A HORRIBLE CRIME.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1222, 31 July 1885, Page 3

A HORRIBLE CRIME.

A trial for an attempted murder committed with unparalled atrocity, has just taken place before the Assizes of St. Brieuc, in Brittany. A farm servant named Fauire, aged 18, was in the employment of Mma. Joaaelin, a widow, who had a daughter, Celesline Prual, by a first marriage. Faure conceived a passion tor Celesline, but he knew that she could never become his wife, for she was rich, and her hand was sought after by a number of suitors. As he could not marry her, he determined that no one else should. One day in November lest Celesline had gone to lunch with an uncle, the rector of a neighbouring parish, and was to return alone in the afternoon. Faure waited for her in a little wood near which she would pass, armed with a gun, a sickle, and a great knife. When she came up on her way home Faure rushed at her, and seizing her by tbs neck brutally unfastened her hair, and seized her by it to drag her into the wood. He then attacked her with his reaphook, gashing her in the face and arms. He next sought for his gun, but he had lost the cap on the ground, and as he had not a second one again took np his sickle and commenced sawing her neck with it as he kneeled on her. She, however, seized the blade, and succeeded in wresting it from him and throwing it away, her hands being frightfully cut in the struggle. He then took his knife and gashed her face with it, but her screams had been heard and two men named Briand and Conellan came np, while Faure made off. They agreed that Briand should go to the village for assistance while Conellan remained with ' 'destine. Night came on before Briand had returned, and Conellan became frightened. The unfortunate girl supplicated him to remain with her, but with heartless cowardice he abandoned her to return home. Faure, who had been hiding near, then re« appeared and proceeded to complete his work. He stabbed her in the breast, kicked her about the head, and stuffed her mouth with dry leaves and dirt, and then made off, thinking she was dead. Briand soon returned with a dozen persons, but with the stupidity of peasants they refused to help to carry the unfortunate girl, who was still alive, to the farm, because no magistrate was present, and a priest, supposing that she was dying, administered the Sacrament to her at night in the wood. Strangely enough she survived, although the wound in her neck was so horrible that when she drank the liquid flowed through the hole down her breast. The murderer wandered about the country in a miserable state, the peasants sometimes giving him shelter from fear, and he was only captured five weeks later. On his trial, which has just taken place, the jury admitted extenuating circumstances, and the monster’s life was spa' ed. He was sentenced to hard labour for life.