The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-21
CH0KED HER MISTRESS.
HOW AN OLD DOMESTIC MUTINIED
UNDER SEVERE DISCIPLINE.


Col. Bazier's Widow Irbibed from
Him the Temper of Martinez and
Made Her Poor Servants Life a
Burder The AIurderess Confesses
Her Crime.
From the Dunlap Cable.
PARIS, Jan. 1.-THE woman Barber,
charged with the murder Of her mistress,
Nine Baxter, at her residence on the out
skirts Of the Bots de Vincennes, was again
examined to-day by the judge d instruction
The story is curious one, even in the an
mails of French crime.
A local celebrity Of the garrison at Vim
cennes some years ago was Col. Baxter, one
Of the most incorporating martinets in
the French army. His severity became a
byword, and when, one morning, he failed
to present himself at dress parade with his
usual punctualily, every man in the regi-
ment knew that something serious had
happened. When. therefore, his death was
announced a few days later. no one was
surprised.
The colonel had built himself cottage
vue" on the edge of the boiS, whence he could
easily reach the fortress, and where he
hoped to spend his latter days when he
should retire on half pay. His wife, Clara,
was an accomplishing soul, and, with little
Will power OF her own, made only feeble
resistance when she discovered that her
husband proposed to treat her with the
same harshness that he did his regiment.
The household was as much under military
law as the fortress itself, and poor Nine.
Baxter was forced TO rise and retire, prepare
her meals and perform all the ordinary du-
ties of life with mathematical regularity.
Such was the state of affairs on the day
when the colonel was unable to respond to
the reveille, aid his widow was left to con-
tinue or change the military regime of her
household as she should decide. But by this
time she was 50 accustomed to discipline
that from sheer habit she kept on in the
| same precise way. This would not have
mattered much had it not been for the re-
bellious spirit of her factotum and general
! house servant, old Mere Barber, faithful
| creature of limited intelligence. A year had
not elapsed after the coloners death before
Mere Barber began to think that he was
leniency himself in comparison with the
woman who now ruled her daily life.
In her testimony, given yesterday, Mere
| Barber, her features aglow with indigna-
| ton, and her heart infamed with the re-
membrance of her wrongs, repeated her
former statements, and Missed out that the
most iutanely ingenious contriyanceS. Not
only did Nine. Baxter make it rule that
she should go regularly to mass, but insisted
| that she must be awake nights in order to
| perform her devotion at stated hours. For
| this purpose she would pull box on wheels
across the floor.
The unfortunate Barber took more and
more comfort in her only solace, the visits
of her niece, Rose Larnet. pretty flower
erf- -. II 80 .
| the bois gave her chance OF seeing roses
somewhere else than in the Madeleine flower
| market
She made a careful toilet on the days
when she visited her aunt, because she ex-
pected to see not only her aged relative but
| also a young sergeant, Pierre Pauline, who
managed to get leave and meet his fanct
| at the Baxter cottage.
Mere Barber finally began to brood over
her troubles, and to devise possible plans
| for revenging herself upon her Indictment
taskmaster. New Years came. The Sc
| verify of the weather and the heavy snow
! fall did not interfere with the severity oil
Mme. Bazler's regime, and poor Mere Bar
bier was driven to her usual task. Last
| Sunday she pleaded illness, and as an extra.
| ordinary favor was allowed TO remain in
bed while her mistress went to mass.
! The concession was the first that Nine
1
fatal to her. Mere Barber was not really
| ill, and, as soon as the widow was out o.
| sight, sprang from her bed and prepared
to wreak her revenge Taking stout cord
| that had been bound around some boxe.
containing New Years gifts from her niece
and the sergeant, she made running knot
and sat down to await Mime. Bazier's re
| turn.
Stealthily following her mistress up
stairs, slipping the moose over her head and
| Tightening it around her neck, Mere Bar
bier had the satisfaction Of seeing her vic
tim, after 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 dis
| turbed her slumbers, and left the cottage,
carrying away the clock that marked the
time for her 7ictim because il was highly
priced by its late owner, and took herself
| off.
! That afternoon Rose had come to pay
her weekly visit, and was met at the gate
| by Pierre. The pair tried 10 vain to obtain
entrance through the door. Pierre at last
| sprang through the window, ran upstairs
and discovered the corpse of Nine. Baxter
On the following day Mere Barber was
| found dazed and half frozen in a copse not
| far from the house. Since her arrest she
| appears to have taken leave of wnat little
intellect she ever had, aud to be governed