The record-union., 1895-08-14
MARQUIS De NAYVE.
CASE BEFORE THE
FRENCH COURTS.
The Nobleman Committed for Trial on
Charge of Numbering the Ille-
gitimate Child of His Wife.

BOURGEs (France), Aug. 13.-The In
dictment Court here has committed tho
Marquis De Nayve for trial at the Cher
Assizes on the charge OF numbering the
illegitimate son of his wife. The case is
sensational one.
The Marquis De Nayve has been i'm
prisoned since the middle OF July, 1894,
awaiting trial for the murder OF a son his
wife had before her marriage. His arrest
at the railway station at Guetin as he was
returning from Il trip through SwitZer-
land TO his chateau at Bourges, on the
banks OF the Loire, caused tremendous
sensation throughout the district.
He was one Oh the leading personalities
IN the department., and was reputed TO
be man OF great benevolence, although
1t was known that In his younger days he
had soWn more than fair share OF wild
oats, and dIssipated large patrimony
before marrying the rich heress whose
ille.idmate child be is charged with hay
Ing murdered. he was born at Grenoble
in lS49, and Is now, therefore, IN his 10Th
year.
Although at the time Of his arrest it
was not known exactly on what grounds
the gendarmes laid hands on him at
Guetln under warrant from the judicial
authorities at St. Armand, the Socialistlc
faction was greatly wrought up over the
affair. Very soon 1t became known that
the Marquis was accused of having
thrown his wifes son into the Bay OF
Naples from the ellis along the Sorrento
road, after having stunned him with
heavy instrument. 1t was also said the
youth had been stabbed before being
thrown from the cliffs into the bay, but
this version was afterward denied.
1t transpired later that the denuncia-
~. i
emanated from bis own wife. Friends of
the Marquis alleged that the boy had not
been murdered. but was OF a respondent
nature and had committed suicide by
jumping from the cliff during the tour
through Italy on which the Marquis had
taken him. In the hope OF dispelling his
gloominess. The Marquis partisans
further stated that his wife had concocted
the story III order to rid herself of the
Marquis so that she might marry priest
who had lived with the Nayves ever since
their marriage, and had been the boy's
tutor, II not his father.
The fact that Nine. De Nayve about this
time instituted suit for divorce against
the prisoner lentso color to this theory,
and in the absence OF anything but hear
say evidence, and Mime. De Nayve's de-
nunciation. it was thought at one time the
prosecution would be abandoned. The
Procurer-General at Bourges, NJ. Bou-
geois, was removed to Douai at the spe-
cial order OF the department, and it was
thought that his displacement was due TO
his unwiilingness 10 shelve the case.
Some weeks later the Marquis was still
under arrest, aud an eminent Paris law
yer vas retained on his behalf, and the
trial took place in January, 1895. Com
missions to examine witnesses in the
meantime had been collecting evidence in
Italy, at Paris, Havre and Orleans. Vol
luminous, however. as it was, it all proved
to have been circumstantial and indecis-
i've, and before the June sessions opened
the authorities decided to postpone the
trial until April, in order to collect new
evidence. Whep the trial came up on
April 9Th the case was further postponed
until to- day.