The Red Cloud chief., 1896-07-10

hNNNl' " ~ " II
The baroness, eighty years old. lived
at No. Z Rue de lArbre BENT, ~Ixelles.
n suburb. On Sunday morning, April
26, she was discovered by a maid sery-
ant dead in bed, with a number of
blush marks about her neck and a
gaping wound in her head. The clos
cts of the room had been forced and
ransacked. The small safe, in which
the baroness had 5000 francs (s7 ,000),
some bonds and stocks and rare family
jewels and plate, had been carried of.
Two large watch-dogs were in the
yard. They never before had failed to
announce anything unusual after
nightfall. The baroness lap dog was
in the room when the murderer en-
tered, but made no sound. The serv-
ants said that the baroness son re-
turned home about 2:30 a. m. Sunday.
He found everything as usual, except
that the lap dog was in the lower
hallway. The street door was fasten-
ed, the servants had retired and all
was quiet. AS the appearance OF the
small dog in the lower hall was not un-
usual, the young man vent to bed.
Two men residing in the same street,
while on their way home about . a. m.
Sunday. saw two persons standing op-
posite the house, but their description
of those persons was most meager.
On that Sunday forenoon a we'll
dressed, fine-looking man presented
himself at the Office of a broker on
the Boursc (shops are kept open in
that country on Sunday morning.) He
said he was an artillery officer and
gave his name as Lefebvre. He had
just decided to so to Client, with some
other officers, to buy horses. He had
six bonds of 1000 francs $4,000 each
which he wanted to negotiate in order
TO get cash for the prospective pur-
chases. The numbers of the stolen
bondsno then having been posted, the
broker made the usual advances. On
Monday morning a farmer living in
the Commune Leeuw st. Pierre found
the baroness safe in a wheat field.
broken open and its contents gone.
That morning the numbers of the
stolen bonds were posted on the
Bourse. and the broker who had made
the advances to the supposed army
officer told of the circumstances. II
developed that there was no officer
named Lefebvre in the service. A
number OF photographs of persons an
swering the brokers' description of the
officer were laid before him and he
picked ont IN as the picture of the
man who got money from him for the
bonds. IL was a photograph OF NJ.
Courtois, formerly assistant chief of
police in Brussels.
NJ. Courtois was arrested. He said
there must be some mistake. The
croker bad not previously known him.
having located in Brussels after the
assistant chief had retired from the
police service. NJ. Courtois was mixed
up with a lot OF prisoners and the
broker Wal asked II the man who sold
him the bonds was among the number.
Without hesitation he pointed TO NJ.
Courtois.
The oX-assistant chiefs house was
searched. the plate was found and a
coat which contained the balance of
the stolen bonds. Its sleeves showed
spots of blood and saliva. In other
clothing were found many pawn tick
cts, and in the cellar a large quantity
Of pawn receipts, issued by brokers in
cities remote from Brussels, which
were regarded as evidence Of other
crimes.
Finally he admitted having been con-
cerned in the negotiating of the bonds,
but denied completely in the murder.
When it was known that the expo
lice official was in Jail. persons whose
mouths had been sealed began to give