The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-01-07
/ 8reat JrioRs of |
|Nistorv!I
fHR TRIAL or
MICHAEL HYRAUD.

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One Of the most remarkable MUIR
Ter trials in France within the mem
0ry was that Of Michael Eyraud. who
became known AZ the stranger Of
Paris" and who was executed on
February 3. 1881 The murder for
which he met his death occurred in
Paris. July, 1889, Whit the assist
ance Of Gabrielle Bompard, Eyraud
1ad strangled 10 death notary Of
Paris, named Toussaint GouIfe.
The trial was begun In Paris on
February 1g, 1890. The strange char
ActeT of the murder and the subse-
Iuent career OF both Eyraud and Ca
orieIIe heightened the interest In the
case. The former had had a most
picturesque career, When he was
1nly 10 years OF age he Joined the
French army and served in the war
between France and Mexico. While
in the latter country he deserted from
mis- regiment and Joined the guerillas
md betrayed the position OF the
french forces, for which treachery he
was tried by q French court martial
and condemned 10 death in Contuma-
siamnx, but the amnesty OF 1869 en-
abled him 10 return to France.
After his return he led an ad-
.enturons life. committing robberies
and other crimes, until the murder Of
j0uffe was fixed on him. On the first
day Of the trial he confessed his
guilt. ALTHOUGH he tried 10 place the
responsibility for It's inception upon
Gabrielle. He told how the woman had
gotten Gouffe into her clutches. and
how she had rented elaborate apart
ments. TO which he should be enticed,
when the murder was TO be COM
mitted.
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 Il
around bis throat, saying how attrac-
tive II would look as necktie. Hav-
Ing done this. she passed the two ends
through 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 endorse some notes. Then Gabrie.ie ie
was called and she gave her version
of the crime. She said she did not
know that II was 10 be committed un-
III she had returned to her rcoms with
Eyraud after dinner. and th- she wag
afraid TO refuse &c 's,rry ut hor part
af the plot for feor Eyram wo'li i.lll
her, as he he'd thrtatel,d.
After the mu'icr, she said, lyraGd
took OFF all the victims clothes and
began dissectlng the body ami placed
II In a trunk. After that hc LEFT the
house. leaving the woman alone with
the murdered man. The lady after The
muredr the woman went to Lyons with
the corpse In trunk,
Although the umrder was committed
on July 2, II was not until August l
following that the body was found in
the trunk upon the platform of a
suburban railway station. In srite Of
every effort the police, no trace Of
the murderer could be found. Ca
brielle herself visited the police head
quarters the following January and
told the story OF the crime. She told
how, following the murder, Eyraud
and herself had fed to America, re-
naming q while In New York, and then
went to San Francisco. While living
In the latter city she told the story
OF the murder TO Frenchman named
Garanger. who advised her TO return
to Paris and confess,
From the time of Gabrielles confess
sion the French detectives began
search for Eyraud In Canada. the Unit
cd States and Mexico. following vari-
Gus clews, but with no success. until
May. 1890 when he was apprehended
In a hotel In Havana. He was taken
back to Paris.
Il was brought out at the trial that
Garanger and Gabrielle were in love
with one another. and that the woman
confessed In oreder to get Eyraud out
OF the way. as they feared him. Every
detail Of the trial was followed closely.
and no similar affair at the court
d'Assizes ever attracted a more fash
ionahle or larger crowd.
A more or les serious attempt was
made to show that Gabrielle had been
hypntlxed by Eyraud. and hypnotism
and mesmerism entered largely in her
defense. The trial continued for only
flve days. and on December 20. Eyraud
was found guilty and sentenced to be
guiIlotined. while Gabrielle was SEN
fenced to twenty years in prison at
hard labor.
Eyraud was guillOtined on February