Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1909 — SENSATION IN STEINHEIL CASE [ARTICLE]

SENSATION IN STEINHEIL CASE

Man Confesses Crime of Whlcb Woman Is Accused, WAS DISGUISED AS A FEMALE With Accomplice* He Slew Adolphe Steinheil and Mme. Japy, He Tell* the Court, and Both Make Their Escape—Filled With Remorse He Decide* to Confess the Crimes—Not Recognized by the Prisoner, Whose Examination I* Concluded. Paris, Nov. 5. —A new sensation was added to the trial of Mme. Adolphe Steinheil when M. Attain, the prisoner’s attorney, suddenly interrupted the proceedings to present a letter just received by him and signed “Jean Le Fevre” in which the writer stated that he wished to confess participation in the murders of which Mme. Steinheil is accused. The writer, the attorney said, ha* stated that he had been overcome by remorse. Immediately after reading the letter the attorney suddenly and draniatically introduced the writer, who in the meantime had made his way through the crowd in the courtr room to a place beside M. Aubin. Tells of Committing Murder*. The newcomer proved to be a man of about twenty-one years. Amid the greatest excitement he demanded a hearing. Refusing to reply to the preliminary Inquiries as to his profession and domicile the young man shouted that he had been an accomplice in the assassination of Adolphe Steinheil and Mme. Japy. As the audience hushed into silence In their eagerness to hear what he had to say Jean Le Fevres continued: “I was an accomplice in the assassinations at the home of Mme. Steinheil. Filled with remorse, I wish now to confess my part in the crimes. I was disguised as a woman and wore a wig of red hair. My accomplices wore long cloaks. We committed the murders and then escaped to the forest at Mount Morency, where we burned our disguises.”

Fails to Recognize the Man. Mme. Steinheil confronted Le Fevre, but said that she was unable to recognize him as one of the murderers whom she had described. Judge de Valles ordered that Le Fevre be placed under arrest and an investigation of his statement be made. At the same time the court warned the Jury that this dramatic episode might prove to have been another attempt to bafflj justice. The name of the late President Faure was introduced by the judge in referring to two cards, one for an exhibition of M. Steinheil's pictures and the other the visiting card of Mme. Maseline, who, the judge said, “painted a portrait of M. Faure and in whose house you first met the president.” To this Mme. Steinheil replied: “Oh, I met the president in the Alps.”