Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-17
A PRECIOUS PAIR.
Eyras.;i, the Paris Stranger. and
His Mistress
ON TRIAL FOR A BRUTAL MURDER.

How They Made Away with Tousssint
Goune, According to Both Their Stories
Each Criminal Trying to FIX the Guilt
on the Othcr-The womsn's Girdie
Used to strangle the Victim, Whose
Body Was Then Cut to Pieces.
PARIS, Dec. 1.-THE trial OF Michael
Eyraud and Gabrielle Bompard, his beau
tiful paramour, for the murder of Tous-
saint Gouffe. a notary and process server,
began yesterday in the assize court. The
court room was densely packed and .
great crowd blocked the streets outside
the building High prices were offered
for tickets of admission, but none was
to be had. Eyraud claims that Gabrielle
melted him to commit the murder, and
counsel for Gabrielle maintains that she
was hypnotized by Eyraud and therefore
was not responsible for her actions. Ten
thousand francs were obtained by the
murder.
Eyraud Gives His Version.
Eyraud was first called upon to make q
statement OF the murder He said that
Gabrielle bounded and tempted him to do
It, and declared she would help him by en-
ticing the victim TO her room. Eyraud
finally consented, and concealed himself
behind screen in the woman's room.
Then Gouffe and the woman came Eyraud
continued calmly and rapidly: when Ga
brielle was on Gouffe's knees she said to
him. You have not complimented me on
my girdle. What nice necktie it would
make for you, Coulter He answered: i
do not care for your girdle; il is you ]
want
The Girdle Put to Use.
''She then said: We will see about that
presently; and then she began passing the
girdle around his throat When she had
done so she put the two ends through q
| swivel in the wall and passed them to me.
was concealed behind the bed curtain
pulled on the cords, and Gouffe was soon
strung up by the meek. Then released
the cord and seated him in the chair.
breathed into his mouth, threw water in
his face, but all to no avail He was
dead. We didn't intend to kill him We
only wanted him to indorse some bills
They then searched the body and took
Gouffe's money
Defense of the Courtesan.
In response to the first question put to
| Gabrielle came the first suggestion O,
the line of her defense, and 1t created q
sensation in the court. Putting her
handkerchief to her eyes she sobbed aloud
and said: But, monsieur president, ]
could not leave him; he had SO great an
influence over me-" After a little further
| questioning she admitted that she had
bought the box and cords, but did NOT
know what use they were to be put to-
She had bought them simply because Fly.
raud had ordered her to do So She ad
mitted also that she had made the sack
without knowing its purpose either.
Says Eyraud Threatened Her.
Gabrielle then procee ded to tell her yer.
sion of the crime. THAT night" she
said, Il dined with Eyraud, at q restau
rant near the Madelaine, and after that
purchased the box and the cord, but
Eyraud did not tell me Of his intention Il
commit the crime until after we reached
home. Then it was impossible for me &c
give an alarm, for Eyraud threatened
to kill me also if did So When Gouffe
came he walked right in and sat down on
the sofa to talk with me Eyreud, whs
was hidden behind the bed, tried to throw
a moose over the mans head, but failed &c
do so. Gouffe turned quickly to see wha
was going ON. Eyraud knocked him down
and strangled him with his hands.
Disposition of the Body.
Il screamed aloud, and there We're neigh
bors who believe can testify TO having
heard me. After the murder Eyraud tool
of all OF Gouffe's clothes and then cut u,
the body, put the pieces in the trunk ant
left the house, leaving me there alon
with it, The day after the murder
went TO Lyons with the corpse of Gouffe b
| the trunk lJuon returninp tn paris
went back to my apartments to get Ely
raud's hat, he having worn Gouffe's ava,
by mistake" This ended Gabrielle's ties
fiti,a.,y. Tor thu day ND