The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-19
Ep6AR.AlLAN. POE

L'Espanaye had some property.
Had opened an account with his
banking house eight years previ-
ously. Made frequent deposits in
small sums. Had checked for nothing
until the third day before her
death, when she took out in person
the sum of 1000 francs. A clerk
was sent with the money.
"Adolphe Lebon. bank clerk, de-
poses that on the day in question,
about noon, he accompanied Nine.
l. 'Espanaye to her residence with
the 1000 francs, put up in two bags.
Upon the door being opened. Mile.
l.. appeared and took from his
hands one of the bags, while the
old lady relieved him of the other.
He then departed. Did not see any
person in the street at the time.
William Bird, tailor, deposes
that he was one of the party who
entered the house. Is an English
man. Was one of the first to as
cend the stairs. Heard the voices.
The gruff voice was that of a
Frenchman. Could make out sew
eral words, but cannot now remem-
Der all. Heard distinctly 'sacre'
and mon Dieu' There was a sound
at the moment as if of several per-
sons struggling-a scraping and
scuffling sound. The shrill voice
was very loud-louder than the
gruff one. Is sure that it was not
the voice of an Englishman. APP
peared to be that of German.
Might have been woman's voice.
Does not understand German.
-Four of the above named wit
nesses, being recalled, deposed that
the door of the chamber in which
was found the body of Mile. l.. was
locked on the inside when the party
reached it. Everything was per-
fectly silent-no groans or noises
of any kind. Upon forcing the door
no person was seen. The windows,
both of the back and front room,
were down and firmly fastened
from within. A door between the
two rooms was closed but no
locked. The door leading from the
front room into the passage was
locked, with the key on the inside.
A small room in the front of the
house, on the fourth story, at the
head of the passage, was open, the
door being ajar. This room was
crowded with old beds, boxes and
so forth. These were carefully
removed and searched. There was
not an inch of any portion of the
house which was not carefully
searched The house was a four
story one. A trapdoor on the roof
was nailed down very securely-did
not appear to have been opened for
years. The time elapsing between
the hearing of the voices in conten-
ton and the breaking open of the
room was variously stated by the
witnesses. Some made it as short
as three minutes-some as long as
five.
"Alfonzo CARGO, undertaken, de-
poses that he is native of Spain.
Was one who entered the house.
Heard the voices. The gruff voice
was that of a Frenchman. Could
not distinguish what was said. The
shrill voice was that Of an English
MANS sure of this. Does not un-
derstand the English language, but
judges by the information.
Alberto Montani, confectioner.
was among the first to ascend the
stairs. The gruff voice was that of
a Frenchman. Could not make out
the words of the shrill voice.
Thinks it the voice of a Russian.
Is himself an Italian. Cannot speam
Russian.
Several witnessed testified that
the chimneys of all the rooms on
| the fourth story were too narrow to
admit the passage of a human be-
ing. Brushes were passed up and
down every chimney in the house
There is no back passage by which
| any one could have descended
while the party proceeded upstairs.
The body Of Mile. L'Espanaye was
so firmly wedged in the chimney
that it could not be got down until
four or five of the party united
their strength.
Paul Dumas, physician, deposes
that he viewed the bodies. That of
the girl was much bruised. The fact
that 1t had been thrust up the chin
ney would sufficiently account for
this. The throat was greatly chafed
There were several deep scratches
just below the chin, together with
series of livid spots which were
evidently the impression of fingers.
The face was fearfully discolored,
and the eyeballs protruded. The
tongue had been partially bitten
through. A large bruise was discov-
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