Murder in a Ministry.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 110, 13 May 1904, Page 4

Murder in a Ministry.

TRIPLE TRAGEDY IN PARIS. The Ministry for the Colonies in Paris has been the scene of a terrible tragedy. When sealed in his office on the fourth floor, M. Trouilh, the chief cashier, received the visit a Government storekeeper from Cherbourg, named Pellerin, who suddenly drew a revolver, and, calling out, " You dog !" shot him in the lower part of the body, inflicting a wound from which he died. With a second shot the man blew out nis own brains.

On searching Pellerin's pockets,two notes were found. In the first he intimated his intention of killing M. Trouilh and committing suicide. The other contained the following words : —" I inform you that I have murdered my sister, 10 Avenue Maria, Argenteuil." Police were at once dispatched to the address given, and found Pellerin's sister, who had' lately returned from a lunatic asylum, lying on her bed shot through the heart. On her breast the murderer had placed a bouquet of white lilac, and in her hand a blue handkerchief.

He had also left some money on the mantelpiece for his landlord, with an apologetic note. There were indications that he had first tried to asphyaiate his victim.

The assassin's grievance against M. Trouilh was that he was responsible for an order transferring Pellerin from Cherbourg to Rochefort. The storekeeper had spent some years in the French colonies, and came back, says the Matin, with a reputation for eccentricity.