Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-11-08
LOOKS BAD.
Damaging Testimony
Against Mme' Steiohel|'
Former Servant Says That She
Was Loosely Tied.
GAG Not in Mouth, But Near the
Pillow She Rested Upon.

Paris, Nov. Mime. Steinheil, who
was led fainting from the court room
Friday, was not called to the stand
when the trial was resumed Saturday,
somewhat to the disappointment of the
spectators
The first witness called was Remy
Couillard formerly Il servant in the
Steinheil household but who is now in
the military service. He appeared III
the uniform OF Il dragon. 1t was Coull-
lard who found Nine. Steinheil bound
and gagged in her bed and the bodies
of her husband and stepmother in adj
joining rooms.
He recounted the story which he mad
told the police, but nothing new was
developed. In his examination special
emphasis was laid upon the condition
in which Nine. Stefnhtil was found
and the way in which she was bound
and gagged. Soon after the crime
Couillard left the service of Mime.
Stenheil. and on Nov. u. 1908. he was
arrested upon suspicion of having been
implicated in the murders.
A pearl which Nine. Steinheil had
claimed was stolen from the home at
the time of the murders had been
found in his rocket. but after he had
been held in Jail for several days he
vas released upon Nine. Steinncil's
confession that she had placed the
jewel in his pocket. She claimed that
she had become convinced that the
servant was guilty. and believing that
if arrested he would confess she plan
ned to ring him into the custody of
The police.
COulllardS testimony was damaging
10 the defence He insisted that when
he found Mmc. Steinheil she told him
only Of a burglary. making no mem
ton of her husband and stepmother,
who lay dead in their rooms. He said
that the gag was not in her mouth. but
near the pillow upon which Nine.
Steinheils head rested. Her hands were
tied in front of her and not behind her
back as she had testified, the witness
said. and both the ropes about her
wrists and ankles We're loosely bound
Moreover. the witness said that af-
ter the police had arrived and the
woman had told them the story of the
murders. the telephone bell rang,
whereupon Nine. Steinheil. who had
been ieigning illness and pain, ordered
lirl from the room. and springing from
her bed. answered the telephone Dur
ing this testimony the prisoner inter
ruDted repeatedly denying most of
Couillard's statements as fast as he
made them.
The questions of Judge de Wales
emphasized the Importance to the state
of Couillard'S testimony. This uueS-
tioning brought out the statement that
the alleged murderess had ordered that
their watch dog be removed from the
house on the night preceding the MUIR
ders
She explained her desire to get rid
of the animal, the witness said on the
ground that it was ill-smelling
One of M. Steinheil's models. man
named Antanzio. swore that few days
before the murders the painter told him
that he intended to- divorce his wife for
the sake of their daughter. On the
other hand. NJ. Bouneaud, brother-in-
low of Steinheil, testified that the
painter always had insisted that his
Wife's character had been maligned
He said that Steinhei adored his wife
and was in no way suspicious of her. NJ.
Bouneaud and his family. however, knew
Nine. Steinheil's character, and servered
their relations with her after the gossip
following the death of Pres. Faure.
Another brot er-in-IaW of Steinhejf. on
the contrary, testified that the artist
was familiar wit. his wife's cscapades
This statement aroused an outburst of
Indignation from Nine. Steinheil who
cried out: you have dishonored the
memory of my husband. 1t is infa-
NOUS
DR.. LeSist testified that the binding
and gagging of Nine. Steinhel seemed
to him to be a fake. Following the in
PRODUCTION of some further but un i'm
portant testimony the case was ad-
iOurned Until Monday