Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-19
PARIS AGED srRANGLER
Barber, the Female Servant who Slew
Her Mistress, Testifies.


PARIS, January 1S.-The story told
in extenuation of her crime by the
latest Strangler of Paris (the woman
Barber, arrested for the murder
of her mistress, Madame Bazier,
in the BoiS de VincenneS, and
examined by the Judge yesterday,
caused 4 shudder to run through the
crowd of spectators, familiar though
they are with the annals of French
crime. Old Mere Barbier'S story is
that her mistress, Injured to the rigOrS
OF military discipline which her
late husband, Colonel Bazier, had
been accustomed to enforce not
only at the Vincennes garrison but
in his home, had become a veritable
fiend in her desire to discipline others
and make their lives a burden. Having
for years borne the brunt OF her masters
tyranny, this aged servant. with intel
| lect lust about sufficient to resent
cruel wrong, was in no humor for the
years OF hardship yet to come under
her mistress regime.
In her testimony Mere Barber, her
| features lowering with Indignation
long pent up, hissed out the fact that
1.-THE widow had made her life intolera-
bic by the most insanely ingenious con
triyances. Not only did Nine. Bazier
make il a rule that she should go regu-
| Ilarly TO mass, but insisted that she must
lie awake nights in order to perform
her devotions at stated hours. For this
purpose she would pull box on wheels
across the floor.
Thus prosecuted, the unfortunate
! Barber took more and more comfort in
her ONLY solace, the visits of her niece,
Rose Larnet, pretty flower girl from
the boulevardS, whose visits to the
bois gave her chance OF seeing roses
somewhere else than in the Made
leine flower markets. There, frequent
| ly also, she met young sergeant,
Pierre Pauline. who managed
to get leave and see his iancee At the
Bazier cottage. Her little romance was
the one ray of sunlight that fell on the
rugged pathway of the old seryrnt. But
il was not enough TO Sweeten temper
now hopeleSsly Soured by long-contin-
ued course of hardship and cruelty.
With the instinct of revenge deep
rooted in her heartsMere Barber, on
Sunday last, pleaded severe Illness, and
rs an extraordinary favor, was allowed
IN remain i'm bed while her mistress
went To- mass. The concession was
the first that Nine. Bazier had
made in months, but it proved fatal
To her. Mere Barber was not really
lin, and as soon as the WIDOW
was out of sight, sprang from her bed
and began to prepare for vengeance.
Taking stout cord that had Deeh
hound around some boxes containing
New Year gifts from her niece and the
Sergeant. she made running knot,
and sat down to await Nine. Bdzlers 5
return.
Stealthily following her mistress up
stairs. and slipping the moose over her
head. Tightening it around her neck:
Mere Barber had the satisfaction OF
seeing her victim in few seconds, after
a struggle or two. breathe her last.
The old woman then dragged the body
near the bed, piled on it the instrument
of torture. the box on wheels that had
so cruelty disturbed her slum6ers, ana,
carrying away the 'pendule that
marked the time for her victim (0e-
cause she knew it was highly priced by
the late owner), took herself of.
That afternoon Rose had come to
nav her weekly visit, and was met at
the agate by youth named Pierre.
The pair entered the house dis
covered aud reported the CHASTITY deed
and next day missing Mere Bar.
bier was found, dazed and half
frozen. in a copse not far from the
house. Since her arrset she appears to
have taken leave of what little intellect
she ever had. She gloats over the
lcrime which seems to have inspired her
with not an atom OF remorse.