A FRENCH BLUEBEARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1810, 1 November 1888, Page 3

A FRENCH BLUEBEARD.

Recently tbe “ Bluebeard ” of Colombes —a borough on the outskirts of Paris—was put on his trial before the Correctional Court. Bontemps—the domestic tyrant in question—is a house-owner and farmer with considerable means, most of which he has been in the habit of squandering on wine and women. He was first married to a respectable girl, Mademoiselle Deloron, whom he treated so barbarously that one day, after a violent discussion with “ Bluebeard,” she flung herself into the Seine and was drowned. Shortly afterwards Bontemps fell in love with a pretty blonde named Virginie Munch, the daughter of an artisan. She was prevailed upon to marry him, despite his bad character. After a few months of matrimony the new Madame Bontemps had anything but a “ good time.” She was kicked and cuffed by her slave-driver, and ran away to her parents’ house. Ultimately a reconciliation between the couple was patched up, and Madame Bontemps returned to the bed and board of “ Bluebeard,” who in a few weeks began his tyrannical tricks and pranks again. He beat his wife with his shoos until her body bore tbe marks of the hobnails, and he used to complain in the wine-taverns that she possessed as many lives as a cat, for he could not succeed in killing her. To prevent her from again going home to her father Bontemps locked the poor woman in, fed her on bread and water, and when he returned from work kicked her about the kitchen while she was trying to cook his dinner. At night he made her sleep on tbe floor of the kitchen, on chairs, in a loathsome garret, and anywhere, in fact, save in bed, Asa crowning act of cruelty he locked her in a pigstye during the rigorous cold of tbe winter. Nevertheless Madame Bontemps although dying of consumption, contrived to escape from her misery about a month ago, and succeeded m creeping feebly along the walls of the house until she reached her father’s abode. There she simply went to bed and died. Bontemps is a thin, wiry, ill-looking and cynical creature, about 56 years old. When brought before the dead body of his wife, according to the usual custom, he inveighed against the deceased, and said she was lasy, drunken, and frivolous. The fellow has been let off with a light punishment, Bontemps wae completely dated during the trial, and merely replied to the president, when questioned as to his actions, that his wives were laey and wanted whipping up. The tribunal ordered Bontemps to pay £2O damages to the father of his second wife and to go to prison for twelve months!