The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1884-03-14 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

FRENCH TRAGEDY.  A murder ease, which has caused a great sensation at Marseilles, is being tried at Aix. The accused, a journeyman baker of the name of Guiehard, is charged with the murder of a collector of the (NEC Lyonnais. The circumstances of the Case are as follow :—The victim, Michel, on the 30th November last did not return from his usual round at the time expected, and on his employers of the Crii lit Lyonnais branch at Marseilles, informing the pollee of the fact a search was made, and Michel's dead body was found in a room it a lodging-house in the town. He had been ganged and strangled. The keeper of the lodging house, Madame Aleyron, stated that she had let the house to a M Blain. a master potter at Aubagae. This person received an immediate visit from the police, but it was quickly ascertained that it was not he, but somebody personating him, who had hired the rooms at Marseilles. Suspicion at length lighted on Madame Aleyron herself and her domestic servant, and they were arrested, but, fortunately for them, the police soon after found themselves upon the right track. A portmantau-maker, M. Verdier, on the 11th of December called on the police commissary to make an important communication. A person had bought a satchel of him, which required some repairs. He was to return at 8 o'clock that evening. The man had seemed t 3 him a suspicious character, and had more money about him than his appearance and manners warranted. The police, on his returning as appointed, watched him, and following him home, arrested him and a young woman who was in his company. They gave their names as Guichard and Anna Moulin, his mistress. In Guiehard's box were found 13.001 M., and enclosed in his shirt 17,000 f. in bank notes. After giving confused and contradictory a:couuta of the source of these large sums, he ended by confessing himself the perpetrator of the murder of the man Michel. Madame Aleyron reoognised him also, not as the man who hired her rooms, but as a friend of her lodger, who had accompanied him. Guichard showed the police where the dead man's sat doel was concealed—viz., in a shubbery. In it were seem.. ties. still untouched, to the extent of some 80.0001. Guichard also explained how Michel had been trapped into the lodgings. His eccomplice, Contestin (who has not been secured) went to Nice, and drew a bill on M. Blain at the address of his lodgings, which he passed througn the Credit Lyoanais. Michel had called to get it accepted. There are two mysterious points in the case. The young woman Moulin states that on the sth of December Contestin called on Guichard and whispered eornething to hie), at which Guichard turned pale. Guichard put 100 f. on the mantlepiece, and went out with Conteetin, saying he would return in a few minutes. He did not return for five days, What was the cause of this incident The other myst eiciva fact is that though Guichard says the booty was equally divided between him and his accomplice, nearly the whole of it has been found In the possession of Guichard. No trace has been found of C intestin. As regards Guichard'a mistress, she is not impl catied in the crime, having formed her intimacy with the accused subsequently to it.