A French-Domestic Tragedy

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 151, 16 June 1891, Page 4

A French-Domestic Tragedy

Smitten with a strong passion for | Tiia wile's cousin, Joseph Ril>o, a well;<jouueuted railway— official, has been brought hefure the Aude Assizes on a 'charge y f murder; committed uuder luysterious circumstances. ' Hi bo, who was in the employ of the Southern Hail way Company, married in 1870 a M<lli<3 Gruillauiuon, neice of a deputy for rue department of 1 the'Rb.6ne.- It was purely -a marriage of convenience, tind there was little love on either, side. The lady had a considerable dowry, and the pair led an emineutly respectable, humdrum sort of existence until Esilda Dellac -appeared on the scene. Ribo became greatly in love with this girl of twenty, who was his wife's cousin.- Although he was her , senior by many years, the young lady reciprocated v Hi?., affection, or seemed to do' so/ After the arrival of the cousin, Ribo -' began to swear at and generally ill-tieat bis wife. According to the . testimony of a domestic servant, he eveu tried to poison Madame' Ribo - r on one occasion.- Oe the night of September 14,, 1a5t tbn near neighbors* of the ill-assorted couple urefe., T a wakened 'by stiauge noises, aniid~ which groans could be distinguished. , The door of the bedroom whence" 'the- sounds proceeded was burst* open, anil M. Ribo was * found near the- .windoip undressed, half -fainting,' his mouth gagged, and hiVhandirand feet^Jied. Onber bed--Madame"/Ribo,"was lying lifeless, - bathed in bldod,\ which flowed froin'a • dozeu stabs^infliefced' all "over her body. l^ibo M ,waß._ unbound;,"]; and; on being revived/he, related, ,'that. he had. - "fallen asleep n on ,the side, pt ,his, bed, ~ when he f heard his wife, who, occupied -a separate) couch, [ cal_l out| his^name. "On awakening he was seized ,by; two, "burly ruffians-^ hose faces were black"•ned witV'-soot. - They L gagged ; i'andbound him, » an 3 he 1 Boon afterwards | heard them • plundering desks and wardrobesVi-He had< no lecollectionj he said, of_anything else When the ofj^e^locsd^pctrqmt heard .his, - -' BtatemenV • and examined^, his "which, by^.fhe -way J( shQw^d'.'thatj-jh'is, fetters ha.d^made, deep indentations on ( his limjosr- their,, suspicions/ t w'ere ~_ f r^o.'mqney, jewels', or other' ~_ i portable /property" had been taken • %by the mysterious-murderers. - Then r^ wholesihistofy of /Ei bo's relations -^'-•^rith., Eilda was! sifted. " The .jS'*! i r £tfars W'hicli ipassed^ between them - were read, and this correspondence -'-^made itclear_that.w,htit<tvej % sentiments the young'la^y may *^*" originally lf f or the" 'accused, she was - Y < kept systematically -under his r iti-' -*■- fluence by reiterated menaces. 'The £_; judicial officials: decidedT eventually that the 'railway' official should L be -p arrested and charged' formally with *_ having stabbed ! his wife J to v death.' ~ Ribo denied^ his giiilt energetically,' but after" 0 two' days' - trial 'he 'was i sentenced^ to twenty yearsl.^penal ff servitude -for murder 'without prez meditation.— X>unediu Star., ,