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more of the family died； but M。 Dupuy and his daughter suffered from
bodily numbness for years afterwards； with partial paralysis and recurrent
pains in the extremities。
Helene seems to have made Lorient too hot for herself； and had to go
elsewhere。 Port Louis is her next scene of action。 A kinswoman of her
master in this town； one Duperron； happened to miss a sheet from the
household stock。 Mlle Leblanc charged Helene with the theft； and
demanded the return of the stolen article。 It is recorded that Helene
refused to give it up； and her answer is curious。
‘‘I am going into retreat；'' she declared。 ‘‘God has forgiven me my
sins！''
There was perhaps something prophetic in the declaration。 By the
time Helene was brought to trial； in 1854； her sins up to this point of
record were covered by the prescription legale； a sort of statute of
limitations in French law covering crime。 Between 1833 and 1841 the
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wanderings of Helene Jegado through those quiet Brittany towns had been
marked by twenty…three deaths； six illnesses； and numerous thefts。
There is surcease to Helene's death…dealing between the years of 1841
and 1849； but on the inquiries made after her arrest a myriad of accusers
sprang up to tell of thefts during that time。 They were petty thefts； but
towards the end of the period they begin to indicate a change in Helene's
habits。 She seems to have taken to drink； for her thefts are mostly of
wine and eau de vie。
In March 1848 Helene was in Rennes。 On the 6th of November of
the following year； having been dismissed from several houses for theft；
she became sole domestic servant to a married couple called Rabot。
Their son； Albert； who was already ill； died in the end of December。 He
had eaten a farina porridge cooked by Helene。 In the following February；
having discovered Helene's depredations from the wine…cupboard； M。
Rabot gave her notice。 This was on the 3rd of the month。 （Helene was
to leave on the 13th。） The next day Mme Rabot and Rabot himself；
having taken soup of Helene's making； became very ill。 Rabot's mother…
in…law ate a panade prepared by Helene。 She too fell ill。 They all
recovered after Helene had departed； but Rabot； like M。 Dupuy…de…Lome；
was partially paralysed for months afterwards。
In Helene's next situation； with people called Ozanne； her way of
abstracting liquor again was noticed。 She was chided for stealing eau de
vie。 Soon after that the Ozannes' little son died suddenly； very suddenly。
The doctor called in thought it was from a croup fever。
On the day following the death of the little Ozanne Helene entered the
service of M。 Roussell； proprietor of the Bout…du…Monde hotel in Rennes。
Some six weeks later Roussell's mother suddenly became ill。 She had
had occasion to reproach Helene for sullen ill…manners or something of
that sort。 She ate some potage which Helene had cooked。 The illness
that ensued lasted a long time。 Eighteen months later the old lady had
hardly recovered。
In the hotel with Helene as fellow…servant there was a woman of thirty；
Perrotte Mace； very greatly relied upon by her masters； with whom she
had been five years。 She was a strongly built woman who carried herself
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finely。 Perrotte openly agreed with the Veuve Roussell regarding
Helene's behaviour。 This； with the confidence reposed in Perrotte by the
Roussells； might have been enough to set Helene against her。 But there
was an additional cause for jealousy： Jean Andre； the hotel ostler； but also
described as a cabinet…maker； though friendly enough with Helene；
showed a marked preference for the younger； and comelier； Perrotte。 The
Veuve Roussell fell ill in the middle of June。 In August Perrotte was
seized by a similar malady； and； in spite of all her resistance； had to take to
her bed。 Vomiting and purging marked the course of her illness； pains in
the stomach and limbs； distension of the abdomen； and swelling of the feet。
With her strong constitution she put up a hard fight for her life； but
succumbed on the 1st of September； 1850。 The doctors called in； MM。
Vincent and Guyot； were extremely puzzled by the course of the illness。
At times the girl would seem to be on the mend； then there would come a
sudden relapse。 After Perrotte's death they pressed for an autopsy； but the
peasant relatives of the girl showed the usual repugnance of their class to
the idea。 Helene was taken red…handed in the theft of wine； and was
dismissed。 Fifteen days later she took service with the Bidards。
These are the salient facts of Helene's progression from 1833 to 1851
as brought out by the investigations made by and for the Procureur…
General of Rennes。 All possible channels were explored to discover
where Helene had procured the arsenic； but without success。 Under
examination by the Juge d'instruction she stoutly denied all knowledge of
the poison。 ‘‘I don't know anything about arsenicdon't know what it is；''
she repeated。 ‘‘No witness can say I ever had any。'' It was believed that
she had secured a large supply in her early days； and had carried it with
her through the years； but that at the first definite word of suspicion
against her had got rid of it。 During her trial mention was made of
packets found in a chest she had used while at Locsine； the place where
seven deaths had occurred。 But it was never clearly established that
these packets had contained arsenic。 It was never clearly established；
though it could be inferred； that Helene ever had arsenic at all。
％ II
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The first hearings of Helene's case were taken before the Juge
d'instruction in Rennes； and she was remanded to the assizes for Ille…et…
Vilaine； which took place； apparently； in the same city。 The charges
against her were limited to eleven thefts； three murders by poisoning； and
three attempts at murder by the like means。 Under the prescription legale
twenty…three poisonings； six attempts at poisoning； and a number of thefts；
all of which had taken place within the space of ten years； had to be left
out of the indictment。 We shall see； however； that； under the curious
rules regarding permissible evidence which prevail in French criminal law；
the Assize Court concerned itself quite largely with this prescribed matter。
The trial began on the 6th of December； 1851； at a time when France
was in a political uproaror； more justly perhaps； was settling down from
political uproar。 The famous coup d'etat of that year had happened four
days before。 Maitre Dorange； defending Helene； asked for a remand to a
later session on the ground that some of his material witnesses were
unavailable owing to the political situation。 An eminent doctor； M。
Baudin； had died ‘‘pour maintien des lois。'' There was some argument on
the matter； but the President ruled that all material witnesses were present。
Scientific experts could be called only to assist the court。
The business of this first day was taken up almost completely by
questions on the facts produced in investigation； and these mostly facts
covered by the prescription。 The legal value of this run of questions
would seem doubtful in the Anglo…Saxon idea of justice； but it gives an
indication of the shiftiness in answer of t