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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
given the two girls all the nursing she could； with no intention but that of
helping them to get better。 To the observation of the President； once
again； that arsenic had been administered； and to his question； what person
other than she had a motive for poisoning the girls； or had such
opportunity for doing so； Helene answered defiantly； ‘‘You won't redden
my face by talking of arsenic。 I defy anybody to say they saw me give
arsenic。''
The Procureur…General invited M。 Bidard to say what amount of
intelligence he had found in Helene。 M。 Bidard declared that he had
never seen in any of his servants an intelligence so acute or subtle。 He
held her to be a phenomenon in hypocrisy。 He put forward a fact which
he had neglected to mention in his deposition。 It might throw light on the
character of the accused。 Francoise had a dress hanging up to dry in the
mansard。 Helene went up to the garret above this； made a hole in the
ceiling； and dropped oil of vitriol on her companion's dress to burn it。
Dr Pinault gave an account of Rosalie's illness； and spoke of the
suspicions he and his colleagues had had of poisoning。 It was a crime；
however； for which there seemed to be no motive。 The poisoner could
hardly be M。 Bidard； and as far as suspicion might touch the cook； she
seemed to be lavish in her care of the patient。 It was not until the very
last that he； with his colleagues； became convinced of poison。
Rosalie dead； the justiciary went to M。 Bidard's。 The cupboards were
searched carefully。 The potion which Rosalie had thought to be mixed
with burning stuff was still there； just sampled。 It was put into a bottle
and capped。
An autopsy could not now be avoided。 It was held next day。 M。
Pinault gave an account of the results。 Most of the organs were in a
normal condition； and such slight alterations as could be seen in others
would not account for death。 It was concluded that death had been
occasioned by poison。 The autopsy on the exhumed body of Perrotte
Mace was inconclusive； owing to the condition of adipocere。
Dr Guyot spoke of the case of Francoise Huriaux； and was now sure
she had been given poison in small doses。 Dr Boudin described the
progress of Rosalie's illness。 He was in no doubt； like his colleagues；
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that she had been poisoned。
The depositions of various witnesses followed。 A laundress said that
Helene's conduct was to be explained by jealousy。 She could not put up
with any supervision； but wanted full control ofthe household and ofthe
money。
Francoise Huriaux said Helene was angry because M。 Bidard would
not have her as sole domestic。 She had resented Francoise's being
engaged。 The witness noticed that she became ill whenever she ate food
prepared for her by Helene。 When she did not eat Helene was angry but
threw out the food Francoise refused。
Several witnesses testified to the conduct of Helene towards Rosalie
Sarrazin during her fatal illness。 Helene was constant； self…sacrificing； in
her attention to the invalid。 One incident； however； was described by a
witness which might indicate that Helene's solicitude was not altogether
genuine。 One morning； towards the end of Rosalie's life； the patient； in
her agony； escaped from the hold of her mother； and fell into an awkward
position against the wall。 Rosalie's mother asked Helene to place a
pillow for her。 ‘‘Ma foi！'' Helene replied。 ‘‘You're beginning to weary
me。 You're her mother！ Help her yourself！''
The testimony of a neighbour； one Francoise Louarne； a domestic
servant； supports the idea that Helene resented the presence of Rosalie in
the house。 Helene said to this witness； ‘‘M。 Bidard has gone into the
country with his housemaid。 Everything SHE does is perfect。 They
leave me hereto work if I want to； eat my bread dry： that's my reward。
But the housemaid will go before I do。 Although M。 Bidard has given
me my notice； he'll have to order me out before I'll go。 Look！'' Helene
added。 ‘‘Here's the bed of the ugly housemaidin a room not too far
from the master's。 Methey stick me up in the mansard！'' Later； when
Rosalie was very ill； Helene pretended to be grieved。 ‘‘You can't be so
very sorry；'' the witness remarked； ‘‘you've said plenty that was bad about
the girl。''
Helene vigorously denounced the testimony as all lies。 The woman
had never been near Bidard's house。
The pharmacist responsible for dispensing the medicines given to
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
Rosalie was able to show that arsenic could not have got into them by
mistake on his part。
At the hearing of the trial on the 12th of December Dr Pinault was
asked to tell what happened when the emissions of Rosalie Sarrazin were
being transferred for analysis。
DR PINAULT。 As we were carrying out the operation Helene came
in； and it was plain that she was put out of countenance。
M。 BIDARD ＇interposing＇。 We were in my daughter's room； where
nobody ever came。 When Helene came to the door I was surprised。
There was no explanation for her appearance except that she was
inquisitive。
DR PINAULT。 She seemed to be disturbed at not finding the
emissions by the bed of the dead girl； and it was no doubt to find them that
she came to the room。
HELENE。 I had been given a funnel to wash。 I was bringing it
back。
M。 BIDARD。 Helene； with her usual cleverness； is making the most
of a fact。 She had already appeared when she was given the funnel。
Her presence disturbed me。 And to get rid of her I said； ‘‘Here； Helene；
take this away and wash it。''
The accused persisted in denying M。 Bidard's version of the incident。
％ V
M。 Malagutti； professor of chemistry to the faculty of sciences in
Rennes； who； with M。 Sarzeau； had been asked to make a chemical
analysis of the reserved portions of the bodies of Rosalie； Perrotte Mace；
and Rose Tessier； gave the results of his and his colleague s investigations。
In the case of Rosalie they had also examined the vomitings。 The final
test on the portions of Rosalie's body carried out with hydrochloronitric
acidas best for the small quantities likely to result in poisoning by small
dosesgave a residue which was submitted to the Marsh test。 The tube
showed a definite arsenic ring。 Tests on the vomit gave the same result。
The poisoning of Perrotte Mace had also been accomplished by small
doses。 Arsenic was found after the strictest tests； which obviated all
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possibility that the substance could have come from the ground in which
the body was interred。
In the case of Rose Tessier the tests yielded a huge amount of arsenic。
Rose had died after an illness of only four days。 The large amount of
arsenic indicated a brutal and violent poisoning； in which the substance
could not be excreted in the usual way。
The President then addressed the accused on this evidence。 She
alone had watched near all three of the victims； and against all three she
had motives of hate。 Poisoning was established beyond all doubt。 Who
was the poisoner if not she； Helene Jegado？
Helene： ‘‘Frankly；