The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-20

her husband had been murdered.
Mr.. Delano, alarmed at her condition,
went to telephone and called up the
officers, and when he returned to the
woman she was in the act OF drinking
a bottle of chlOrOfOrm she had with her.
Mr. Delano promptly interfered and took
the drug from her.
To Deputy Sheriff Corwin she said her
name was Aveline and that her husband,
Aguste Aveline, lived at 1907 Preston
avenue, Houston, and that he was a
hairdresser.
Blanch Dumont, whose establishment
is just across the street from Delano's
place of business, hearing of the trouble,
went over and recognized the woman,
who in turn recognized Miss Dumont,
who, it seems, in Houston often had her
hair dressed at Aveline's.
Speaking to Miss Blanch Dumont, Mrs.
Aveline said: "You see, Miss Blanche,
I've been so reduced that | have to go
upon the streets and sing for living,
but | still have my diamonds left"
Then she went off into Mysteries and
wept copiOusly.
She then told Deputy Sheriff Corwin
that her husband had been murdered in
Houston and placed under the floor of
their residence. Then she insisted that
his body was under the floor of the room
in which she was then in, and to humor
her Officer Corwin raised one of the floor
planks, and reaching down picked up a
rock and placed it on the floor.
The poor woman picked it up and ex-
claimed: 81 knew it; told you he was
killed. These are his teeth"
A strange part of the drama was the
effect the woman had on the poor little
girl, who appeared to be under hypnotic
in Che UoulI Unap and not &c
did Mrs. Aveline, and like her would
declare that Mr.. Aveline had been muir
dered and placed under the floor of his
house in Houston.
The Girls Story.
At the Jail, against the protest of Mrs.
Aveline, the girl, whom she claims is
her daughter, was separated from her,
and out from under her influence she
is totally different little girl.
She was questioned and declared: "Im
not the daughter of that woman. My
papa and mamma live in New Orleans.
She's bad woman, and I'm so glad I'm
away from her. and Pm going back to
my mamma in New Orleans. Please, Mr..
Officer, send me back. That woman
beats and treats me mean."
To questions put to her, the little girl
said her fathers name is Gabriel Fran
tingoes and that he is a street car driver
in New Orleans.
The number of his house and street
she does not remember. She said her
mother gave her and a little sister to
Mrs. Aveline and that her sister had
been given to another woman in HOus-
ton.
The little girl, with all soberness and
earneStneSs, then told that in Houston
Mrs. Aveline gave her husband some
thing to drink, and when his back was
turned she picked up Ratchet and
struck him over the head, killing him.
After telling this she would look up
into the face of Officer Corwin and say,
"That's not so. is it?'
Then she begs piteously not to be turn
ed back to Mrs. Avelne and pathetically
pleads to be sent to her parents in New
Orleans.
Mrs. Aguste Aveline.
Letters found Enthusiastically indicate
that Mrs. Aveline is no common woman
as letter dated January ). 1897. and
postmarked Levalldis, Perfect Seine
France, shows.
The letter in French is beautifully
written and translation of it into Eng
lish is about faultless. 1t was written
by Miss N. Eveline, sister of the wo
man under arrest. She refers to hel
father and brothers and hopes that al
the family will soon be reunited il
France. 1t breathes refinement and cul
ture.
Mrs. Aveline is neatly dressed, 'ant
her wearing apparel in her trunk is nea
and well made. Too neat and infinitely
too well made up for an organ grinder
on the streets. Receipts, bills and notes
express money orders and money SEN
by her to her husband were found il
her trunk.
The letter from her sister is addressed
to Mr.. Aguste Aveline, 1907 Preston
avenue, Houston, U. s. A.
Another Mystery.
When Officer Joe Corwin went dowr
after Mrs. Aveline he was accompanied
by Harry Montgomery, sergeant of po
lice, and the two observed neatly
dressed man hanging around Delano's
He wore black, had on Derby hat and
wore sideburns.
He was stranger to the officers and
they paid very little attention to him.
At the Jail. however, away from Mrs
Aveline, the little girl told that mar
had come here with Mrs. Aveline, and
she described the stranger seen by the
officers. They went down to arrest hin
but he had disappeared and all efforts
to locate him yesterday failed.
1t was learned that after the officers
left Delano's with Mrs. Aveline that this
stranger turned up there and made
minute inquiries as to where the officers
had conveyed Mrs. Aveline.
When he left Delano's he went in the
direction of the Union depot, and the
Office" believe he took the northbound
midnight International and left the city
Tho little girl, yesterday morning, was
placed III charge of Mrs. Delano, who
is a Creole, born in New Orleans, and
speaks French fluently A Statesman
reporter called to see her yesterday and
she will extend to the little girl every
kindness and care.