Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-12-17
A Paris Strangler's Nerve.


As stated in the GAZETTE the trial OF
Michael Eyreud aud Gabrielle Bompard
for the murt e7.of Toussaint Goufe,a notary,
commenced Ia Paris yesterday. Great in
tarest is manifested in the case, and the
courtroom wac dsnssly crowded with msm-
bars OF the upper c!a5aes including macy
jedi.s. Eyiaud was cool ard collected.
Mile. Bompard wes q witness. Her face
was parity yelled. Both answered the
questions put to them In confident
manner.
A table in the courtroom wac covered
with the implements alleged to have beer
used Ia the murder. Amorg them WIS The
trunk in which the corpse Wps packed ard
ssken from Paris.
Eyrsud's answers revealed deploTahe
story. TIE president of the court gave IL
detaii history OF his career. ct the age o.
thirteen years his conduct was such thet his
father was obliged to send him to a reforma-
tory. When nineteen years old he enlisted
In Chaeseur regiment, from which be was
transferred to the Foreign Legion. He
served in The war between France and Mex
ico. He deserted from his regiment and
ioined the gusrilas under General Jasrez
TO whom he betrayed the position OF tbs
French forces. For this crime he gas tEisd
by FfencL court-martial and condemned
to death in contGmaciam. The amnesty OF
1869 enabled him to rotasn &c France. AZ
ter hs returned he leo an adventurous life,
committing rohbsries aad other crimes.
Continuing the PRECEDENT said that Ely
raGd had first made the acquaintance OF
Mile. Bompsrd on the boulevards.
Eyreud here interrupted and declared that
he had attempted TO discourage her from
her evil COURSES end had struck her 10 order
to turn her from them.
The president retorted: "a gentleman Of
fered Mile. Bompard $4,000 francs if she
would live with him. She proposed 20 FL
rsud that she accept the offsr epd that they
should enjoy the money together"
Eyraud narrated to the court how Nile.
Bompatd proposed to entioe Goufe to het
house and then murder and rob him. lie
told also of the purchase OF the trunk for the
purpose of co1ceaiing tho body. He gave
every detail of the crime without snow
ing the slightest trace of emotion. 9ouffs,
he stated, was sitting down, With Mile.
Bompard on his knee, and wss fondlng her
az the moment the noosa with Whlco he was
strapeled, and whiua was attached to pull
lev behind curtain, was passed around hie
neck. RE died." said Eyraui, almost
without struggle"
Mile. Bompard, when Intercepted, de-
clared that all the detsils Of the murder
were planned BIZ Egraud, and that he In
hnencad her to assist him in carrying cut
his scheme.
TIE judges ordering the trunk to be open
ed led 10 intense excitement aud noisy dem.
onstretione in the COURTROOM. Mills. Bonn
pard said she bought the trunk in London
to pack linen 10. In coiloquy between
EYraud and hllle. Bompsrd the fOrmer
maintained that the latter was thor
oughly oognizAnt of the intended uur-
der. The woman stonty denied Egrsud's
assertions. She declared that he mad In
vited Goufe to her room and that che was
ignorant of the purpose for which he nad
brought the cord. The president OF the
court called these assertions absurd, where
upon tue prisoner satorted, amid laughter:
"Chere are many ahsurdlties in this cssa. J"
Later Eyraud told the story of his visit to
America in company with Mile. Bompard.
The latter asserted thai on thsir arrival IN
San Francisco they were at the end OF their
resources and that Eyrsud contemplated
murder and robbery with view OF get
ting % fresh supply OF funds. Egraud
denied this, excIaiming: "Lst them take
my head. I have deserved it. Bot my
past is unsulIied."
R sumiDg, he gave detailed account Of
his flight to Mexico, where, he said, he Vas
tracked like hnnted animal. He CON-
planned bitterly ofthe newspapers, which
l!keued him to Cartouche and Mandfin.
After he hac described his arrest at Havana
and his abortive attempt atsuicide tia court
adjourned until to-day.
The trial WAS continued to-day when Eyraud
persisted in his statement that his mistress con-
cccsed the details of the murder which, however,
she ssoutly denied.