The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-08
BAFFLING FRENCH DETECTIVES.
Sensational Murder Mysteries That
Have Never Been Solved.


From the Chicago Record.
There is no country in the world where
so many sensational crimes remain I'M
punished, and even unfathomed. as in
France. a fact which would lead one to
believe that police and bench are just as
much subject to high Influences as dur
ing the days Of the NapoIeonlc empire.
OF the score or more murders which have
been permitted to remain impenetrabIe
mysteries I need only to refer to the case
OF NJ. Barreme. project Of the department
Of the IRE, who was found in a railroad
carriage.
And now we are reminded that no cIew
has yet been discovered to the assassins
of the Duke of Elchingen, Prince de la
Moskowa, whose widow has since mar
ried the Due de RivOli. His death took
place nearly fifteen years ago, and IL is
dithcult TO understand why the whole af-
fair should have been raked up in the
press again and made the subject of pub
/ lie discussion unless il is that some par
ties having a knowledge of the facts OF
the case wish to put pressure upon those
who have been payiag them blackmail
/ for their silence in connection with the
matter.
IL may be remembe red that it was this
cavalry general the Dlc d Elchingen, who
cign spy and adventures. the Baroness
de kaulla in whose beauty the suscepti-
bic minister of war, Gen. de Cisscy, had
become infatuated in such a degree that
he used invariably 20 take his dejeuner
or luncheon at her residence on leaving
the cabinet councils at the Elysee pal
ace. His portfolio, full Of the records Of
| the cabinet meetings. would remain in the
salon while he was IN the dining room at
table with his charm n. During that time
some of the foOtmen or the baroness, who
were disguised STAFF officers of "A foreign
power, would take sh orthand notes Of the
contents of the portfolio. with the results
that for more than a year two foreign
governments knew within few hours
what had occurred at the cabinet meet
ing held under the presidency of Marshal
MacMahon.
resulted in the disgrace Of Gen. de Cissey
and the expulsion from France of the
Baroness de Kaulla, the Due d'Elchin-
gems trusted aid-de-eamp. Capt. Duvi-
Vier, was seated in his room at the ducal
residence, when a stranger suddenly pre-
sented himself and said that the duke
was below and wished to see the captain.
On going down stairs the aid-de-camp
found the duke seated In a hired carriage
with two other strangers. The duke, who,
according to the captains statement,
looked very much perturbcd, exclaimed:
Let Lut DUCHESS AtlOW lIdl small not De
at home tonight. nor yet tomorrow
1 am going to Versailles on official bust
/ ness"
Next morning Capt. Duviv1er received
an anonymous letter telling him that If
he wished to have any news of the duke
he must GO to the Place de la Republique
that evening and bring money with him
1 The sum was not mentioned, but an indi-
4 cation Of the amount required may be
| gathered from an anonymous letter which
| the duchess had received some time pre-
/ vious, and which contained the phrase:
/ IF you persist In refusing your husband
| the 100000 he asks for. woe be to him. -
/ The duchess, I may add, was a daughter
| Of the enormously wealthy banker, Helm,
! and the duke was more or less dependent
| upon her.
Capt Duvivier. on receiving the anony-
/ lmOus communicaF ion. Immediately in
/ formed NJ. Mace, chief of the detective
police, and the latter was imprudent
! enough to act as an escort of the captain
when the latter went 10 keep the appoint
ment on the Place de IL Republique. The
moment NJ. Mace appeared a cab which
had been standing on the square drove
/ off at breakneck speed.
! a few days later the dukes body was
/ found in a small house which he had taken
| al tenay-aux-Ieos some time pre-
viously for the purpose Of practicing pis-
! tol shooting. A revolver was clinched in
! MS IlAnL manu-. WO ENdILtDeIS HdQ DeeD
/ discharged, and the duke had been shot
| twice through the head.
! The dukes physician DIR. Davesne, de-
| clined to accept the hypothesis of suicide
| which, after the first few days had passed
was put forward with great persistence
| by the government authorities and police
/ He asserted that there was an interval of
an hour and a half between the inhiction
| of the wounds on the generals head, also
| the traces of blows on the face We're OBJ
served, which must have been done at least
thirty hours before his death; further, that
tho revolver was tightly clasped in the
r.sht hand which, according to medical
/ experience never occurs in cases of sui
eide, since the hand releases it's clasp.
Although the Ney family. to whom the
duke belonged. declined, like the doctor
and Capt. Duvivier, to accept the theory
of suicide, yet strangely enough it was
accepted by the duchess, who did not live
en- terms of particular felicity with her
buoyant. rollicking and jovial husband, a
typical cavalry general For she herself
has related to me that certain charges had
been made against him, that the detec-
lives who came to arrest him gave him at
his own request the time and opportunity
10 do away with himself and that ha tool