Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 01.pdf/390

Rh head buried in her hands, her elbows resting upon the table, she heard the comings and goings of the curious, who were anxious to gaze upon her. After them, surgeons, physicians, and officers of the law invaded the dwelling. Madame Duparc, who did not appear to suffer from the effects of the poison as the others did, related for the hundredth time the circumstances of the crime.

At this recital Friley, an advocate of Caen, cried: "There cannot be a doubt; this wretched girl has poisoned the whole family. The viper must be punished." Friley claimed the honor of arresting Victoire. He knew the procureur du roi and the lieutenant-criminel, and would go to them and denounce her forthwith.

Upon the denunciation of Friley, the procureur du roi sent to the house of Duparc a commissary of police, Bertot by name, with instructions to take the girl Salmon to prison, and place her in solitary confinement. Bertot went in citizen's dress, and concealing his real character, presented himself to Victoire. He requested her to show him the plates which were still unwashed and piled up as she had left them; in one there was still a little of the soup remaining. He shut them all up in a little closet in the kitchen, locked it, and took the key. Then, without making known to her the order of which he was the bearer, he proposed to her to go with him to the house of the procureur du roi, who wished to speak to her.

Victoire agreed to go with joy. At last she should be able to explain. She went out, accompanied by Bertot and one Vassol. Instead of conducting her to the house of the procureur, they led her directly to the prison. Arriving there, Bertot made known to her the order for her arrest, and caused her to be searched by the turnkey, Brunet. In the folds of her petticoat they found a little cloth bag in which was sewed up a small piece of consecrated bread. In the pockets attached to the petticoat, the same already examined by the surgeon Herbert, Brunet found still more of the white powder mingled with crumbs of bread. Bertot carefully wrapped it in a paper, which he scaled and deposited with the clerk of the court. The wife of the turnkey made a still further search, and found under the corsets of Victoire a key which she said was that of her wardrobe.

Victoire Salmon was then placed in solitary confinement.

On the 8th of August the lieutenant-criminel, accompanied by the procureur du roi, the greffier, two physicians, and two surgeons, repaired to the house of Duparc, and made an autopsy on the body of Beaulieu. The medical men declared that they found unmistakable signs of the presence of arsenic in the body, and that death had resulted from the action of that poison.

An examination of the inmates of the house was then had.

M. Huet-Duparc knew nothing, personally, regarding the death of his father-in-law. He had been absent at the time, and did not return until the 7th of August. When he reached home, he was met by the new servant, who took his valise, saying: "Ah! my poor master is dead! If I had known that he would live only so short a time, I would not have entered his service."

Huet-Duparc then added numerous details as to the poisoning of the seven persons at the dinner.

The deposition of the old dame Beaulieu was a short recital of facts already known, but colored by the impression produced by the accusations made against the servant.

These accusations Madame Duparc repeated with increasing warmth, and with the most minute details, especially regarding the poisoning of those at dinner. She passed rapidly over the death of Beaulieu; but whether through involuntary error or through an attempt to conceal the truth, she altered very essentially some facts relative to the old man. She said, for example,—which was false,—that the girl Salmon herself brought the milk which had been used in the gruel. She said—which also was not true,—that the old man felt the first symp-