The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29
DEAF MUTE GOES
On WITNESS STAND
Testimony Is Dramatic and
Brings Confession
SOME SCANDAL0US FRAUDS
High italian Military Officers Have
Robbed Country of Hundreds
of Thousands of Lire.
Helpless Condition.
BY PAUL VILLlERS.

Paris, March 2S.-A scene more weird
and dramatic than any conceived by Ed
gar Allan Poe was enacted in the court
room at Bordeaux when deaf mute wit
ress in gestures and pantomine told of the
murder of the insurance agent Monget,
by an innkeeper and his wife, with two
accomplices.
So realistic was the acting of the wit
ness that he not only kept the audience,
judge and jury spellbound, but even
caused the prisoners to break down and
confess.
The deaf mute, who is railroad por-
ter, came to the inn III the morning to get
a drink, but found the door closed. En-
tering through the cellar he found the
innkeeper, Branchery, known throughout
the neighborhood for his brutality and
giant strength. washing his hands, whicn
were covered with blood. His wife, who
was with him, was wearing an apron lit
orally soaked in blood.
When the witness pointed to it In ter
Tor she tore off the apron and threw 1t
into the furnace.
Afterwards the witness sneaked aion3
down into the cellar and was staring at
the battered corpse of the murdered in
surance agent, when Branchery cana
rushing down, picked him up, struck him
With his fist and made him understand
that he would kill him If he betrayed
hun.
In the middle of the following night the
witness saw the murderers take the body
away in a wheelbarrow and throw it into
| the river Garonne, where it was found
later.
The way the deaf mute told the horrible
tale without words is described as "A
rlasterwork of acting, and toward the
end the murderer fell on his knees and
implored the Judge to make the man stop
az d he would confess everything.
Scandalous frauds, which defy all de-
scription, have been committed by high
Italian military officers who have robbed
the country of hundreds Of thousands of
lire.
The government, which Is conducting an
Investigation, has made the discovery
that in case of war Italy would barely ne
able to fire a shot, because magazines
supposed to be filled with ammunition
have been found either empty or filed
with shells and powder which are abso-
lutely worthless. Hundreds of thousands
Of uniforms have been sold and 1t is the
same way with shoes and all other kinds
of equipment
The names of the guilty parties are as
yet kept secret, but King Victor Emanuel
has ordered the whole affair sfted to the
lotion and the guilty officers punished,
no matter how high thetf rank.
Coming SO soon after N-he discoveries of
frauds in the navy and the existence of
what is known as butter armor." on an
Italian man-of-war the revelations have
stirred up an enormous sensation
While King Alphonso of Spain is said
to be more in love with his wife than
ever, Queen Victorla's popularity among
;he Spanish people Is on the wane.
They accuse her of being too frivolous
too unconventional and too fond of snowy
dresses. Socialistic papers have repeat
edly pointed out that while thousands OF
men, women and children in Spain are
out Of work and starving the Queen often
apepars in public literally covered with
diamonds, and this has created much i'll
feeling.
At court the Queen who, by the way,
expects another heir, has never been pop
ular because she absolutely refuses to
lie followed by one or more duennas
wherever she goes and this angered the la
dies of the aristocracy, who draw high
salaries as duennas, a position which Is
also considered a high social honor
They first tried to get the sympathy of
the king, but soon found out, that accord
ing to his view anything the Queen did
was above criticism, and they then began
a real war against the Queen, inside her
own palace, not even hesitating to supply
the Madrid newspapers with piquant
stories rejecting upon the morals of
Queen Victoria.
For shooting Gabrielle Pitteri, head
waiter of fashionable restaurant at Mi
Ian, Count Vitale- Bertrand u boy of 16. Is
awaiting his trial, which undoubtedly viii
end with his acuuittal
The incident Is, the scandal of the day in
Milan, by reason of the high station Of
Il lady who Is implicated. The Contessa
e-Bertrand, an extremely beautiful
lady belonging to the Lombard aristocra-
cy, was left widow a few years ago.
her husband inserted In his will a clause
TO the effect that she should enjoy his for
tune only so long as she remained I'M
married. In the event of her taking L
second husband the property was to pass
absolutely to their two children, one of
whom, the son, is now 49, years old, the
daughter being 49,
But the Countess was attracted by
Gabrielle Pitteri, then head waiter, an ex-
tremely good looking man. At length
she married MIN, but only went through
the religious ceremony, and thus retained
her hold on the property left by her first
husband, as the religious marriage has
no civil effect
Two children were the fruit of this
union. But the menage in recent times
was disturbed by serious events. Pittell
iecane hopelessly enamored with the
Gaughte~ Il the Countess. and prosecuted
be- ..fually with his protestations of
few days ago the Countess sur
Irised Petteri while he was makin:;
amorous declarations to the girl, where
Upon, summoning the servants, she had
lin driven from the house.
Pitteri was furious. and swore that he
would return and have his revenge by
killing the Countess. Terrified by his
threats, the lady appealed to the police
But the young count decided to take the
law into his own hands; and generally
speaking, people are sympathizing with
the youthful homicide.