The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-18
PHASES
' OFF A GRlMI|E.
A Conspiracy That Remained Un-
punished For q Quarter ofa
Century.

0ooooooooooooo oooooooooooo0
The recent trial In Marseilles, France,
Of Jules DucraiX for an alleged assault
on his wife, Marie. led to the discovery
Of the real perpetrators Of great
crime committed 25 years before and
to the exoneration of an innocent man.
The story Of the trial, as told in a
French newspaper, is dramatic.
DucraiX dealt In ships stores and
was supposed 70 be in good circum-
stances. In his defense he swore that
his wife assaulted him with n knife,
and he showed the unhealed wound
on his left arm, made by the weapon
when he endeavored to ward of what
might have otherwise been a deadly
blow. At this juncture in the trial q
note was handed to the defendants
counsel. With permission Of the court
lie read the note, and asked to be ex-
cused for minute or two. He fol-
lowed to the corridor the man who had
handed him the note and speedily re-
turned. At his request the woman
was recalled and questioned by him as
follows:
"Where were you born, madame?"
''In Paris, I believe"
"Were you ever in Poftou?'
"Never!"
''Were you ever in Brittany"
"Never!'
did you ever know or see a man
named jacques Saupier?'
II never didw
Were you never married to man Of
that nameY
''Never!''
'You swear that you were never mar
ried to one Jacques Saupier and never
saw or knew him?"
II do so swear"
Counsel turned and, glancing round
the audience that filed the courtroom.
he cried:
Jacques Saupier"
Amid deep silence and with all eyes.
fixed upon him, a man was seen mov-
ing forward from the outskirts Of the
crowd. he was tail, dark, clean
shayen, with sloping forehead and
q reced'ng chin.
'"This way, Jacques Saupierw coun-
sci said, and the stranger moved slow
ly forward. with his eyes fixed upon
the woman. Within three or four feet
Of her he stood and looked at her with
steady. unflinching gaze. She crouch
ed and turned away her head. Then
counsel questioned her.
"Do you know this man?"
eyes, yes; do"
"Is this jacques Saupier"
"Oh, yes, believe sO.''
SIS he your lawful husbandY
eyes, yes! Oh, let me go!'
What has become of your para
mour, Lacruse?'
"He is in prison for life-dead to me,
deadw'
What has this to 90 witt. fila cgse:'..
the court asked.
"This woman Is a criminal" answer
ed the counsel. land ask you to de-
tain her on a charge of a double MUIR
der. committed 25 years ago."
The complaint against Ducraix was
dismissed, and the woman was handed
over to the police. The narrative which
follows Is gathered from a report of
the proceedings already mentioned.
Marie Rozan wns the associate OF
thief, sometimes called Crascras, but
whose real name was Lacruse. Early
in May, 1873, Lacruse and one Pascot
planned a robbery at Lemans, province
Of Maine, where Pascot had once been
employed as q coachman. Marie ac-
companied them. Pascot was arrested
and Lacruse fed and abandoned Marie.
to her fate. She managed to escape
from the neighborhood and wandered
ffo,s{n nj
';ntil she reached Morlaix In Brittany.
She continued on up one Of the valleys
until she came upo' comfortable
homestead, where lived Henri Saupier
with his wife and only son. NJ. Saupier
owned some 70 acres OF land adjoining
his home and was in good circum-
stances, being considered. In fact the
wealthy man In the district. The son,
jacques, was not particularly bright
and had earned q bad reputation In the
nefghborhood, having twice stolen
money from his parents and gone of
with It. He was never fond OF work.
the truth oe the matter being that he
had been spoiled in the bringing up.
Just before dusk on the evening Of
May 30, 1873, Saupier sat in the garden
smoking Looking up, he saw a miser-
ably clad woman. standing with her
hand on the gate and her eyes directed
toward him.
Wife, ," said Saupier, calling to Nine.
Saupier. who was. In the house. '.see
what this poor woman wants"
Apparently encouraged. by the kindly
tones of the old man, Marie--for it was
she-o opened the, wicket nnd entered the
garden. TO husband and wife she told
her story, saying TINT her prme was
Marie Rozan, and telling how her ia.
ther. o. f6herman, was drowned, and
how her brother was In the navy a
great way of. and how she had 3 no
friends pr relatives; and. being unable