The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-06-21
E WEBER,
ETrrlhIe Monster OF the
;ggssdlssvaI Legends.
BSE TOUCH STAYS.

the Most Fantastic Legends of
Ogresscs, Who Dwell in Caves In
tho Woods and Fcastcd OH the
Blood of Children.
The case of "The Ogress of Mont
marie" is again causing the deep
est emotion and rage among the pop
ulation Of Paris.
The ogress whose actual name is
Jeanne Weber, is held responsible
by the inhabitants of Montmarte and
ofParis generally for causing the
death Of at least five children, and
yet there is no reasonable explana-
ton how she killed any Of them.
One child after another, who
came in contact with the ogrcss of
Montmarte died suddenly and mys-
t%eriously, as if some invisible force
had stopped its life. There was
never any sign of violence on the
body and the doctors called in ere
unable to state the cause of death
with any certainty. All that was
known positively was that Madame
Jeanne Weber had touched them
upon the breast.
The case recalls the most fantas-
tic medieval legends of ogresses,
who dwclt in caves in the woods and
Toasted on the blood of children, and
of the historical Marshal de Retz, of
the fifteenth century who DESTROYED
hundreds of children in order to
minister to a perverted appetite for
blood.
The parents Of the dead children
are convinced that Jeanne Weber
took their lives and the common peo-
pie have become so impressed with
the idea, that the woman would be
in danger of lynching if she we're
not safely lodged in Jail. On the
other hand, all the Judges, doctors
and educated men, who have in
vestigatcd the cases, are satisfied
there was no legal evidence against
her.
Nine, Weber is a heavily built
stolid looking woman, who cXcites
repulsion in all who come in contact
with her IN account Of her sickly
smile, her long yellow teeth and her
sallow complexion, She expresses
an overwhelming fondncss for all
children and loves to fondle them.
While she dose 50, she gurglcS with
delight and uttcrs loud expressions
of cndearmcnt.
The first child whose death is at
tributed to Nine. Weber was Cccilc
Pereybornc, a girl Of three years.
She was the child Of ncighbors of
The Webers, living in the quarter Of
Montmartc. Nine. Weber lived at
that time at No. So Rue des Trois
Freres, Montmarte, and the Percy
bornes lived at No. 81 in the same
street. She offered to come in and
take care of the child Nine.
Pereyborne wished to go anywhere,
aud the busy mother was GLAD to
accept the offer.
81 am happy to spend all day
playing with the dear little thing"
said Nine. Weber. 81 love her So"
The girl was frightened when the
ogrcss first smiled at her, but the
woman quickly overcame the little
ones fears with presents of candy.
One after noon the mother went
away on a long shopping crrand,
leaving her daughter in the care OF
Madame Weber. When she return
ed the child was lying motionl1.
D~o '-c Is % %of { ,e@Kity the oaress v was
las m9esgifng her hand on her chest.
What are you doing?" cried the
mother.
81 was feeling her heart to sec if
it was still beating" said Madame
Weber, 81 am afraid she is very ill.,"
The terrified mother a to her
child and found that She was dead.
The doctor who was called could not
decide positively what was the cause
of death. The little girl had been
perfectly healthy up to the time
the mother left her. Her face
wore and expression as if she had
died in great agony or terror.
This case did not attract grave
suspicion to Madame Weber. but a
year later three children whom she
had been fondling died mystcriously
within two months and one II mar
rowly escaped. Then the cutlery be-
gan and the ogrcss was arrested.
She passed four months in prison
while the authorizes were catherine
evidence %conccrcing the strange ia
talltics. Then her case was sent to
the Court of Assizes, The first
judge, President Favre, to whom
the case was presented, refused ia
hear it on the ground that there was
no legal evidence against Nine. We
Der, bat another Judge, President
Bertulus, took it up.
She first child to perish among
this new batch Of victims was hen
nephew, Maurice Weber, aged
three, the child Of her husbands
Oldest brother. Nine. Weber al.
ways wished to take care of the
child, and it was said that on the
day OF his death she persuaded the
mother to go away on a long visit tc
the country. The child was fount
dead from no known disease. Hi!
face bore the same marks Of con
as IN the previous case, and a neigh
Dor declared that she had seen Nine
Weber press her hand ovcr his heart
Then Nine Wcbcr's own baby sol
died in the same sudden and mystcr
ious manner. She had had five child
rem and this was the last of them
Tier enemies do not hesitate to sax
lhai he made away with them ll
her III ,aIical methods.
Az MS Marcel Weber, another
child 81 O. Srothcr-in law previous