CUPID'S CHAINS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 836, 7 June 1910, Page 5

CUPID'S CHAINS.

A MAN'S DEMENTED JEALOUSY. Ily Toleffrnnh-Press Assoclatlon-CoDyrlchL (Rec. June 6, 10 p.m.) Part's, June G. The chemist Jean Parat, who for fifteen months kept his wifo sequestrated in her bedroom chained to tho bed (in circumstances cabled on February 20), has been declared insane. "A MARRIAGE OF TEARS." The husband's demented affection for his wife, to whom he had been married ten years, drove him at first to compel her to break off all relations with tiic outer world; then to keep to the house permanently; nml finally ho resorted to strait waistcoats and chains fastened by padlocks in order to keep her an assured prisoner. The wifo protested against this treatment, and angry scenes were overheard, but for somo time the husband's tyranny prevailed.

In October, 1908 Mme. Parat succeeded in sending a letter reporting her terrible plight to her sister, who informed the police. Parat and his wife were summoned before M. Hnmard, the chief of tho Criminal Investigation Department. Mme. Parat was still wearing tier strait waistcoat. Parat at this interview was seized with paroxysms of remorse. He flung himself at M. Hamard's feet and promised to mend his ways, and, his wifo joining her voice to that of her husband, chb police refrained from a prosecution. The authorities, however, kept an eye on the chemist's shop, which is in the Rue do Vaugirard, and in February last, acting on new information from neighbours, M. Hamard, with two detectives and a locksmith, went to the Rue de Vaugirard. The chemist was absent. M. Hamard mounted to the . first floor, where tho deepest silence reigned. Ho cried Mme. Parat's name. There was no answer. A door was then broken open, and M. Hamard shouted again, "Answer ,<ie, Mme. Parat, if you are there, and fear nothing. It is I, Hamard, who helped you before. I have come to rescue you." Then suddenly the silence was broken by a voice high-pilched with terror, "I am here. Oh, come to me, come to me. I cannot open the door. ] am chained to the bed." The cry came from behind a closed door at the end of the corridor. Tho lofk wia picked and an appalling sight presented itself to the eyes of the detectives.

It wan a bedroom with shutters closed and blinds drawn, faintly lit by an oil lamp. Clad in tattered garments', a baby hugged to her breast, a woman, nolo anil haggard, sat on a chair chained to the wall. About her neck a heavy dog-chain was wound twice and fastened to un iron rivet driven into the wall. A lighter chain attached her neck to a bar at tho Toot of tho bed. The chains were fastened by a massive padlock and just permitted the woman to rise and sit down. On tho floor a little girl was playing. The rivet was lorti out of the wall and the chain filed off Hie bed, but the padlock resisted nil efforts, so the clinins were wound about tho woman, who. covered with a greatcoat, was taken to tho police station. Tho detectives waited for the husband, who was arrested on entering the shop a few hours later. To the police Parnt's only defence was, "I adored my wife. I adored her, and 1 would have done anything to prevent any other man from approaching her." fn Parat's possession were found the keys of the padlock and a fully loaded revolver. Interviewed by the "Petit Parisicn" on her return from The police station, iMme, Parat said amid sobs: "Mine has been a marriage of tears. For two years I have suffered most horrible torments. I have been humiliated and chained up before my own children. • Last November I had my lifth baby. My husband chained me to' the lied, and my boy was born amid the chains."

Pnrat is a black-bearded man of fortythree. His wife is thirty-five. He lias been a chemist in the neighbourhood for twelve years. ,