house. Pierre
BrOchard. it was further set forth, left the
building on the eve of the robbery, and on
May Is assumed the name OF Berthier,
went to the office of Nj. Molina, a money
changer of Bordeaux, and sought to get
several Austrian debentures cashed.
AS notice had been received by the
money changers of Bordeaux not to pay
the stolen bonds, NJ. Molina. finding the
numbers were the same as those on the
list sent by the Dominicans of Lille,
caused Pierre Brochard to be arrested.
| The monk, on being interr0gated, owned
that he had been enabled by false keys
which a Lille locksmlth manufactured
| for him on the model of the real ones, to
open the iron safe Of the order. He com
mitted the robbery the night after be left
the monastery, when all the inmates
were in bed, simply by unlocking every
| door that came in his way. On quitting
! Lille be decided to renOunce an eccleslas-
tical life. He simulated suicide by leav-
ing his mOnastic suit on the bank of a
river. where they were found. He swan
| to the other side, and, as he had prepared
| the brotherhood for suicide, they con-
! cluded, when his frock and underclOthing
were found, that he mad drowned himself.
| Then under the name Of BerthIer ne pro-
ceeded TO Bordeaux, and told every one
he met about the suicide Of the monk
! Brochard. so that he was never 81 Dected
| OF the robbery, and would not bSsNa been
| detected but for the money changer MOTTO
ing the numbers of the Austrian deben-
! lures.
Nothing could be more full than the
avowal. On the Judge asking whether
be had anything to add in eXtenuation oil
his Offense, he said that he had a grave
malady which science was powerless tn
cure, and that owing to it's effects on his
brain he was unable to preach. 1t was
under the influence Of this arrangement
that he planned and executed the rob-
berry which, he owned, he went about in a
cool ami cautious manner that seemed in
compatible with the mental state he de-
| scri ted. His crime was abominable, and
his repentance was deep and bitter. A
| Dominican brother was called by
| BTOchard's counsel as witness Of the
circumstances of the robbery. He knew
nothing beyond what had been confessed
hut he informed the jury that according
70 the civil law there had been no rob.
berry, all tbings being in common III mon
as;ery. Brochard had perhaps taken
more than his share, and prematurely. out
OF fund Of which he was a co.proprietor,
for under the decree of the expulsion OF
the religious orders this money was di-
vided equally among the brethren, he
we're to be regarded as a religious family
The presiding Judge Indignantly pro,
tested against this theory, but it went
home TO the jurors, who returned a unani.
mons verdict of Acouittal.