The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-16
AN INNOCENT CONVICT.
Thirteen Years Expiration Of An
others Crime.


From the London Globes Paris letter.
On Jan. 3, olS79, a grocer's assistant
named Lecercle, in the employ of M. Mar
tin, who kept shop in the Courts de
Vincennes, left in a cart to collect the ac-
counts due his master. A few hours
afterWard the cart, apparently deserted.
was found by the controller of the Vim
cennes tramWay. 1t was conducted to
M. Martin, VINO, on examining it. dis
covered the body of LeCcercle hidden I'M
der sack at the bottom of the vehicle.
The body was covered with wounds made
by dagger, which showed that a Terri
bic struggle had taken place between the
victim and his murderers. An inquiry
was at once ordered, but no trace Of the
guilty parties could be obtained.
Three months after. on April Il. an
other murder was committed in the
neighbOring locality of MOntreuil-sous-
Bots in a small, isolated wineshop kept
by an'aged couple, M Bassangcaud and
his wife, and frequented by bad charac-
tiers. One morning Nine. Bassaugeaud
was found dead in her shop covered with
wounds similar to those inflicted on
Lecercle. the head being nearly severed
from the body.
Suspicion tell on two young men, one Of
whom bore the name Of Abadie He was
arrested on April % following, in room
in the Faubourg-du-Temple which he
occupied on the day of the crime, together
with friend named GILES, who was also
arrested. The latter. at that time was
only IL years old. Both were tried and
found guilty on their own confession
They were sentenced TO death. but the
penalty was committed to transportation
for life.
They were about to be sent to New
Caledonia, when the revelations of an
other youthful criminal named I&nobloCh
threw some light on the mysterious muir
der of Lecercle. Knobloch, for reasons
which have not yet been explained, gave
himself up to the police as the author of
robberies committed by him at MOntreuil
and Saint-Mande. He said he belonged
and gave the police to understand that he
knew how LecerCle was assassinated.
Without at first naming his accomplices,
he confessed that the crime was perpe-
trated by three persons, one of whom was
himself. Pressed by further examina-
ton, he finished by saying that the two
other criminals were Abldie, already
mentioned, and Paul Karail, another
member of the gang, who had already
been tried and punished for robbery
committed at the wine shop referred 10
above Knobloch and Abadie were con-
demned to DEATH and Karail to transport
tation for life, but the sentence on the
former was also committed to transpor5a
ton
Paul Karail, after passing thirteen
wears in penal seryitudc, has at last been
proved to be innocent Of the CRIME for
which he was condemned. Bad character
as he was. his counsel, Maitre Comfy,
has never ceased to declare his innocence
l,1 Lsa in b,
has at last succeeded in his task. The
decret de grace rendered in his favor was
issued on March ii. but it did not reach
New Caledonia before May IA. On June
Is, Karail, after waiting at Noumea two
months without farthiug, was informed
that he could leave the settlement by the
next steamer bound for Europe on June
90 He embarked for and arrived at
Paris on July 81.
Karail is now 30 years of age. He is a
man of medium stature, with black hair,
piercing eyes, and low forehead OF
course. he had no sooner landed in the
French capital than the reporters
bounced upon him AT length" cried
the innocent convict, 81 am free. 1t was
indeed high time that justice was rem
dered to me just imagine what thirteen
years of penal captivity is! Never shall
! be able to thank my counsel as he de-
serves to be thanked" Hence, his first
visit was made 10 Maitre Comfy, whom
he embraced most atfectionately.
During his Imprisonment he acted as
baker, and for twelve years he made the
bread distributed TO the convlcts. He ad-
nitted that at the outset he was not an
exemplary prisoner. u could not believe
it possible, " he said, that an innocent man
should be treated like culprit, and I re
volted against the injustice. | was made
to suffer. But ] soon saw thatit was use
less to kick against the pricks and / re
signed myself to my fate
According to him life at Noumea is tor
ment; the prisoners are treated with the
greatest severity. and their food is of the
worst quality. The convict" he says,
''receiveS just enough to keep body and
soul together, bul that is all, and in nu-
merous cases death follows for want of
proper nourishment.'
He next described the manner in which
his pardon was communicated to him
ION Sunday, the l4th Of May. I was max
ing my bread when the inspector of the
first class called on me and told me to 20
to E'onwhary, wherc important news
awaited me On arriving there | went to
the commander of the district, who
handed me a paper. saying, You are free
On opening IL found it was my safe con
duct. which ran thus: I'm virtue OF "A
gracious decision Oh the president Of the
republic the convict karall is liberated
from penal servitude on this day. the 14th
of May, under the number OF 2.536, the
fourth category and second section, haV-
ing obtained remission OF the remainder
of his sentence. as well as other penalties
TO it, Overwhelmed with Joy,
! at once went to Noumea, where | re-
ceived $50 francs fran the authorities in
the shape Of indemnity, which enabled
me to return home.n
Respecting Abadie and Knobloch he
says ON arriving in New Caledonia
lost sight Of Abadie. who was employed
as a carpenter in the island of Nou, but
accidentally came across Knobloch as j /
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