TERRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 6

TERRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

A JfORKUii.E drama has been enacted at Gentilly, outside Paris, where a Madame Christoplile killed her husband—a butcher —in his sleep and then committed suicide. The pair were both young, and had lately failed in business. Madame Christoplile had two bullets in the temple, one of which in its passage tore out an eye. Her husband’s brains had been blown out. Under the woman's body the police-inspector foundaletter which was worded as follows: — ‘I have just killed my husband. Poor fellow, I regret it, but it was necessary ; our credit has gone. Out of the money on the mantelpiece please give 10 francs to our assistant and the rest to the driver. Goodbye all.’ Below this was written in a feeble hand, 4 1 have just pub a bullet into my head, but it did not kill me. It has blown out an eye, but I am now going bo finish myself by the side of my husband. Goodbye everybody, and pardon.’ So ran this mournful missive penned between life and death. The inspector states that the woman evidently did endeavour to drag herself over near her husband in order to give herself the terriblecoapr/e grarewhich was tolaunch her into the next world. According to some of the gossips of gentility, the terrible deed of Madame Christophle was dictated not through fear of poverty, but owing to jealousy. Her husband had a reputation for gallantry in the neighbourhood, and it is averred that his demeanour toward two young women who patronised his shop had frequently raised the ire of his wile.