A BRAZILIAN TRAGEDY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 50, 27 February 1874, Page 2

A BRAZILIAN TRAGEDY.

[From tbe New York Herald.] On August 17 the capital of Marranham was roused from its customary inanity by the discovery of an atrocious murder, committed by one of its chief men, high in the judicial ranks— one of the judges of the Tribunal of Commerce of Mnranham — a tribunal whose jurisdiction extends over one-fourth of the' immense Empire of Brazil. Desembargador Pontes Viegueiro, the. murderer, was a judge of high reputation, as well as cf high category, a widower, 65 years of age, whose character was unblemished, save by a liaison, trivial io this country of easy morality, with a girl of 15 to 16 year?, which commenced about two years ago, when she was only 14 years of age. The girl was of notoriously loose character, but the old judge was infatuated with her, and for more than a year he bore with her vagaries, ber thefts, her drunkennesp, her infidelities. At last the striained bow broke, the deep infatuation which hnd possessed him turned to a deadly hatred, and it would seem that about a year ago ho employed a lieutenant to make away with ber, or as this officer now asserts, to inflict a severe flogging on her. His agent failed bira, aud by ibe advice of his friends the old judge obtained a year's leave of absence, and set out for a neighboring province, apparently to forget her. But even absence seemed only to bave strengthened his murderous longing, for in three or four months he returned to Maranbam bringing with him one of the numerous bravos who furnish the weapons for personal or party hatreds in this country, a man named Guilhermino, and the bottle of chloroform which played a conspicuous part thereafter. Immediately after his return the old judge renewed his relations with the girl, and these continued without incident for nearly three months. But on the 14th of August the ancient lover called the girl to bis rooms, which were on the first floor. He received her with caresses, ond kind words, set before her sweetmeats, and when she had partaken of them desired her to enter the adjoining bedroom. Behind the door was the bravo Guilhermino, and as the girl passed it he darted on her, spueezed her by the throat, and thrust a gag into her mouth. This done, the old judge rushed in to satiate his hatred, so long disguised. He forced the pinioned and gagged girl to inhale chloroform, and when she dropped senseless at his feet he stabbed her repeatedly with a poiniard in tho chest and stomach, cut her head nearly off and throwing himself on her, actually bit her like a ravenous beast, in tbe madness of his rage and hatred. This he had told himself. It has been no part of the judge's plan to sacrifice himself while satiating his murderous spiri-t. Some time before he had obtaiued zinc lining for a small travelling case, such as they transport on mules, and he had hod himself taught how. to solder, providing himself with solid acid, and a tool. Into this case, the I oly of the unfortuuate girl was forced, and the zinc cover was carefully soldered down after filling up tha box with lime. A passage to Cara was taken for Guilhermino, and the case was to accompany him, to be dropped into the sea on the voyage. Two or three days more and the bravo would have left with his charge; but meantime the mother and the familiars of the girl became alarmed at her continued absence. To their inquiries the judge replied tbat he knew not where she was. The passport office was examined but nothing showed that sho hud left the city. The police were communicated with, and after much hesitation — for disembargador is an awe-inspiring rank, and can be dealt with only by the Supremo Court — the chief of police himself, witbfa large force, surrounded the house at midnight on the 16th, and in tbe morning proceeded to a search of the premises. As for the judge himself they did not dare to hinder him going out, as he said, to take a walk. Tbe house was va ny ransacked, but in tbe garden, just under the house eaves, Borne signs of disturbance of the earth directed attention to a spot. The cutlasses of the police soon disinterred a case, and, on jabbing a hole into it, blood and fetor issued from it. By a medical examination the body of the girl was found doubled up in it, the head and one leg nearly severed from the trunk. Four accomplices were at once arrested, but owing to the immunities of hiß rank the judge could not be token, unless by an order of the Supreme Court, and all that could be done was to cause him to be accompanied by a police officer of the rank of captain. The necessary order, however, will go on from Rio to bring him there for trial.