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nienttlieThe Vlitcemies Murder.On our first page will be found a brief account of the. horrible butchery of an entire family in the vicinity oi Vincennes. The Sun of last. Friday gives a full account of the dreadful hi fair, a diagram of the premises, and a minute description of the wounds inflicted. From the account in the Sim we make some extracts :The news of the butcher)’ was carried by the hired man, a Frenchman named Pierre Provost,* to Eugene Brouillctte’f half-mile distant from Vacelot’s. H got there about 4 o'clock, was barefooted, had nothing but his underclothes on, and was frightened so that he was “as white as a sheet,” to use their own expression. He was given clothes and afterwards came back to the scene of the murder with the neighbors. Hethered.hibited considerable levity, as he told (in French) what he knew about it. He said that he was aroused and went to the partition door and opened it, and saw the room nearly full of men, (tutting and slashing, and that he retreated and was pursued, but made his escape through the window over his bed, barely escaping a stroke from bauds of one of the men. The lower portiou of the window frame bears the mark of the stroke, but the lower part of the lower sash bears the mark also, showing conclusively that the window \vu3 down when the stroke was made. Besides the window was fastened down with a stick, around which were woven many cobwebs; proving that the window had not. been up for a long time. At the side of the. bed where Mrs. Vaeelot lay was a barefoot print in the blood, which would indicate that the bloody work had been doue by somebody in the the house.Esq. Heidenreioh was on the ground for the purpose of holding an inquest, and ordered Provost arrested, which was promptly doue by Deputy Sheriff Sam Rumer. The crowd noticed spots of blood on the bosom of bis shirt, the same he had worn the night before, and it was not difficult to see that they regarded him with deep feelings of suspicion, and some went so far as to openly express threats of lynching. It is to be hoped however, that better counsel will prevail, for every one is entitled to the protection due an innocent man, till he is proven to beguilty beyond a doubt.The Coroner’s jury having examined the bodies, an ndjournmrnt was ordered to meet at Esq. Heidenreich’s oflice at 3 o’clock p. fit., at which time the following evidence was taken :Eugene Bruat, being duly stated that he knew prisoner (Provost) since last spring when he came to Mr, Vacelot’s. He came from Fvance it January. Knew the parties found dead. Lived half'a mile from them. Hadn’t seen Mr. Vaeelot, for a week or irn Prisoner came to my house about 4 dock this morning and called me saying : “I want, to come in the hoiI’m cold.” I was in bed, but got up and let him spoke first.; I told him to come in; that 1 must light t he candle. He said, “Oh, no, don't, light, the candle. Oh, hell i at fjour house. Beating done at out house. Somebody struck me on the boulder; I run tor the window.” Pris men had on two shirts; 1 made a light. ‘He was cold,” and 1 made a lire foi dm. I gave him some clothes and he ut them on. lie looked scared; ix or seven persons were there, ner was barefooted. Would take r ten minutes to walk to my house. Said he was scratched by briers, and showed me the direction he came; he staid at my house till after breakfast. Didn’t say any body had been killed, and said he didn’t know anybody that ,vas there. “He heard the noise strik ng.” I thought perhaps it was a quar-•el among themselves, as there was noth-ng exciting in prisoner’s appearance. Wont down after sun up ami ugh window; I saw old mai n the floor dead. Mr. Sea outside doors wore locked. Prisoner said he wasn’t going down to the house, lie first said, “better go down and see.” Don’t, think he said anything about going down, till I spoke of it. He s/nok ed my boy’s pipe all the time; sat on a hair and talked all the time. He said, you bad better go down after day light.” ►Stayed at house all time, and was badly frightened. Mr. Beavers and T came back to the house; sent my out to tell neighbors of the murder. We told them they were all killed. Didn’i see tears in the prisoner’s eyes; Mrs. Beavers and I came back and watched the house; when we said they were al killed he was outside; don’t know thi clothing of the prisoner; he went back the house and looked pretty sad, ami sat down on the stove. 1 went back t( Mr. Vacelot’s house and prisoner carrn with me. I told him they wan tel him down there; 1 said, a man who would commit such a murder ought to be hung, and he said nothing in nnswer. Hi told me when he came in the house that somebody had a dark light; he meam the persons who were doing the beating.Eugene Bruat. Dr. P. W. Beard testified substantially, as follows-►Stated be was a physician and was called on to examine the four bodies. He examined them at 9 a. in., and thought they had been dead ten lion: he didn’t think the hoys struggled any, and the old lady gave no evidence oi struggle, excepting she may have raised up and fell back; didn't think blood floor by bed was blood of hers. There must have been a struggle with Mr. Vaeelot. The prisoner’s foot fit in Un-footprint at the side of the bed; found a cut on the prisoner’s shoulder; had his shirt torn; blood was spotted on prison-shirt front; think there would have been more blood on a man’s shirt if lie had killed four persons; think heljwould have been spattered all over. The window was down and slat above it. The slat was nailed to the window and had spiderwebs about it. Didn’t see any blood on the sash where the cut was on the window. I examined three axes which were lying on the floor, think they had been laid there on purpose. Two axes were in front (south) room, and one in back (north) room with pruning hook, Axes were all bloody; no blood on bandies or polls of the axes; it might get on the handles; but it could be wiped off Hook was bloody and had hair on it in the middle—no blood on the poinf. Had appearance of notbeing used lately. Hair on the book was black- hair of the deceased pen was black; saw corn-knife with one spot of blood and three black hairs on it Mu blood on feel, of old man or boys think blood by bed came from old man foot prints by bed pointed in, showinj face to have been towards bed. Print t.lnmof barefbier showed three pair were his, and they hiifi Prisoner said the mon but it could not be lb: in on iI pn.jf pants he said no blood on thorn, y was in the bed, nd; prisoner said he room; examined the feet of the prisoner and found no blood on them. Don’t, think the window had been raised when the prisoner claimed he got out; think footprints could have been hy foot of the prioners; suppose the foot, of'the pri: er made the footprints that were onilomras adj-mrned till this o’clock', when the npletcd. ProvostThe inquest forenoon at ten deuce will he clt; jail.This is the. n committed in Knox county. We hope that, the Coroner's inquest, may elicit some clue to the perpetrator, and that justice may be swift and sure. All lenee, however, is to be deprecated.to TheSpecial from Vi: diunnpolis Journal ; quest lias been in session all day but developed no new facts. Ail evidence points with fearful certainty to the guilt oi'Provost., who remains impassive and stolid. In his testimony on the witness stand to-day he tenaciously adhered to his first story and could not be shaken from it. He explained the blood stains on his shirt front hy stating that he had killed a hog Monday last, they being spurted on at the time. He still adheres to his window story notwithstanding th'theories ar, that stand the l to his i riven tivi le, and that, is to■cuktlrcircumstantial evidence against it. Many n, none, howev-f investigation the deed, savlt;; the old man’)Provoftt Hang* IXlui^elffn Jail.V inoennks, Ind., Oct. 27.—The Vacelet murder excitement had a sensational termination to-day. Upon opening the jail this morning, to serve the prisoners with breakfast, the discovery was made that Provost, the supposed murderer, had hung himself during the night. The verdict, of the coroner’s jury, rendered fast, night, that the murdered persons came to . their death at Provost’s hands, con pied with apprehensions of lynching, seems t.o have caused Provost to take the step he did. Yes •day, by his request, lie was visited byFather (.vc-afed notii although ehACWould d.Mlbfh-SS hin hand to-nign therefore, is spare and unlawful r.nni in winslantly tiihx place tu-rnor will be inteiCatholic^priest, andrelaiimi to his guilt* by the holy father to to the future, at the ig to him his danger he departure of aid he was ready ng the suicidal me. His time-lii.T to our citi-mueh dreaded, ken the matter ic community, h a disgraceful . The remains is to day, the uv being con'll tablyng, when the hod\ig'EB Netvfi.S ASS IN A TIC AU-’ONSO., Oct. 2-r).—-As the king wasdriving through the street known as ling, a man in a a pistol at him. The kingt’allei? fired |and continued on his way to the palace, amid the acclamations of the crowd. The man was immediately seized by the soldiers, and taken to prison. The Would-be assassin is named Juan Mo read, aged 23, trade n cooper, and a native of Terrago-mi. He .states that, he is a member of the international society, and his crime was premeditated. He arrived at Madrid on October 20. Morcasi was rescued with dificulty from .some women who wished to lynch him. All the foreign ministers and diplomatists in Madrid nave congiatuiated the king on his escape. A solemn te deurn will be sung to-morrow. Judicial proceedings are already onmnnnced against Morcasi. a hensationau dispatch.London, Oct. 25.-—The standard publishes a sensational dispatch from Vienna, to the effect that Russia’s military preparations are so vast that nobody can doubt that she is bent upon further conquest’. The only question appears to be whether she will wait till spring or recommence the war before that time. The excuse, will probably be the outbreaks of the Bulgarians, which were goiten up by Russian agents. A camp of sixty thousand men is formingleans.ApplicMem pi Last nigt a heavy f ters throi health wnounco s the city, being tho c-upation.Fr.noon to-d are. repor eludes de: orbs.Night-4 deaths past twen clock to-r ments art of parties suburbs.New ( —Weath3,894; to IThe retenee a3s 31st of A of Octobc sued.equi persons, with seve The YProve The A ret Tyson, si morning. ►Sable isla pumping last mors: this mon that then son north Captaii herlaud number o Dnring tl obliged tc 200 miles very heat making if battened Disco the tion stean many da) started or strait, perienced one of wli days, drif icebergs, constant!; They at 1 on Auguf fortnight ternher th they read experienc They remheavy gai vessel spr land, sine obliged to To add toprovisions sumed be: Idest wlt; low zero.Camp The famii troops, co hours, cai of Chadri Carlton 1: viously bi come out would bio face of thlt; desired efl the interp came forv. selves. 1 marched t midnight, and suppeSt. Llt;from the \ in western in Kansas teen years a cold, ra’ are snowliat Kischeneff to replace the troops who crossed the Balkans southward. Russia refuses to evacuate the Dobrudscha or Roumania until Roumania has concluded an offensive and defensive alliance. Russian agents claim tlmt Moldavia, far as Sereth, must become Russian.Yellow Fever.’Memphis, Tenn., Oettober 25.—The board of health oflicially reported deaths from yellow fever during the past twenty-four hours, ending at G o’clock to-night. The undertakers report 11 additional interments of persons who died beyond the city limit. Fifteen physicians report eleven new cases—three ' the city and eight in the suburbs.To-morrcw, all of the physicians of the Howard medical corps in the city will be relieved. This afternoon the citizens’ relief committee closed their commissary depart neat, and in future will issue supplies only to those in camps.Dr. B. W. Mito mil, medical director of the Howard ass ciation, was presented with a handsome silver tea service, to-night, at Peabody hotel, by the volunteer physicians and friends. A banquet followed the presentation.New Orleans, October 25.—Weafch-, clear; thermometer, 77. Deaths, 18; cases reported, 124; total deaths, 3,828; total cases, 12,792.The Peal'oily.-; issued 44,000 rations. They fill all outstanding requisitions tomorrow, when the doors of their store will be closed, They return thanks' inChic,to braska, ar stroying £ and other most desti of Sioux North PI Platte riv in Rush, Wallace, ' counties, i perished i finned rep braska, y County, a been utterNORMALSt. Lou sas,dispatlt; mal schn burned o: out at 3 o building t nothing w the presid besides al Friday, th was an odlt; building, ful inspeol the coal ir in a heate tor, with £ cool it off. janitor left thing was and in a si the walls, and'had inIn the 1 we ask, dilt; die in the while an its skeleton liquidationMonday sales of ho{
Newspaper Details
Sullivan Democrat
Sullivan, Indiana, US
Wed, Oct 30, 1878
Page 2
Full Page
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Indiana H.
IN, USA 16 Nov 2023
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