Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 01.pdf/249

214 joining apartments resulted in some singular discoveries. The two bell-ropes were found twisted around the curtain-rods of the bed and tied in two knots in such a manner that pulling them would merely shake the curtains. The key of the room was not upon the seat where it was usually placed at night, and there were no signs of the door of the chamber or the antechamber having been forced. The peg which stopped up the little hole under the lock did not appear to have been disturbed. The two doors which opened upon the back stairway were both fastened on the inside with a hook. The key of the wardrobe was found in its usual place, under her pillow.

The wardrobe being opened, they found there a purse in which Madame Mazel kept her card money; it contained 278 livres. In the wardrobe was the key to the strong box. They opened it; in it were several bags of money, and in an open purse at the bottom were a half-louis and all the precious stones of the victim, of a value of about 15,000 livres. Finally, in the pockets of Madame Mazel were discovered 18 pistoles in gold.

It would seem then, at first sight, that robbery was not the motive which had actuated the murderer.

The magistrate proceeded to interrogate the chambermaids who had assisted in preparing Madame for bed, and Lebrun, who had seen her last. Upon questioning Lebrun it was found that he had a key to the office and a pass-key to the sleeping-apartment of Madame Mazel. The possession of this pass-key aroused suspicions against him, and he was kept under surveillance.

They tried upon him the napkin which had served as a cap, and it was found to be too small for his head. They examined his hands, which showed no signs of having been washed that day. They made him wash them, but discovered no traces of blood nor any evidences of scratches. Lebrun's trunk was then examined without anything suspicious being found. However, the pass-key seemed to be an ugly piece of evidence against him, and Lebrun and his wife were at once arrested. Seals were placed upon the furniture and the doors of the room of the victim.

The next day, the 29th of November, the investigation was continued; after an examination of the other domestics it occurred to the magistrate, a little late, to examine the back stairway. He found there upon one of the lower steps a rope, apparently new, of considerable length, and knotted at intervals, at the end of which was a large iron hook; it was evidently intended to serve as a ladder.

Lebrun was still more closely examined, but nothing was found upon him or upon his garments,—no wound and no signs of blood.

On the same day that the rope was found, they discovered in a corner of the attic a shirt, the front and sleeves of which were stained with blood, and a part of a cravat at both ends of which were bloody spots. Did these things belong to Lebrun? If they did, it was surprising that they did not find upon his hands and his neck evidences of recent washing.

Some linen-manufacturers, called by the magistrate as experts, failed to find any similarity between the bloody shirt and the linen of Lebrun. One of the servants remembered having washed a similar shirt for a lackey by the name of Berry who had been dismissed from the service of Madam Mazel for theft. Another said she had seen Berry wear a cravat embroidered like that of the assassin. These last statements were valuable, and should have put the magistrate on a new track, but he paid no attention to them.

The cutlers who were examined found no resemblance between the knives belonging to Lebrun and that which the assassin had concealed in the ashes upon the hearth. A barber, called as an expert, testified that there was no similarity between the hairs found between the fingers of the victim and those of Lebrun, either in size or color.