Landru's Secret
Page 30
Again and again, other women bore witness to the sorrow and the pity of losing their loved ones, while Landru tried to glare them into submission: Mme Colin, Andrée Babelay’s mother, crying for her poor, foolish teenage daughter; Louise Fauchet, Annette Pascal’s elder sister and surrogate “maman”, frozen in fear as she gazed at the court; Yvonne Le Gallo, Marie-Thérèse Marchadier’s loyal prostitute friend, holding her dignity amid the laughter about her profession.
My breaking point came when Juliette Auger testified about the terrible scene she had witnessed in the little apartment at 45 Avenue des Ternes.
Of all the missing fiancées, the “disparue” I admired the most was Berthe Héon, the 55-year-old widow from Le Havre who had lost all three of her children and her long-term lover in the years before she met Landru. Despite this “cascade of sorrows”, culminating in her favourite daughter Marcelle’s death, Berthe had been determined to pick herself up and start her life again. This was why she had answered the cunning advert from a lonesome monsieur seeking a wife to live with him in a “pretty colony”.
I see Berthe now, dazed with grief, asking Marcelle’s best friend Juliette to take care of Marcelle’s grave. I see Landru, alias “Georges Petit”, an entrepreneur from Tunisia, sneering at Berthe that she could not “live with the dead”. And I see Berthe start to cry.
At that instant, I wanted Landru to go to the guillotine and the feeling never entirely left me.
***
This is not a story with a neat ending. It finishes, if at all, in more ambiguity and confusion.
In the spring of 1958, a builder in Vernouillet accidentally unearthed the partial, headless skeletons of an adult woman and a boy on land that had once formed the end of the rear garden of The Lodge. It appeared that Jeanne and André Cuchet’s remains had at last been found but the medical examiner was less sure. He concluded that the woman had been about 30 at the time of her death, nine years younger than Jeanne, while the boy had not reached puberty and was probably about ten or 11. The skeletons were never formally identified.
I think the builder did stumble across Jeanne and André’s remains in an area of the garden that Bonin had overlooked during his superficial search on 15 April 1919. The coincidence of the skeletons appears too striking to admit any other explanation, especially as the medical examiner’s margin for error was so narrow. Jeanne had not been so much older than the presumed age of the female skeleton, while André had been a slim, weedy youth.
I also think that the burial plot was dug one winter’s day in early 1915 by Landru and his unknowing son Charles, summoned to Vernouillet to assist his father with unspecified “gardening work”. But it is all conjecture, underlining Bonin’s mistake in treating The Lodge as a less important crime scene than the Villa Tric.
***
A few years before the discovery at Vernouillet, the bone debris found at the Villa Tric was removed from the Paris police laboratory and buried in the city’s Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden on the left bank of the Seine, opposite the Gare d’Austerlitz. The transfer prompted a strong protest from forensic pathologists who argued presciently that advances in science might eventually allow some of the fragments to be matched with the missing women.
I went one spring morning to the Jardin des Plantes, hoping to bring some finality to the story of the disparues; not a conclusion, but at least the end of a trail. Following the transfer, a story arose that the fragments had been scattered beneath the shade of a weeping willow, a fittingly poetic resting place. For an hour I wandered around the garden, searching in vain for this tree, until I gave up and asked a park official to check the botanical records. There has never been a weeping willow in the Jardin des Plantes. The tale appears to have been a ploy by the park authorities to prevent macabre souvenir hunters from digging up the bones.
I do not mind this last deception. On a sunny day, in the heart of Paris, the Jardin des Plantes makes a peaceful refuge from the teeming, dangerous city. It is a good place to remember all Landru’s victims, known and unknown.
Notes
Prologue: Alas I Have Little Hope
p.xi “with blue eyes and chestnut hair, medium height”: Marie Lacoste letter to the mayor of Gambais, 12 Jan 1919, Paris Police Archives, reproduced in Landru: 6h 10 Temps Clair, Les Pièces du Dossier (Paris, 2013).
Chapter 1: The Locked Chest
p.3 “a commercial traveller and a wine trader”: La Presse, 24 Aug 1919.
p.3 “in order to tide her over”: ‘Renseignements fournit par l’Enregistrement au sujet de la succession de M. Cuchet’, 12 July 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 32. ‘Rapport de l’Inspecteur de Police Peretti’, 2 July 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet; ‘Déclaration de Mme Bazire’, 28 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2613, Dossier Cuchet.
p.3 “for whom she worked from home”: Jeanne Cuchet to Pierre Capdevieille, undated letter, 1912, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.4 “despite taking Cuchet’s surname”: ‘Déposition d’Albert Folvary’, 26 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2605, Dossier Cuchet.
p.4 “her plans to find a husband”: ‘Déposition d’Albert Folvary’, 26 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2605, Dossier Cuchet.
p.4 “looking up for André that autumn”: In his will, Martin Cuchet recognised André as his son. However, Cuchet was probably living in his home town of Limoges at the time of André’s birth in 1897 and did not marry Jeanne until 1904.
p.4 “a gang of older lads”:‘Audition de Pierre Capdevieille’ in ‘Rapport sur André Cuchet’, 2 July 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.4 “his new friend’s condescension”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, 1919 (undated), Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.5 “ask any more questions”: Jeanne continued to work for Folvary until 18 April 1914, making clothes he had already commissioned from her. Le Petit Parisien, 10 Nov 1921.
p.5 “bookstore employee called Georges Friedman”: The name “Friedman” was sometimes misspelt “Friedmann” in the police and judicial records of the case. At Landru’s trial, some newspapers incorrectly gave Friedman’s first name as “Albert” rather than “Georges”, because of a clerical error on the original witness list.
p.5 “suspicious of Jeanne’s fiancé”: ‘Disparition de Mme Cuchet et de son fils’, Georges Friedman interview, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.5 “anywhere near the colony”: ‘Disparition de Mme Cuchet et de son fils’, Georges Friedman interview, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.6 “who invited him to eat”: Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659.
p.7 “‘strong aversion’ to Jeanne’s disagreeable fiancé”:‘Audition de Mme Friedman’, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.7 “crossing points to England”: Police report on movements of Landru family, 1914–15, 3 June 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 1373W2/788.
p.7 “from his bank account”: ‘Affaire Cuchet, Rapport de l’Inspecteur de la Police Brandenburger’, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.7 “night in the farmhouse”: Police report on movements of Landru family, 1914–15, 3 June 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 1373W2/788.
p.7 “directly to Paris by train”: ‘Affaire Cuchet’ Rapport de l’Inspecteur de la Police Brandenburger’, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.8 “farmer and his wife agreed”: Police report on movements of Landru family, 1914–15, 3 June 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 1373W2/788.
p.8 “returned to her old apartment”: Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659.
p.8 “they were safe”: Police report on movements of Landru family, 1914–15,
3 June 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 1373W2/788.
p.9 “real surname was Cuchet, not Diard”: Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659.
p.9 “relations with Landru, alias Diard”: ‘Disparition de Mme Cuchet et de son fils’, Georges Friedman interview, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.9 “never set foot in her apartment again”: ‘Déposition de Mme Pelletier’, 25 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/2608, Dossier Cuchet.
p.9 “island of New Caledonia”: ‘Disparition de Mme Cuchet et de son fils’, Georges Friedman interview, 16 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.10 “a letter to Mme Hardy”: Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659.
Chapter 2: The Lodge at Vernouillet
p.11 “passed by the apartment”: ‘Audition de Mlle Marcelle Chaize’ (Soeur Valentine), 20 July 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769, Dossier Cuchet.
p.12 “created ‘havoc’ by dossing down in the villa”: ‘Déposition de Mme Pelletier’, 18 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.12 “got the boy off his hands”: Statement of Mme Jeanne Hardy, Gouvieux, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2659.
p.12 “‘great sorrow’ through her own tears”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, 1919 (undated), Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.12 “news about you as soon as possible”: André Cuchet letter to Max Morin, 10 Sept 1914, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2758. Max’s letters to André were never found by the police.
p.13 “lamented to Max in early September”: André Cuchet letter to Max Morin, 10 Sept 1914.
p.13 “enlist as an underage volunteer”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, 1919 (undated), Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.13 “did not speak to me about him any more”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, 1919 (undated), Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.13 the same unfounded news”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, 1919 (undated), Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.13 “how to fire it if necessary”: André Cuchet letter to Max Morin, 4 Oct 1914, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2757.
p.14 “Maman does not want me to sign up”: André Cuchet letter to Max Morin, 25 Oct 1914, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2755.
p.14 “to give her final approval”: ‘Audition de Mme Oudry’, 15 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.15 “the short-term quarterly lease”: ‘Audition de Mme Oudry’, 15 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.15 “get my breath back”: André Cuchet letter to Max Morin, 22 Dec 1914, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2753.
p.16 “everything was rushed through”: Jeanne Cuchet letter to Mme Morin, 4 Jan 1915, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2760.
p.16 “such a visit was currently impractical”: ‘Réquisitoire Définitif’, p.50, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U772.
p.16 “wearing mechanic’s overalls”: ‘Déposition de Mme Vallet, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2676; ‘Déposition d’Auguste Vallet’, 1 Aug 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2670.
p.16 “a secret German agent”: ‘Déposition de Mme Picque’, 15 April 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.17 “the ‘class’ of 1917”: Le Journal, 10 Jan 1915.
p.17 “I cannot avoid this destiny”: André Cuchet to Max Morin, 20 Jan 1915, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/2745.
p.17 “to convey his congratulations”: André Cuchet to Louis Germain, 27 Jan 1915, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/2744.
Chapter 3: The “Carnet Noir”
p.19 “a piece of his mind”: ‘Déposition de Mme Morin’, no date 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Cuchet.
p.19 “âge situation rapport”: The first-known lonely hearts advert by Landru appeared in L’Echo de Paris on 15 March. Landru may have decided to place a second advert in Le Journal because it had a bigger circulation, with around 1 million readers throughout France.
p.20 “Accept my respectful sentiments, Buisson”: Le Matin, 22 May 1933, serialisation of Louis Riboulet, Sam Cohen, La Véritable Affaire Landru (Paris, 1933).
p.20 “early months of the war”: Le Gaulois, 17 Nov 1921.
p.21 “a wife who loves her husband must do”: Riboulet, Le Matin, 22 May 1933.
p.21 “really counts for something”: ‘Déposition de Gaston Lavie’, 29 Dec 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3262, Dossier Buisson.
p.21 “he eventually scribbled”: Riboulet, Le Matin, 22 May 1933.
p.21 “amounts to 8,000 francs”: Riboulet, Le Matin, 17 May 1933.
p.22 “drink himself to an early death”: ‘Etat Civil de Mme Collomb’, 7 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Collomb.
p.22 “often staying the night”: L’Humanité, 15 Nov 1921.
p.22 “imprisonment as an enemy alien”: Report on Thérèse Rundinger, alias Mlle Lydie, 19 Nov 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U771/3972.
p.22 “another unknown address (8.00 pm)”: ‘Réquisitoire Définitif’, p.298, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U772; Riboulet, Le Matin, 29 May 1933.
p.23 “‘intolerable sinuses’”: Riboulet, Le Matin, 29 May 1933.
p.23 “decided to follow him”: ‘Audition de Monsieur Laborde-Line’, 19 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Laborde-Line.
p.23 “who soon loathed her”: ‘Audition de Monsieur Laborde-Line’, 19 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Laborde-Line.
p.24 “neglected nothing to find a position”: Thérèse Laborde-Line letter to Vincent Laborde-Line, 27 July 1914, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U 769/2869, Dossier Laborde-Line.
p.24 “came to Landru’s attention”: Thérèse used the name “Mme Raoul” in her small advert enquiring about work as a lady’s companion and may have used it again if she replied to Landru’s lonely hearts advert in Le Journal, 1 May 1915. Landru subsequently adopted “Raoul” as one of his aliases.
p.24 “now engaged to be married”: ‘Audition de Mme Tréborel’, 20 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Dossier Laborde-Line.
p.24 “the friend later explained”: ‘Déposition de Monsieur Jean Rigaud’, no date 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Guillin.
p.25 “memory was sacred to him”: ‘Déposition de Monsieur Jean Rigaud’, no date 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Guillin.
p.26 “imminent departure for Australia”: ‘Interrogatoire Définitif ’, 7 Aug 1920, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28.
p.26 “‘enjoying herself in the country’”: ‘Interrogatoire Définitif ’, 7 Aug 1920, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Guillin.
p.26 “forcing her out of his apartment”: ‘Audition de Monsieur Laborde-Line’, 19 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Laborde-Line.
p.26 “somewhere between France and Australia”: ‘Interrogatoire Définitif’, 7 Aug 1920, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Guillin.
Chapter 4: The Villa Tric
p.27 “bartender and cleaning woman”: ‘Déposition de Mme Audouard’, Le Havre, 1 May 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3019, Dossier Héon.
p.27 “have a good gossip”: Mme Dalouin letter to Bonin, 17 May 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3058, Dossier Héon.
p.27 “intermediary not involved”: Le Journal, 12 June 1915.
p.28 “apartment one late June or July day”: In his carnet Landru first recorded a meeting with Berthe at Rue de Rennes on 28 August 1915. However, she made at least one visit to The Lodge at Vernouillet, which he quit at the start of August. He therefore must have met her for the first time between 12 June, the date of his lonely hearts advert in Le Journal, and the end of July.
&
nbsp; p.28 “explained to Mme Dalouin”: Mme Dalouin letter to Bonin, 17 May 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3058, Dossier Héon.
p.28 “take a chance with him”: Mme Dalouin letter to Bonin, 17 May 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U769/3058, Dossier Héon.
p.28 “about Berthe’s ‘morality’”: Le Gaulois, 24 Oct 1919.
p.29 “she sailed for Tunis”: Testimony of Mme Millot, Journal des Débats, 14 Nov 1921.
p.29 “a new pair of shoes”: Riboulet, Le Matin, 16 May 1933.
p.29 “promised they could wed”: Statement by Marie Lacoste, 16 Dec 1919, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Buisson.
p.29 “bearded, bowler-hatted monsieur”: Testimony of Léocadie Leffray, L’Echo de Paris, 15 Nov 1921.
p.30 “funds had been cleared”: Le Journal, 12 Nov 1921.
p.30 “know all about it by 10.00”: Le Petit Parisien, 10 Oct 1915.
p.31 “the cobbler unlocked the gates”: Interview with Pierre Vallet in report by Jules Hebbé, gendarme at Houdan, 16 March 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U770/3291.
p.31 “toilet, but no bath”: Plan of the Villa Tric, May 1919, Yvelines Archives, Carton 2U770/3687.
p.31 “lived south of Paris”: ‘Audition de Monsieur Tric’, 17 May 1920, Paris Police Archives.
p.32 “noted in his carnet”: It was impossible to date Berthe’s visit to the Villa Tric more precisely because Landru grouped all his notes for December 1915 on the same page in his carnet.
p.32 “returned to Paris in the meantime”: Le Gaulois, 24 April 1919. In his memoir of the case, Brigadier Riboulet incorrectly stated that Landru bought the stove in Gambais in mid-December, on the same day that he leased the villa from Monsieur Tric in Melun, 90 kilometres away. See Le Matin, 16 May 1933.
p.32 “happily settled in Tunis”: L’Homme Libre, 19 Nov 1921.
p.32 “Berthe’s late daughter”: ‘Déposition de Mme Oger [sic]’, 20 Nov 1921, Paris Police Archives, Carton JA 28, Dossier Héon.
Chapter 5: Madame Sombrero
p.33 “parked outside the front gates”: Jean Monteilhet, witness statement, 6 May 1919, Paris Police Archives, reproduced in Landru: 6h 10 Temps Clair, Les Pièces du Dossier (Paris, 2013).