The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-27
Revelations Are Promised h The SHinheiI Case That
 May Involve Nation
NATIONS LAWMAKERS
 MAY PROBE THE AFFAIR
Woman In the Case, Who Is Widow of Murdered Man, Has Made Sensa- tionaI Confession, Involving
 Many Great Personaees.

Paris, November 26.-Paris has been in a state of intense excitement today over the developments that have come thick and fast since last night in the Steinheil murder case and the sensations of the day have made themselves felt even in the chamber of deputies where many members declared they would raise the Z question in the chamber unless the gov- ernment undertook to probe the scandal to the bottom. Madame Steinheil made 8 confession to two newspaper men last night She declared that man named Alexander Wolff was the murderer of her husband. Wolff was arrested and ex- amined by the authorities. He denied his guilt and said he was ready to prove an alibi. Madame Steinheil then weakened and said if 1t was not Wolff the man who did commit the crime resembled him strangely.
 Then suspicion turned upon Madame Steinheil herself and at 6 o'clock it was announced that she had been locked up in the prison of St. Lazare under a war rant of arrest. No charge, however. was specified. Wolff also will be held, but not on a warrant
 Surprise of the Day.
 One of the surprises of the day was the revelation of the fact that Madame Japy, who was murdered at the same time as was steinheil, was not Madame steinheil's mother. as had been supposed, but her stepmother. The end of a sensational day brought a crop of sensational rumors. It was said that Minister of Justice Briand had ordered an investigation of the open charges that Madame steinheil had been the mistress of M. heydett, the examining magistrate in the case, and that M. Leydett had been instrumental in sitting the case. Chief of Detectives Hamard was credited with the statement that Wolff had practically established his alibi and that open suspicion had been cast upon Madame Steinheil. Couil- laud, the man arrested several days ago on suspicion was released.
 The local newspapers published extra editions throughout the day, giving under slaring headlines the details of the wom- ans statement and her subsequent exam ination by M Hamard, and the crowds on the boulevards fairly mobbed the news boys in their eagerness to read the latest developments.
 Scandal Affects Nation.
 Behind the interest in the crime itself lie the more or less thinly yelled intima- tons that France Is on the verge of a scandal involving high personages, and the failure of the police to clear up the mystery has led to the open assertion that their lack of energy is dictated by powerful political reasons dating back to
  who was at one time President of the re- public.
 The crime in question was committed on the night of May 31. Mme. Japy was murdered at the same time as Steinheil. Steinheil was a portrait painter and grand nephew of Messonier The assas- sination of the woman, however, is sup posed to have been incidental to the kill ing of Steinheil. He was the man, it was decided, to get out of the way. Steinheil, his wife and Mime. Japy lived together. The wife was found bound and gagged in bed and at first she declared that she had been thus treated by three men and a woman. all unknown to her
 Wolff Accused.
 Alexander Wolff the man accused to- day by Mme Steinheil, is the son of woman who formerly employed in the Steinheil family as cook. He and his mother, whose name is Mariette, were at once arrested. It transpired, however, that Mime. Steinheil was not the first per son to accuse Wolff. A mechanic named Wagner told the police a few days after the crime that Wolff had suddenly come Around with pocket full of gold. The night of the crime he was not present in his usual haunts, but the morning after ward when he read an account of the tragedy in newspaper he appeared to be greatly excited and swore that he would have vengeance on the assassns.
 Caught In Trap.
 Mme Steinheil seemed to realize to- day that the net in which she has en- tangled herself in her efforts to divert suspicion elsewhere was fast closing in about her and after she had been eX- amined by M. Hamard, the chief of de- tectiyes, announced that she had been caught in her own trap Mime. Steinheil repeated her statement to the newspaper man to M Hamard this morning. She was hysterical and sobbed out her story between walls of anguish. In many re spects her statements were conflicting. She said Wolff committed the murder from the motive of robbery but that he spared her on account of her daughter. She said she had kept silent up to the present time because of Wolff's threats to charge her with having melted him to the murders if she denounced him. She declared emphatically and repeatedly that Wolff was nothing to her, and that she was not in any way party to the crime. She did say, however, that she had hated her husband and she had a lover "l hoped to justify mylself before a man whose love I have lost forever" she cried. This man is said to be a French nobleman and in his identity is believed to lie the key to this romantic tragedy. There was a series of dramatic con frontationS at the palace of justice throughout the morning and the excite ment in and around the building was in- tense The parties to these interviews were Mme Steinheil and her daughter, Marthe, Alexander Wolff and his mother and the man Coullaud. In the interms each fas subjected separately to close examination by M. Hamard and M Ley dett,
 Marthe steinheil has been devoted toher -anthar from the beginning. but today she