Shocking Wife Murder.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 1

Shocking Wife Murder.

A wine dealer named Laplaize, living in the Rue Beaubourg, Paris, has been arrested to-day under very dramatic circumstances. On January 12th his wife was found murdered in the cellar. Since that date upwards of ten persons have been taken into custody on the strength of accusations brought againtt them by the widower, and subsequently released, no proofs having been discovered against them ; and now the man in his turn a prisoner, and from all accounts likely to remain so. The whole story of the case reveals the most brutal cynicism, mingled with the utmost cunning on the part of Laplaize. At one o'clock in the afternoon of the day in question he had arranged to go with his brother-in-law' Jorand, who was in search of employment, and while the latter was waiting for him he sent Him out three times on futile errands, afterwards telling him, when Jorand insisted on seeing his sister that she was dressing upstairs. During the afternoon Laplaize wandered about in a purposeless way invented an excuse for returning for . a moment to his house, and did not bring his brother-in-law back before six o'clock. Be professed great surprise on finding that the place was in daikness, called to his wife, went upstairs to look for her, and then down to the cellar, whence he returned with the announcement that she had been murdered, and that her body was quite cold. While his brother-in-law sat speechless, overcome with grief and horror, he expatiated about the money that had been stolen, and when the police arrived he glibly denounced several habitues oi his shop. The investigation made by the magistrates showed that the premises were in no disorder, and that th*3 poor woman's trinkets had alone disappeared. She had been murdered about one o'clock. In the meantime the police had ascertained that Laplaize's affairs were in a very bad state j that he had scarcely any money about him ; and that he was actually in debt for the , small quantity of wine in the houee. The local inspector had for some time suspected him, and yesterday he received from his father-in-law a letter written to him by Madam Laplaize four dtys before her death, in which she e -.pressed the fear that her ■ husband would murder her, and asked her father to go to her. This he regarded as conclusive, and' this morning, as Laplaize was paying a visit to the inepector, to denounce, as was his wont, more innocent persons, he ;was summarily arrested. various examinations were made during the-day, and it is expected that Laplaize, nnding t further concealetneni useless, will make a full confession. The corpse of his wife is to be exhumed.

' A 1 business man in Pekin, III;, went to his minister the other.~.day and said; "We have almortgage on this church, building of £140. I have a chance to go in on a pork deal which will pay me about £400 in thirty, j days, -„ If I should make the { deal and pay s off the mortgage do you think r the Lord TOuld'Tte -displeased with* me?" "Well,, jußrpthertHaetinge," was the reply, " I have heretofore held that the Lord was against -this sort of speculation, arid "while"' l 'shan't, attempt tio decide the" ntatter for you, I, 4 it's an • experiment" f f .w,orth.,,try ing, i «sp^ciallyif -subscribe an additional £20 for the new bell." - ;<, .'- >' 'if 1,1- ,"'>' ' ; , '