Year: 1869

Ine pTeNlUuS lie OF the cure. Ine eCCles1-
astical authorities at length decided on re-


moving him to another parish, and he re-
ceived an order on the goth January to
repair thither forthwith. He did not. how
| ever, do SO, but removed to house which
he rented for short term at Blanchon, at


no great distance. The death of Tougay


occurring on the 10th of February, excited


suspicion in the minds of those who knew
the relations between the widow and the
| priest. On the 18th March the body was


exhumed, and the evidence of poisoning by
some preparation of copper, probably Vi


triol, WAS distinctly traced. The woman at
| first endeavored to throw the guilt on her


former companion, Grognard, but the po-
lice soon ascertained that she had purchased


poison for rats at a grocer's, and that af-
| ter her husbands death she had urgently
requested him not to mention this fact.
After her arrest she was heard frequently
to mutter to herself, "My God il tell
shall ruin him." She then told circuIn-
stantial tale to the effect that she had been
the mistress of the priest and that he had
urged her to a frequent observance of all
exterior acts of devotion in order to avert
suspicion. After he had been compelled
by the remonstrances of his parishioners to
dismiss her the intercourse continued in
secret, her visits to the priests chambers
being usually made through the belfry
after mass or evening prayer. When he
was transferred to another parish he endea-
vored to persuade her to accompany him as
servant, provided that she could obtain q
written permission from her husband. AS,
however, this was not to be obtained, he
proposed according to her statement) that
she should poison her husband, promis-
ing her full absolution. She at first shrank


from incurling the guilt of murder, but he
assured her that nothing was easier; and
on the very day when he received the final
order to remove from the parish she pur-
chased at two separate grocers' shops
quantity of rat poison and vitriol, which,
according to the instructions of the cure,
she administered in a cup of coffee as
Tougay was about to leave home. Almost
as soon as he left the village he was seized
with violent symptoms of poisoning, and on
being brought home was confined to his
bed for some time. The wife appears to
have hestated, but the priest encouraged
her to persevere. BY his advice she went
to a physician to procure medicine for her
husband, but took care that he should not
visit the patient to ascertain the real cause
of his malady. 1t is supposed that she
subsequently administered more poison
to her victim. He died on the 10th Of
February. The priest seems to have
been fully aware that suspicion would fall
on him, and he endeayored beforehand to
direct attention to the old man Grognard.
1t was, indeed, mainly at his instigation
that the body was exhumed. When the
unhappy woman first accused the Able OF
completely in her guilt, the latter, on being
intcrTogatcd, made several inconsistent
statements, which he endcavored to retract
almost in the same breath, and when
brought face to face with his accuscr he
remarked to the officers, . Poor woman,
if | could but speak with her alone for q
moment she would rctract; | see that she
loves me STILL Several pieces Of circum-
stantial evidence were adduced to strengthen
the case. The remains of the poison


we're discovered in two places lndl-
Gated by the woman. Moreover, the lat
ter asserted that she had obtained access
to the priests room by q certain
door, which the latter alleged had been
bricked up for some years. On examina-
tlOil IL W;tS lOulu Lllill lHlS uooi ha' oAAiN


been closed by very slight covering OF
plaster, easily removed. Some workmen,


moreover, were discovered, who testified to
having met her coming from the house to
which the cure removed at the time speci-
fed by her. She also stated that she had
twice confessed to the priest Of neighbor-
ing commune the nature of her relations


with Dionis, and that he refused her abso-
luton. The priest confirms the fact of the
confession, although, Of course, the revela-
tions made by the guilty woman have not
been brought to light. When again brought


before the magistrate she attempted to
withdraw the statements she had made, say
ing Il ought to have held my tongue for the
sake of religion. Cannot withdraw my de-
clarations myself accept the responsible
ity of what has been done.' The conduct Of
the priest, however, adds force to the evi-
dcnce of the woman against him. So soon
as the legal investigation commedced he left
for Marseilles, taking care to be informed,
by means of woman named Patin, of the
progress of the affair, and so soon as he
learned that no accusation against him was
likely to result, he returned, and by means
of the same person contrived to keep up
communication with the accused woman.


The woman Tougay appeared at the bar
in the picturesque Aries costume. She is
about thirty eight of age, and though not
pretty is somewhat attractive. Dlonls is
fifty years old.