Arizona republican., 1914-06-27
TRIAL OF MICHAEL EYRAUD


 was that of Michael Eyraud, who be- came known as the "Strangler of l Paris" and who was executed on Feb ruary 3, 1891. The murder for which he met his death occurred in Paris, in July, 1SS9 With the assistance of Gabrielle Bompard Eyraud had strangled to death a notary of Paris, named Toussaint Gouffe. The trial was begun in Paris on Feb ruary 16, 1890. The strange character of the murder and the subsequent career of both Eyraud and Gabrielle heightened the interest in the case. The former had had a most picturesque career. When he was only nineteen years of age he joined the French army and served in the war between France and Mexico. While in the latter coun- | try he deserted from his regiment and l joined the guerrillas and betrayed the position of the French fortress for I which treachery he was tried by | French court-martial and condemned to death in Contumaciamux, but the amnesty of 1869 enabled him to return | to France.
 I ous life, committing robberies and other crimes, until the murder of Gouffe was fixed on him. On the first day of the trial he confessed his guilt, although he tried to place the respon- sibility for it's inception upon Gabrielle. He told how the woman had gotten Gouffe into her clutches, and how she had rented elaborate apartments, to | which he should be enticed, when the murder was to be committed
 The death of Gouffe was brought about in this way: When the victim arrived at the appointed time he took Gabrielle upon his lap and fondled her hair and kissed her. Then she showed him a handsome new girdle she had purchased and playfully passed it around his throat saying how attrac- tive it would look as a necktie. Hav- ing done this, she passed the two ends through a swivel in the wall to Eyraud, who pulled on the cords and Gouffe was strangled.
 Eyraud claimed that they did not mean to kill him, but only force him to indOrse some notes Then Gabrielle was called and she gave her version oc the crime. She said she did not know that it was to he committed '-~- til she had returned to her rooms with Eyraud after dinner. and then she wa ' afraid to refuse to carry out her part of the plot for fear Eyroud would kill her, as he did threaten.
 After the murder she said. Eyraud took off all of the victims clothes and began dissecting the hodv and n,a "o1
 t in a trunk. After that he left tho house, leaving the woman alone with the murdered man. The day alter ,ne murder the woman went to Lyons with the corpse in the trunk
 Although the murder was committed on July ,, it was not until August following that the body was found in the trunk upon the platform of a su- burban railway station In spite of every effort of the police no trace of the murderer could be found. Cab rielle herself visited the police head quarters the following January and told the story of the crime. She told now, following the murder Eyraud and hersef had fled to America remaining | While in New York, and then went to San Francisco. While living in the latter city she told the story of the murder to a Frenchman named Gar anger, who advised her to return to Paris and confess.
 From the time of Gabriele's confess sion the French detectives began a search for Eyraud in Canada, the Unit ed States and Mexico, following var 'ous clews, but with no success. until May, 1890, when he was apprehended | in hotel in Havana Uo --'-~-, 'ack to Paris. VI
 It was brought out at ,-.,
 | Garanger and Gabrielle were in love | With one another and that the woman r''nfe%sed in order to get Ey-a;il nut or the Nay as they feared him. Every detall Of the trial was followed closely. and no similar affair at the Court d Assizes ever attracted a more fash ionable or larger crowd
 more or less serious attempt was made to show that Gabrielle had been hypnotized by Eyraud. and hypnotism ana mesmerism entered largely in her defense. The trial continued for only i've days, and on December 20. Ey- raud was found guilty and sentenced to be guillotined, while Gabrielle was sentenced to twenty years in prison at hard labor.
 Eyraud was guilotined on February S He became boisterous after he &C., cended the platform, and executioners were compelled to seize him and fling hir.,,
 nun rpon the platform and fasten him. Ills execution speedily followed.
 Tomorrow-TriaI of Fugitive Slave Anderson.