The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-03-23


u ~ Ing mysteries have ~
different times eugrogs'
rs ed Sths Interest Of the
civilized world. One was
the case OF Mrs. May.
brick, whom nearly all
readers Will recall; lshe
III was. convicted OF poison.
Y Ing her husband in the
early nlnettes, and sery.
ed term Of Is years
imprisonment HI an English jail, while
thouaands Of her American compatrl
oss continued ceaselessly to insist
upon her Innocence. The other case
was tia tof Frenctlwoman, Nine. La
iarge It was almost Identical in every
Was Each woman was young and Of
good family: each found sympathizers
| thTotgholt the period.of her imprison'
ifent IN each case extraordinary ami.
mostly before the trial was charged
10 paftlsanBhip afterward; and In
each instance the death sentence was
communted.
Marie Fortune Capelle was the
daughter 81 d French Colonel. one Of
Nap6lecn:s Guard, Of good descent
and an intimate sReqqaintagce OF the
wives IF the greae Constants most
famous Marshals Nine: soult,s Ouch.
es 81 Daimatia, and Nine. Ney, Prin;
cess Of EchmGhl. Her parents dying
while she WAS child she was left to
the care of relatives, who sent her
to be educated at one OF the fashion
able schools Of Paris Here she made
MANY friends among them q young
girl whom we Will call by the name
she took after her marriage, Nine. de
LeaIfands who subsequently played a
leading role in Marie Capelle's sinls
ter story,
The gitIl seemed to have been endow'
ed by fortune with every good gift
Tall and slim, with ietblack. hair and
d dead white skin, she could have
made a match in her own station Of
life. Itlwas necessary that she should
marry insorder to assume her place in
society. In accordance with the
French e,istom, marriage was ar
ranged for her with a certain Charles
Pouch Lafarge, man OF lower social
.jJtandio but eminently $respectedzSR
fRellto:io ironmpsler Lafarge's WOO
ing lasted but five days, during which
brief period he spicturedS the beauties
cE5his country mansion and estates 70
allufingly that he captivated alike the
6Fides heart and her imagination
When they arrived at their home
Marie was speedily undeceiyed. Her
husband lived ut Chandler, a sQualid,
dismal town, and the house, which
was. only an ordinary village editice,
perhaps a little finer than the others,
was surrounded with forest Of smok;
ing chimneys. The shock and disap|
nolntmeit proved too much for the
young btlde's eQuanimits She fed to
her room and there Vote the qfoAew'
ing letteg to her husband: n
.ChaTies-1 am about to ask your
pardon on my knees. l.haye wickedly
deceived you. ] love not You, but an
other. The letter. continued in this
strainfor several pages. Release me
from this bondage" she continued.
Get ready two horses, and will ride
to Bordeaux, where | will take ship
for Smyrna. / leave all my possessions
to youi may God increase them to
your advantage. As for me, will
live BY my wits, and none need know
that have ever existed. II this does
not satisfy you, will take some ar.
senic, for have some. Marie"
Lafarge dwelt in the house with his
mother and sister and his sisters bus
band. Another inmate Of the eStab
lfshment was a certain Denis Bar
bier a confidential clerk Of the iron
master, q man Of bad character, and
as was subsequently proved, at that
time passing under a,name which was
not his own. The letter was found
and read, and stormy scene ensued
I between the bride on the one hand
and the relatives on the other. Finally,
however, Lefarge and Marie were rec
onciled and Marie acknowledged
that there was no lover; that she had
not meant what she had written and
would do her best TO make her hus
band happy. The mother and sister
seem to have done their best to please
the young wife, for about this time she