The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-07-04 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

CONFESSION OF A MURDERER.  Charles Marchandon has been tried in Paris for the murder of Madame Cornet, and being found guilty, sentenced to death. A few days before his trial he sent to the President of the Seine Assizes a long autobiographical document, in which he made • circumstantial confession of the crime. Having stated that he entered the service of Madame Cornet on the Vit of April last, and recounted how he passed the day, Marchandon gives the following appallingly graphic narrative of the murder. "After dinner, when Madame Cornet had explained to me the duties of my pace, I put up the silver. At hall-past eight o'clock the cook went up to bed, and I was left alone in the heuse with Madame Cornet. At half-past nine he rang for his from the drawing-room, to tell me to fill a small stove and take it into the passage. She then told me to put out the gas in the different rooms and go to bed. On my leaving the apartment she followed me to the door, and, telling me to be deem at 7 o'clock in the niorning, shut it after me. A quarter of an hour afterwaids I Caine down again from the servants' floor and let myself into the appartement by the kitchen door, of which I had found a key in my bedroom. I went at once into the dining-room, but observing a light still burning in the drawing-ruom I passed into the bedroom looking on the street, in which room I hid myself for some time. At length Madame Cornet came into the bedroom, and immediately undressed herbelf, putting her dress on the sofa and her keys on the chimney-piece. She then locked the door, and after a few minutes spent in the adjoining dressingroom got into bed. I waited an hour, and then took the keys off the chimney • piece, and opened the wardrobe. Seeing there several parcels and boxes tied round with string, I went into the dining-room for a knife that I might ascertain their contents. Then I went to the writing-table bj the window and teak sonic money from one of the drawers. As I was closing it I heard a carriage driving into the courtyard, and fearing that the noise would wake Madame Cornet, I passed into the dressing.room, and tried to shut softly the bedroom door. At this point Madame Cornet jumped ont et bed arid pulled the door open. I let it go, causing Madame Cornet to fall backwards on the ground. I threw myself upon her. She cried out, and seeing that I was lost, I quickly availed myself of the knife which I untortunately still had in my hand, and the poor woman never moved again. I took from to table her watch, and from the other room another watch and a revolver. When the poor woman had been dead about a quarter of an hour there came a ringing at the entrance door of the a ppartcoo nt, but after • minute the ringing ceased. I looked out of the window to see if anyone went out, and observing no one, I went down in halt-an-hour, opened the porte-cochere, and got out. Some time after I took a cab and went to the Northern Railway Stai ion to look at the time bill. I Caine back to the cafe where I had left my bag in the morning, and from there went to the clothes dealer to fetch my overcoat and pay for the other coat that I had hired. Then I returned to the station and took the train. I was alone in the railway carriage and cried • great deal at thinking of what I had done. I asked myself again and again how I could have done such a thing. On arriving at home I did all I could to hide my emotion from Jeanne. I did not sleep all night. The next morning I was very anxious. •At 4 o'clock I was seen orying, and on being asked what was the matter made no reply. An hour after came the ring at the door and the policeman who arrested me. Such is the history of my great misfortune. I ask the pardon of God, of men, and of the poor family whom my deed as made sorrowful mourners."