Year: 1870

THE VICTIM YorNe CHfcAeo WOMAN.


The singular poisoning case which some time
ago ago startled the city Of bIussss, IN Belgium.
OF the unhappy girl was taken 10 the Morgue at
Schaarbeek, and was afterwards identified by
her friends. 1t proved to be the body of q Young
German American, of Chicago, named Bion-
dine Josephine Peters. She had lived in the
house 1e6 Rue Vert Brussels, with her family.
She was the third % four daughters. who lived
with their mother in that house. The family,
originally Of Flemish origin, emigrated some
years ago TO America and settled in Chicago,
where the father and son still reside, the former
heing the proprietor of a large sugar refinery.
AZ Chicago the son married the daughter of q
very wealthy and important person, through
whose influence he became a city Official. Last
year, In April, he was sent on some mission con-
took the opportunity of visiting Belgium to see
ms mother, who had left America FOR her native
Country, the climate of Chicago being too se-
we're for her. The daughters went with the
the house Of his son. These young ladies were
all most carefully educated, speaking fuently
French: English, German and the soft dialect
OF the Auxerrois, known Familiarity as Flemish.


Josephine, the poisoned giri. had been for
seven years boarder In the Convent of the Sa-
cred Heart, in Belgium. She had also, after
leaving the convent, taught Sunday school (or
gregation at Schaarbeck. She had learned tho
roughly the trade of fsdressmaking and intended
70 oIen an establishment OF her own. She loved





ing the piano being her only recrerion
On the evening of the lith of last month, little
after o clock. she asked her mother's permis-
sion to see a lady friend who lived in Market
street. The mother said afterward to a reporter
Of the Independence Beige. that she was we'll
acquainted with that young person, VINO often
called to see Josephine, aud had no reason in
the world to discourage the intimacy. She only
told her on this occasion TO wrap up well. il was
70 cold. The girl promised not "a be long, as
she wished to finish bonnet which she had
begun. in time for the following SUNDAY. Miss
Josephine departed humming n favorite tame.
IN the street she met her youngest sister, whom
she accostcd with a smile and Joke and left
her promising TO be home soon to play game at
tiominoes. "Good-by, pet" were the last words
she spoke TO her sister. She went then
until half-past eight, and left her then,
with a promise to go home soon. Her friend
accompanied her part Of the way home, and
left her at the corner of the Rue des Croisades
Alter that, what passed is buried in mystery.
The mother was fan of anxiety all the night
and her daughters tried to appease her fears by
saying that Josie had probably stopped all night
with her friend. because of the cold. But next
day they learned from the friend that Josie had
left her at $50 on the preceding evening. The
day passed in unavailing search, and il was ONLY
on Sunday, the day the half finished bonnet was
10 have been worn, that she learned the horrible
truth. She few to the morgue, and at once
recognized the body of her daughter. Neither
her mother nor her sisters knew that she had
an Illicit intimacy with any man. The post
mortem examination revealed that she was not
with child. and at present nothing is known pos
itiyely of the affair." the facts that have been
given. But the police talk mysteriously of an
unrelenting, premeditated vengeance, of which
she was the victim.