The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-03
KILLED THEM FOR GAIN.
Monstrous Murders Committed by a
Bogus French Count.

Monstrous Murders Committed by a
Bogus French Count.
From the Neto York Times.
One Of the most remarkable criminals of
modern Tires has just brought his life to a
close in the Karlau prison, at Graz, Austria.
A Frenchman Of low birth, yet of exceed
ingly handsome appearance and still more
charming manners, he caused himself to be
naturalized in England under the name of
Count Henry de Tourville.n 1t is not Gus
tomary for the clerks who register the
naturalization papers to inquire into the
rights or legality of a foreign title borne
by the candidate for British citizenship, and
no difficulty is made about registering
aliens under any nobiliary designation
which they may assume for the occasion.
The title figuring upon the naturalization
papers, with the stamp and seal of the
British government appended thereto, is re-
gaCded by the uninitiated both at home and
abroad as having received the official con-
firmation, sanction, and recognition of
Queen Victoria, aud from that time forth
is considered what one might describe as a
legal tender.
With the assistance of the title thus OBJ
tanned Count de Tourville," who was the
type of the polished and highly cultivated
adventurer, spread his net in the provincial
cities of the midland counties, and succeeded
in capturing the affections Of wealthy
heireSs Of the middle classes. His married
life was, however, of short duration, for
his wife died abroad from the effects Of
powdered glass put in her food and drink.
His mother-in-law, who suspected his share
in her daughters death, and who, with true
mother-in-law-like method, lost no oppor-
tunity of insinuatng her belief on the sub
ject, was accidentally" shot through the
brain by him while he was cleaning pistol.
1t should be added that the only reason why
the old lady exposed herself to the danger
Of travelling about with the pseudo count
was for the purpose of protecting the life
and interests of her little grandson. the sole
issue of the marriage. and on whom the
fortune of the murdered woman was set
tied.
Within short time after the death of
de Tourville's mother-in-law the house in
which his little 3-year-old boy was residing
mysteriously caught fire and the child barely
eScap with his life The circumstances Of
the case were so peculiar that the marriage
trustees determined to take possession of
the infant. De Tourville did not venture to
protest or face the music of a law court on
the subject, for he realized that, although
the evidence against him was not sufficient
to secure conviction. it was quite sufficient
to ruin any further matrimonial chances in
England. The boy is now young man of
about 20. With the sanction of his guar
| dams he has assumed his mothers in lieu of
his fathers name, and next year he will at
tain bis majority and will be placed in pos
session Of his fortune.
Scarcely year had elapsed after the at
| tempt to burn his little boy when de Tour
vile succeeded in obtaining the hand of a
wealthy widow residing in Birmingham.
Her name was Madeline Miller, and her
| fortune amouted to about $500, 900, her age,
! however, being 81; that is, fifteen years
| older than de Tourviile's. The latter was
exceedingly relieved to discover that she
had no near relatives. The wedding took
| place at Birmingham in June, 1876, a ID the
| honeymoon was spent in the Austrian Tyrol
| On July 10 the couple proceeded to make an
| excursion up the mountain known as the
| Stillfer Joche. Shortly after nightfall be
| returned alone to the hotel at FoZen, and
| declared amid great protestations of grief
| that his wife had fallen over precipice and
been killed. The mangled remains Of the
poor lady were found on the following day,
aud so sincere did de Tourville's sorrow ap-
| pear that no suspicion arose at the time.
| The inquest was Of the most perfunctory
nature and the burial took place in the
Protestant cemetery there. Immediately
afterward de Tourville left for England and
assumed possession Of his wifes fortune
without difficulty.
Within few days after his departure,
however, rumors began to circulate about
Meran concerning certain peculiar features
| IN connection with the accident In the
first place, Vienna lawyer named DR..
| Mar6relter, who was stopping at Vozsn at
the time and who was an enthusiast on the
subject OF mountaineering, drew attention
to the fact that the upper portion of the
precIplce at the foot OF which she was found
was OF slope so very gradual and gentle
from the road that it, was impossible that
any one could have slipped from the path
and been straightway precipitated iuto the
! abyss 1t was manifest that the unfortu-
nate woman's body must have been
dragged almost to the edge of the lower
section of the precipice in order to have
fal1en into the abyss The suspicious thus
| engendered were further corroboreted by
the servants of the hotel and by the knowl-
| edgs that the countess" had been con-
siderably older and richer than her hus-
band.
So serious did the presumption of foul play
become that by order of the local Justice
| the body of the lady was exhumed and
subjected to a careful autopsy. From this
| it resulted that several wounds were found
| on the body which could not have been pro-
duced by the fall. In view Of these circum-
stances a warrant of arrest was issued
against de Tourville, and the authorities
here we're requested TO take the necessary
steps for procuring his extradition from
| England. He was arrested in London by a
Scotland Yard detective by the name Of
| Clark and taken before Magistrate Vaughn
at the Bow street police court. with view
| TO his extradition. Considerable difiiculty
was experienced, for the question arose
| whether be was an E9glisn subject, aud
| ..hotbcr "a a Franehman the English