The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-12-06

the innkeeper and his wife steal VI
to his bed, and. while the woman
grasped both his arms. the husband
raised long, sharp knife, and stabbed
him in the throat: They then carried
him out of the room. threw him into
deep hole behind the house, and Gov
cred him with refuse.
When NJ Berard awOke, 1t took hin
a long time to shake off the effects Of
this fearful dream, and, even while he
dressed, he still seemed to feel the
cuts in his throat.
Before leaving the house where ne
spent such an unpleasant night, he
gazed long at the host and hostess
and could not help thinking they
looked villanous.
A year later M. Berard was ap
pointed assistant judge in the very
district where his sleep had been sc
unexpectedly disturbed, and the first
thorities there were Investigating a
crime that had been committed some
months before. A notary, who had
collected large sum OF money, hao
mysteriously disappeared, and there
was no doubt that the unfortunate
man had been assassinated.
On the very day of M. Berard's ar
rival the police had received an anOny
nous communication informing them
that this notary had entered a GER
tain tavern, and since that moment
had not been seen. The examining
magistrate had the innkeeper and his
wife brought before him, and asked
M. Berard to be present at this In
terview.
When they entered the room, M.
Berard could hardly suppress an ex-
clamation as he recognized his host
and hostess Of the country inn. His
dream rose up before him, and he
asked the magistrate to be allowed to
say something to the man and woman,
who violently protested their inno-
cence
You are the murderers," he said.
land l will even tell you how you
committed the crime You, the man,
stabbed your victim with your large
knife, and, together, you carried the
body to deep hole. covering 1t with
refuse. 1t must be there now"
The couple looked thunderstruck
Then the wife was seized with tit
of trembling, and before another mo-
ment had passed both confessed their
crime. The body OF the unfortunate
man was found in the very spot
named by M. Derard.
1t is not for me to explain this
strange incident. which at the time
created a tremendous sensation. All
1 know is that but for an extraordinary
dream !, too. might possibly never
have discovered who committed the
murder at Vincennes.
In January, 1891, I was informed,
early in the morning, that an old
lady, a Madame Bazire. living in
small apartment in the Rue de Ter
rier, Vincennes. had been found
strangled.
with NJ. Guillot, the magistrate. and
went straight to the house, where
everything had been left undisturbed
In poorly furnished bedroom, or
namented with banners, rosaries. and
pictures Of saints, lay the body OF the
old creature, face downward.
The murderer had strangled her,
and had placed on her back curious
looking old trunk, covered with boar
skins and provided with four rollers.
Never before had seen such trunk.
Madame Bazire. we'll known in the
neghborhood, was a quiet, inotfensive
woman. most religious. who, during
the thirty years she had resided at
Vincennes. had never missed either
morning Iuass or vesperS. On the
morning OF the murder she had gone
to mass at nine. telling the concierge
that she would return soon. because
she wanted to put her room in order
At first, nobody IN the house trou
bled about her. as it was thought that
she might have come back late with
out being noticed. The next day. how
ever. the neighEors began to feel un
easy.
Madame Eazire received ever,
morning lie Messenger de Sainte Philo
meme, little religious paper which
tells pious people what prayers the.
have to say during the day. When i
was remarked that LIE Messenger d,
Sainte Philomene remained ua
touched under the door. the neigh
bors rang her bell, and. receiving n,
reply. sent for the police commissary
My first impression was> that rob
berry had been the motive OF tn
crime All the cupboards had bee1
eral small bundles Of linen an,
clothes-of which Madame Bazire ha,
large Quantity-and which the as
saSsin, for some reason or other, ha
left behind Only a big clock tina
used to stand on the mantelpiece, anc
according to the neighbors, weighe
more than forty pounds, had disar
peared. On the marble slab the thi
coating OF dust showed the spot wher
it had stood.
On the other hand, Madame Bazire'
gold watch was still hanging on ma
near her bed, If the murderer ha
gone there bent on robbery, why di
he leave the watch, and carry OF tn
cumbrous and less valuable tim,
piece?
Moreover. the poor lady, who ha
but small annuity. was known
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