CAUSES CÉLÈBRES.
{[c|IV.}}
JACQUES VERDURE.
[1780.]
IN 1780 there lived in the parish of Berville, in Lower Normandy, a poor farmer by the name of Jacques Verdure. His wife was dead, and he was left with six children, two of whom were of tender years, — a boy of five, and a little girl only six weeks old. The oldest daughter, Rose, beautiful and a per fect picture of health, had for a long time taken the charge of the affairs of the house, and at her mother's death filled her place as far as possible, in the care of the two young children. She was twenty-one years old. This girl, so necessary to the poor family of Verdure, was suddenly taken from them by a terrible crime.
On the night of the 14th of October, 1780, the father, uneasy at not seeing Rose return, went out to seek for her in the neighborhood. A few steps from the house he found her lying dead near a ditch. Two balls had struck her in the heart, and she must have died instantly.
This event, which deprived the family of one of its two supports, was not merely for Verdure a source of grief. We shall see that this misfortune was only the prelude of irrep arable disasters.
On learning of the murder, the chief magis trate of Berville repaired to the place, accom panied by the procureur fiscal, the greffier.and a surgeon. They examined the two wounds, which were about two inches apart, and in one of them they found a rough, jagged ball. Who could have committed this murder?
Rose was discreet as well as industrious; it was not known that she had any enemies. What reason was there to suspect any of her family? What possible motive could there be to urge the father or her elder brother to commit this deed? Her death was an irrep arable loss to them.
The witnesses at the investigation, neigh bors, and idle gossips, were lost in conjec tures, when a word, uttered in a whisper, and then repeated in louder tones, directed suspicions toward the father, Verdure. One of those who had been present when the body was examined had noticed upon the neck of the victim a dark mark of extravasated blood. From this it was imprudently concluded that Rose had not been killed in the place where the body was found. Ab surd as was this conclusion, it found parti sans. This Verdure must have assassinated his daughter in the house, and then undoubt edly carried the body to the spot where it svas found.
But why had he committed this crime? They did not consider that question. The removing the body, the murder committed in the house of Verdure, must have left some traces; they sought vainly for them. No matter; Verdure had committed the deed. It was probable; it was certain. But Ver dure had no gun, and at his house they found neither lead nor balls. The investiga tion was temporarily suspended, but an im pression had been made upon the minds of the magistrates, and later it had been revived and strengthened.
The matter was referred to the parliament of Rouen.
Before this jurisdiction the fatal rumor made its way. The new magistrates, who had taken no part in the first investigation, seized upon this vague suspicion, emanating from the imbecile populace. They must have a guilty one; the popular prejudice furnished him.
The 19th of November an order was issued for the arrest of Verdure, and his two daugh ters and his oldest son were summoned as
