Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-03-02
~cause celebrev in West Franco.

An extraordinary case, which VIII &c
doubt rank as one of the most interest
ing causes celebres of the year, is now
being investigated by the police au-
thoritics at Lorient. The case is to be
tried by the Morbihan Court of AS
sizes.
Some details of the affair are given in
the Figure.
4 Nine. Bertha Crouan is accused of
attempting to cause the murder of her
husband, N. Octave Crouan, against
whom she was engaged III II suit of
separation.
The supposition of crime rests on
the declarations made by some street
porters at Loricnt who were found to
be possessed Of q comparatively large
sum OF money, which, they declared,
was transmitted to them rs the price Of
killing NJ. Crouan in such way that ii
would appear to be an accident.
The street porters declared that they
had considered it more prudent not to
do the deed, with prudence no doubt
similar to that which induced them to
keep the money.
On the strength of these declarations
warrants for the arrest Of Nine. Crouan
and her servant, Marie Cristen, were
issued, but Nine. Crouan escaped to
Switzerland.
At length, tired of living away from
France, Nine. Crouan wrote from Ge
ncva that she intended to give herself
up prisoner. She had been, in fact,
of her own free will imprisoned in Lo-
rient Jail.
Nine. Crouan is the daughter Of Il
very wealthy contractor, NJ. Brian, who
complied an enormous fortune by his
own efforts. A greater part ofhis energy
characterized his daughter, who was, it
appears. disappointed early in life
about marriage she wished to make.
NJ. Brian lived about twenty or thirty
wears ago at the Chateau de Ia Made
leiu, near Narades Loire-Inferieure).
When the marriage on which Mile.
Brian had set her heart had been for
hidden and put q stop to by her father,
she was ailianccd to a NJ. Octave
Crouan, an engineer, who was closely
connected with NJ. Brian in his business
relations.
Mile. Brian announced to her future
husband that it was dangerous for him
to be the accomplcc of her father in
opposing her will. But the threat ap
peared to NJ Brian to be due simply to
the petulance ofyouth.
They were married and two children
were born, for which their mother had
strong and unbounded affection.
Unhappily this love does not appear
to have extended to her husband, and
in 1890 Nine. Crouan formed Il hais0n
with NJ. kerneur, who exercised tie
profession of teacher in riding school.
For time the lidison was kept Sc
cret, but fat the expiration of few
months Nine Crouan and NJ. Kerneur
took the children of the former and
fled to Paris. N. Crouan followed
them. found them, and after treating
his wife with much leniency, induced
her to 90 and live with him again.
But in January, 1891, NJ. Crouan was
deserted again, and the guilty pair,
travelling in great state as man and
wife, visited Nice, Mentone and Monte
Carlo. After much trouble NJ. Cronan
found them and obtained the guardian
ship of the children.
During the last summer vacation NJ.
Crouan stayed with the children at
Belle-Isle- -en-NIer and Nine. Crouan ut
Quiberon. The mother was to see her
children every fortnight. They took
the boat for Quiberon in the morning
and returned to Belle-Isle at night.
On one occasion they did not arrive;
they had missed the boat and had
been obliged to stay at Quiberon all
night.
NJ. Crouan was, however, not fully
reassured by this explanation, and de-
cided in future to accompany the child
ren. While they were with their moth
er he used to pass the time walking
about the ellis. 1t was while thus en-
gagged that the street porters say that
they were paid to see that he had
fatal accident.
The affair is at present being thor
oughly investigated by the police. 1t
is expected that many sensational reve-
lations will be made at the trial with
reference to the career of Nine. Crou-
an. 1t should be added that NJ. Ker-
neur is not implicated in the affair.