The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-11-23
|TRuE-@777E
by Venice "s ePublic Ledger
The Quebec Mystery

~ year, Mrs. Caroline Poirier, of St
Canute, in the Province of Quebec,
reused one Of her neighbors and said
with much agitation that she was un-
able to get into her home or rouse her
husband.
She had been spending the night
with a friend nearby, aid said that
her husband, who had been working
on the repairs to a church at ST. Je-
rome, nine miles distant, was expected
home some time the previous eve
ming.
The police were summoned, the door
broken in and the husband found lying
on the floor dead.
His body bore three knife wounds,
ard it was quite evident that there
had been a life-and-death struggle.
But beyond the disordered appear
to indicate who the culprit might have
been.
The strange part of it was that
nothing had been taken from the
house, so that the murder could not
have been for the purpose Of theft.
Mrs. Poirier was naturally distract
ed, and went about the work Of set
Ting up the estate like a woman
In traLce.
The man, who had led dissipated
life, died practically penniless, but he
did leave an insurance policy of $1,000
In favor Of his wife.
Isidore Poirier had been contrac-
tor and builder In small way, and
he had married Cordelia viau, the
handsome daughter of farmer, after
whirlwind wooing.
They had no children, but for some
years after their marriage they lived
very happily.
At the end of that time the woman
seems to have conceived an aversion
for her husband.
The reason for this, according to
one Of the commentators on the affair,
is that she was a masterful woman
and he was man Of "very common
mold"
The gossips had 1t that she was en-
amored Of another man, one Samuel
Parslow, a carpenter who worked for
her husband.
At all events they were seen to-
gether very much, and he paid her
marked attention.
Indeed, on the night when the muir
der had occurred the two were to-
gether.
But that In itself did not neces-
sarily connect either Of them with the
crime.
Mrs. Poirier was the organist Of
the village church, while Parslow was
member Of the choir.
That fact might well have explained
their frequent meetings.
In the meantime, the authorities
were working hard to trace the move
ments of the dead man prior to the
murder.
1t was ascertained that he had been
working that very day at st. Jerome.
The people of the village Informed
them that he had left there in car
riage, saying that he was going home.
Other persons living on the road be-
tween the two towns testified that
they had seen him pass with the team.
One of them said that a woman &C.
companied him.
Unfortunately, this person was not
able to give very good description
Of the woman.
At this stage of the Investigation
the agent Of the insurance company
which had insured the victim appeared
to say that Mrs. Poirier had personally
taken out the insurance, had carried
on all of the correspondence, and was
particularly anxious at the time to be
sure that she would get the money, no
matter what might have been the
cause of death.
The authorities determined to take
the bull by the horns, and both Mrs.
Poirier ard Parslow were arrested.
They were placed in different cells,
and each told a story that confiicted
with the other.
The evidence was circumstantial, but
It was shown that the woman had gone
to st. Jerome and had brought her
husband home on the night the trag-
edy was supposed to have occurred.
Both were found guilty, and SEN
tence of death was at once pronounced.
In spite of the fact that the woman
had been shown in anything but
favorable light petitions were numer-
ously signed and presented to the gov
ernor general urging him to show
clemency to the female convict.
He declined to interfere, saying that
the law must be permitted to take its
course.
When the moose was prepared Sam
uel Parslow was so limp that he had
to be literally carried to the platform.
Not so the masterful womaE.
She walked up the steps with firm
tread, and as she reached the execu-
toner, exclaimed:
BE quick; that is all ask"
wNU Service.