The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-19


in the Rue Morgue.)
Jules Mignaud, banker: Nine.
L'Espanaye had some property.
Had opened an account with his
banking house eight years pre-
viously. Made frequent deposits
in small sums. Had checked for
nothing until the third day be-
fore her death, when she took out
In person the sum of 1000 francs.
A clerk was sent with the money.
"Adolphe Lebon, bank clerk,
deposes that on the day in ques-
ton, 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 de-
parted. Did not see any person
in the street at the time.
"Wm. Bird, tailor, deposes
that he was one of the party who
entered the house. Is an Eng
lishman. Was one of the first to
ascend the stairs. Heard the
voices. The gruff voice was that
of a Frenchman. Could make out
several words, but cannot now re-
member all. Heard distinctly
'sacre' and mon Dieu.' There
was a sound at the moment as II
of several persons struggling-a
scraping and scuffling sound. The
shrill voice was very loud-loud-
er than the gruff one. Is sure
that it was not the voice of an
Englishman. Appeared to be that
of a German. Might have been
a womans voice. Does not under
stand German. 49,
-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. Every
thing was perfectly silent-no
groans or noises of any kind. Up
on 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 not 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 care
fully 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 open
ed for years. The time elapsiug
between the hearing of tn voices in
contntion and the breaking open
of the room door was variously
stated by the witnesses. Some
made it as short.as three minutes
some as long as five.
"Alfonzo Garcio, undertaken,
deposes that he Is a native OF
Spain. Was one who entered the
house. Heard the voices. The
gruff voice was that of French
man. Could not distinguish what
was said. The shrill voice was that
of an Englishman--is sure of this.
Does not understand the English
language, but judges by the into
nation.
Alberto Montani, confectioper,
was among the first to ascend
the stairs. The gruff voice was
that of Frenchman. Could not
make out the words of the shrill
voice. Thinks it the voice of a
Russian. Is himself an italian.
Cannot speak Russian.
Several witnesses testified that
the chimneys of all the rooms on
the fourth story were too narrow
to admit the passage Of human
being. Brushes were passed up
and down every chimney In the
house. There is no back passage
by which anyone could have de-
scended while the party proceeded
upstairs. The body of Mile.
L'Espanaye was so firmly wedged
in the chimney that 1t could not
be got down until four or five of
the party united their strength.
'sPaul Dumas, physician, deposes
that he viewed the bodies. That OF
the girl was much bruised. The
fact that 1t had been thrust up the
chimney would sufficiently &C
count for this. The throat was
greatly chafed. There were sever
al deep scratches just below the
chin, together with a series of hvid
spots which were evidently the In
preston of fingers The face was
fearfully discolored. and the eye
balls protruded. The tongue had
been partially bitten through. A
large bruise was discovered upon
the pit of the stomach, produced
apparently by the pressure OF Q
knee. Mile. L'Espanaye had been
throttled to death. The corpse OF