Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-12-11

A few months
after he had been called 10 the bench
he went for an excursion in the Ce-
venues Mountains and spent the night
10 a lonely inn. He fell asleep and
had a terrible nightmare. He saw
the innkeeper and his wife steal up
TO bis 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
a deep hole behind the house. and Gov
cred him with refuse.
When NJ. Berard awoke. IT took him
a long time to shake of the eifects OF
this fearful dream, and, even while he
dressed, he still seemed to feel the
cuts in his throat.
Before leaving the house where he
spent such an unpleasant night, he
gaZed long at the host and hostess,
and could not help thinking they
looked villanous.
A year later NJ. Berard was ap-
pointed assistant judge in the very
district where his sleep had been so
Unexpectedly disturbed, and the first
thing he learned was that the au-
thorities there were investigating a
crime that had been committed some
months before. A notary, who had
collected a large sum OF money. had
mysteriously disappeared. and there
was no doubt that the unfortunate
man had been assassinated.
On the very day of ~ 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 hts host
and hostess Of the country inn. His
dream rose up before him, and be
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.
"and 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 It with
refuse. II must be there now.
The couple looked thunderstruck,
Then the wife was seized with III
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 NJ Berard.
II Is not for me to explain this
strange incident, which at the time
created a tremendous sensation. All
/ know is that but for an extraordinary
dream /, too. might possibly never
have discovered who committed the
murder at Vincennes.
In January. 1891. l was informed,
early in the morning. that an old
lady. a Madame 8azire, living in a
ANAL apartment in the Rue de Ter
rler, Vinceunes, had been found
ptrangled.
at once started for Vincennes
with NJ. Guillot, the magistrate. and
went straight to the house. where
everything had been left undisturbed.
In poorly furnished bedroom, or
namented 'th 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 IA curious
looking old trunk. covered with boar
skins and provided with four rollers
Never before had seen such a trunk
Madame BaZire, well known IN the
neighborhood, was a quiet, inoffensive
woman, most religious. who. during
the thirty years she had resided at
Vineennes, had never missed either
morning mass or yespers. 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 ii was thought thar
out being noticed The next day. how.
ever. the neighbors began to Ieel un.
easy.
Madame Bazire received every
morning lie Messenger dc Sainte Philo.
meme, little religious paper which
tells plous people what prayers they
have TO say during the day When il
was remarked that lie Messenger de
Sainte Philomene remained un.
touched under the door. the neigh.
bors rang her bell, and, receiving nc
reply, sent for the police commissary
My first impression WAS that rob.
berry had been the motive OF the
crime. All the cupboards had been
ransacked, and on the floor were sew
eral small bundles OF linen and
slothes-of which Madame Bastre hac
q large Quantlty--and which the as
Esssin, for some reason or other, hag
left behind. Only q big clock tina
used to stand on the mantelpece, and
according to the nelghbcrs. weighe,
more than forty pounds had disap
peared. On the marble slab the THU
coating OF dust showed the spot wher,
L had stood.
On the other hand. Madame Barre
Eold watch was still hanging on a mai
near her he'd II the murderer ha
gone there bent on robbery. Why d.
be leave the watch. and carry OF tn
rumbrous and less valuable time
siece?