ACCUSED OF POISONING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 243, 13 October 1877, Page 4

ACCUSED OF POISONING.

[Erom the Paris Figaro.} ■ The trial of a mysterious case has been concluded in the Court of Assizes of the Aude. The accused was a young English girl of nineteen years, Addie Margaret Traynor. She is a blonde, of elegant appearance, distinguished manners, and excellent education. Last year she lived iv the chateau de Bourigeole, the home of one of the most prominent families in that part of France, the family of Leseure The present awner of the domain is Madame de Leseure, a widow, who had living with her last year an only child, Henry, three years ot age. In July, 1876, Madame de Leseure sent to London for Miss Traynor to teach the little bay English. Margaret soon acquired the entire confidence of her new ' mistress by the charm of her manners, her beauty, "and the perfect propriety of her demeanour. The little boy had, up to that time, been a very healthy, robust child, rather precocious for his age. On July 31, when Margaret had nofc as yet been a full month with the family, about four o'clock in tbe afternoon, Henry awoke frora his afternoon nap complaining of burning thirst. He was soon tossing on his bed in agony, and began to vomit. A violent fever seized him, and he breathed his ';■■ last before midnight. Immediately after the boy's death, Madame de Leseure left the chateau and went to tbe house of her father, M. Laperrine. She took with her her securities and some cases of jewellery, which 'she placed ia Margaret Traynor's valise. The young governess seemed to be as unconsolable as her mistress. One day ia August, S£adame de Leseure, ou opening one of the jewel boxes in which a costly set of diamonds should have been, was surprised to find the box empty, A suspicion Hashed across her mind ; Margaret alone had the jewel boxes in her charge. She returned to her chateau to see if her diamonds were safe. A magnificent bracelet was missiug. Madame de Leseure then remembered that the governess had asked her to be allowed to return to England the day after little Henry's death. She sent for Margaret, and accused her of having stolen the jewellery; but the latter, evidently troubled, did nofc cease fco protest her innocence. August 2G came, and on that day some of the servants found on a fre- , quented road, near the chateau, a little package containing the missing diamonds. The governess was sent for, and Madame de Lescure's father told j her that ifc was useless for her to deny fche theft longer, as he had seen her j place the package where ifc was ibuud. '

She threw herself, afc hia fee., exclaithin'g, "Forgive Me, ifc is first time I evier did wrong." She was arrested. She insisted that she never intended fco keep the jewels, bnfc had taken them co wear while she had her phoVdgraph taken. A new and terrible suspicion now occurred to Madame de Lescurb. "If that young girl, so honest in appearance, was a thief, might she not also be si poisoner?" Sbfe turned to Margaret and cried,"You wretch, you are capable of having poisoned my poor Harry. Ah, if ifc is so, I swear your bead shall roll on the scaffold." The physician who had attended. fche cbild, and who attributed his death fco cholera, was sent for, and it was decided to have the body exhumed: Arsenic and antimony were found in the body. During the last -illness ot* M. de Leseure, the boy's father, he bad been treated with the pills of Dr. Papilkrd," containing both arsenic and antimony, and a bottle of these pills bad been left in _. closet to which Margaret Traynor had had access. From the beginning of the attack to which the lit'fclb boy had succumbed, Margaret; 'predicted fatal . issue to his illness. On fche ofcher hand, what motive was there for such a crime ? The prosecution maintained fchafc probably fche gprerness had been detected by fche cbild in the act of fcaking fche jewels, and fchafc she feared he would tell his mother. The trial was most dramatic. Margaret denied with indignation fchafc she had poisoned fche child, and her counsel asserted fchafc ifc was a question whether arsenic did not exisfc in a natural state in every human body. Afc 3 o'clock in fche morning fche jury brought in a verdict of "Nofc guilty." *