The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-14
He JUST WALKED OFF.
Jean Paul Soquet, Wife Murderer,
Escapes from the Wisconsin
Penitentiary.
He is the Bender Of the Badger
State, an Arch
Fiend.
Six Wanton Murders Charged Against
Him-A Man Void Of Human
Pity and Compassion.

WAUPuN, Wis, Oct. 12.-Jean Paul Soquet
the Green Bay wife murderer, sent to the
penitentiary for lie for wife murder, hal
escaped from the prison and is probably be
yond the reach of the authorities. The es
cape was made week ago, the facts having
been carefully suppressed until to-day il
hopes that the prisoner would be recaptureC
and publicity avoided. Soquet was .
wealthy Brown county farmer and he wa.
charged with killing his wife. He was tried
two years ago, convicted and sent up fol
life. new trial was secured by an appea
to the supreme court. He took change Of
venue and the case was heard at Oshkosh
He was again convicted and received sen.
tence of life imprisonment. This was eight
months ago. Since his confinement in the
state prison Soquet has been treated in
surprisingly careless manner, considering
the desperate character OF the man and the
many crimes he has committed. For three
months past he had been employed on the
prison farm. On SAturdy he was digging
potatoes under guard. He asked permits
sion to go outside the fence surrounding
the farm, and it was granted. After con-
siderable time had elapsed and the prisoner
had not returned, the guard decided to
look for him. Since that time all the
guards have taken hand in hunting for
the missing man, but in vain; Soquet is
free.
soquet without doubt is an arch fend-
;he Bender of Wisconsin. No less than six
murders are charged to him by the people of
Brown county. He seemed to have no more
compassion at taking human life than
Z Chinese garroter. 1t was not only his prin-
cipal but his practice to remove man, woman
nlxs ,A,~
The first crime with which he is charged is
brutally killing his little son By hurting him
down flight Of stairs with the avowed in
tent of taking his life. He sewed the childs
lody up in sack, and during the entire
funeral services no one was allowed to probe
followed her son, having, it is alleged, been
put out of the way to make room for Mrs.
Soquet No. 2. who he in time poisoned. The
death of Mansart, a neighbor, and the second
Mrs. soquet, and the !, marriage Of soquet
Soquet instituted divorce proceedings
against Soquet, and he became very uneasy
and declared repeatedly that if she ever re-
ferred to chose old poisoning matters she
must die. This woman, after she had fallen
ont with Soquet and while the divorce pro-
ceedings were pending. disclosed many of
his secrets. She even described how So
quet murdered her husband, Mansart. She
said that Soquet had mixed poison with
some griddle cakes and had fed them to
Mensart. who was then sick abed and who
wife, this, of course, could not be used as
evidence, but Soquet knew that when the
divorce was granted the woman would then
become competent witness and his con-
viction would be certain. Without hesita-
ton he. therefore, murdered h er.
On the evening on Dec. 81, 1886, Soquet.
revolver in hand, entered tho Mansart
House, to which Mrs Mansart-Soquet had
removed on separating from Soquet. He
was met at the door by a neighbor. "Wko
sponded, "Tm here and your wife is hero."
''She must die, exclaimed the blood thirsty
scoundrel, and he strobe into the house.
The man whom he addressed was SO fright
ened that he fed and never stopped until
ne reached Red river, twelve miles away
From that hour to this not trace of the
unfortunate woman has been discovered.
Neighbors testify to hearing woman's
shrieks from the house. and signs of a strug-
gle were apparent, and woman's hair was
found on the furniture. The tracks of
hand-sled were discovered leading to So
quet's house. The testimony of Soquet's
grand children furnished the key to the |
mystery. "GrandpR baked two whole nights I
in the oven." said the little ones, 'but he I
didn't bake any bread" He had killed the /
his wife, who had shared his crime and I
guilty secrets and cremated her body in a +
large Dutch oven.
The fact that Soquet robbed his second
wife's grave and reburied her on his farm
was satisfactorily established on circum-
stantial evidence. One of his sons while
blowing turned up a woman's arm. Recov-
ering, from the shock he examined it and |
on the finger he was Mortified to discover t
gold band that he recognized as his dead
mothers wedding ring. This was more
than he could bear. He fed precipitately,
and has never been seen since by the in
habitants of Brown county. His death. too,
is attributed to Soquet; but this cannot be
substantiRted. though a witness did testify
that Soquet hunted for his son with an Ak
through the streets of Green Bay one night, /
and that the weapon was taken away by |
witness. These facts were all brought out
during the last trial, when three separate
and distinct premeditated murders were
developed.
A report has reached here that Soqust
was seen at Brandon, this county, on Mon
day. It is expected that be will 90 to /
Green Bay and visit vengeance on some of 7
his old neiGhbors who testified against him.
az he has repeatedly sworn to kill certain of |
them IT he escaped, A reward of 800 is
offered for his recap ture.
COLONEL AND DEACON.
They Divided the Pot. Each Having =
Royal Flush.