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Helene； was in the throes of the usual violent sickness； and died the day
after Helene's departure。
Failing to secure another place in Auray； Helene went to Pontivy； and
got a position as cook in the household of the Sieur Jouanno。 She had
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been there some few months when the son of the house； a boy of fourteen；
died after a sickness of five days that was marked by vomiting and
convulsions。 In this case an autopsy was immediately held。 It revealed
an inflamed condition of the stomach and some corrosion of the intestines。
But the boy had been known to be a vinegar…drinker； and the pathological
conditions discovered by the doctor were attributed by him to the habit。
Helene's next place was with a M。 Kerallic in Hennebont。 M。
Kerallic was recovering from a fever。 After drinking a tisane prepared by
Helene he had a relapse； followed by repeated and fierce vomiting that
destroyed him in five days。 This was in 1836。 After that the trail of
death which had followed Helene's itineracy about the lower section of the
Brittany peninsula was broken for three years。
In 1839 we hear of her again； in the house of the Dame Veron； where
another death occurred； again with violent sickness。
Two years elapse。 In 1841 Helene was in Lorient； domestic servant
to a middle…aged couple named Dupuyde…Lome； with whom lived their
daughter and her husband； a M。 Breger。 First the little daughter of the
young couple died； then all the members of the family were seized by
illness； its onset being on the day following the death of the child。 No
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 t