Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1872-04-13 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HORRIBLE MURDER IN LONDON. A LADY STRANGLED AND ROBBED.  • On Monday morning, a fearful murder was discovered at No. 13, Park Lane, London, the victim being Mdme. Maria Caroline Beason Kiel, a French lady, aged forty-two. It appears from the information obtained that the deceased lady was last seen by Elizabeth Watts, one of the servants, when her mistress was in her dressing-room. That was about eleven o'clock on Sunday; the girl Watts went up to her own room, and on coming down some short time afterwards she met the cook at the bottom of the kitchen stairs, who said her mistress had gone out Observing that a pet dog was there which Mdme. Kiel always took with her, the girl asked how it was that it had not gone, and the cook said madame was gone out, and she (Watts) might also go out if she liked; and on her proposing to take sonic coals upstairs, the cook observed that her mistress had given out all that were to be used. There was nothing that seemed to attract attention during the day while the housemaid was at home, which was for the entire day except for a very short time. About eight o'clock in the evening the cook, who is named Marguerite Dixblancs, left the house, and did not return all night. It has not transpired whether this caused any alarm or suspicion, but the housemaid Watts sat up until past twelve o'clock, and her mistress did not return. The keys of the coal cellar; two cuplx.ards, and the pantry wete missing, and on the return of Mdlle. Kiel on Monday morning from Paris by the night mail, she was of course informed that her mother was nowhere to be found. Different places were searched, and the pantry was opened by a duplicate key the daughter had, and there she found her mother lying dead, with a thick knotted cord round her neck. tier false hair was full of cinders, and her face and neck showed marks of extreme violence. On further search being made, the coalcellar was found to have indications of a body having been there, and a hair-pin such as the decease had in her hair, and a small key which was always in her possession, was found in the cellar. The cord is a slip-knot, and has left a deep indentation under the left ear. The cook has absconded, and as the key of the escritoire, where it is known the deceased had a large sum of money, is missing, strong suspicion points to the woman. Madame Kiel's residence is only two doors off Holdernesse House, the London mansion of Earl Vane. The London police were actively engaged all day on Monday searching for tne supposed murderer, but without success. A description of her was also telegraphed to the provinces. Her name is Dixblancs. She is 24 or 25 years of age, stout, of florid i complexion, and has dark eyes. It s believed that the suspected murderer was in the act of concealing French bonds and Bank of England notes in the coal-cellar when she was surprised by her mistress, who tried to regain possession of her property. A desperate struggle ensued; the mistress was overpowered and strangled, and her body taken to the sitting-room. Several persous standing at the bar of s public-house have deposed that they saw a woman like the accused go along Park Lane' ac. companied by a man carrying a dark blue bag. They entered a cab in Piccadilly, and drove towards Brompton.