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vesselbut that； on the other hand； they had come upon a sufficiency of
arsenic in the intestines to have caused death。
On the 2nd of August the same two professors； aided by a third； M。
Barruel； carried out a further examination of the body。 Their testimony is
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highly technical。 It is also rather revolting。 I am conscious that； dealing；
as I have had to； with so much arsenical poisoning （the favourite weapon
of the woman murderer）； a gastric odour has been unavoidable in many of
my pagesperhaps too many。 For that reason I shall refrain from quoting
either in the original French or in translation more than a small part of the
professors' report。 I shall； however； make a lay shot on the evidence it
supplies。 Boursier's interior generally was in foul condition； which is not
to be explained by any ingestion of arsenic； but which suggests chronic
and morbid pituitousness。 The marvel is that the man's digestion
functioned at all。 This insanitary condition； however； was taken by the
professors； as it were； in their stride。 They concentrated on some slight
traces of intestinal inflammation。
‘‘ One observed；'' their report went on；
about the end of the ileum some grains of a whitish appearance and
rather stubbornly attached。 These grains； being removed； showed all the
characteristics of white arsenic oxide。 Put upon glowing charcoal they
volatilized； giving off white smoke and a garlic odour。 Treated with
water； they dissolved； and the solution； when brought into contact with
liquid hydrosulphuric acid； precipitated yellow sulphur of arsenic；
particularly when one heated it and added a few drops of hydrochloric
acid。
These facts （including； I suppose； the conditions I have hinted at）
allowed them to conclude （a） that the stomach showed traces of
inflammation； and （b） that the intestinal canal yielded a quantity of arsenic
oxide sufficient to have produced that inflammation and to have caused
death。
The question now was forward as to where the arsenic found in the
body had come from。 Inquiry established the fact that on the 15th of
May； 1823that is to say； several weeks before his deathBoursier had
bought half a pound of arsenic for the purpose of destroying the rats in his
shop cellars。 In addition； he had bought prepared rat…poison。 Only a
part of those substances had been used。 The remaining portions could
not be found about the shop； nor could Mme Boursier make any
suggestions for helping the search。 She declared she had never seen any
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arsenic about the house at all。
There was； however； sufficient gravity in the evidences on hand to
justify a definite indictment of Mme Boursier and Nicolas Kostolo； the
first of having poisoned her husband； and the second of being accessory to
the deed。
The pair were brought to trial on the 27th of November； 1823； before
the Seine Assize Court； M。 Hardouin presiding。 The prosecution was
conducted by the AvocatGeneral； M。 de Broe。 Maitre Couture defended
Mme Boursier。 Maitre Theo。 Perrin appeared for Kostolo。
The case created great excitement； not only in Paris； but throughout
the country。 Another poisoning case had not long before this occupied
the minds of the public very greatlythat of the hypocritical Castaing for
the murder of Auguste Ballet。 Indeed； there had been a lot of poisoning
going on in French society about this period。 Political and religious
controversy； moreover； was rife。 The populace were in a mood either to
praise extravagantly or just as extravagantly to condemn。 It happened
that rumour convinced them of the guilt of the Veuve Boursier and
Kostolo； and the couple were condemned in advance。 Such was the
popular spite against Mme Boursier and Kostolo that； it is said； Maitre
Couture at first refused the brief for the widow's defence。 He had already
made a success of his defence of a Mme Lavaillaut； accused of poisoning；
and was much in demand in cases where women sought judicial separation
from their husbands。 People were calling him ‘‘Providence for women。''
He did not want to be nicknamed ‘‘Providence for poisoners。'' But Mme
Boursier's case being more clearly presented to him he took up the brief。
The accused were brought into court。
Kostolo was about thirty years of age。 He was tall； distinctly good…
looking in an exotic sort of way； with his dark hair； complexion； and
flashing eyes。 He carried himself grandly； and was elegandy clad in a
frac noir。 Not quite； as Army men were supposed once to say； ‘‘the clean
potato； it was easy enough to see that women of a kind would be his ready
victims。 It was plain； in the court； that Master Nicolas thought himself
the hero of the occasion。
There was none of this flamboyance about the Widow Boursier。 She
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was dressed in complete mourning； and covered her face with a
handkerchief。 It was manifest that； in the phrase of the crime reporters；
‘‘she felt her position keenly。'' The usual questions as to her name and
condition she answered almost inaudibly； her voice choked with sobs。
Kostolo； on the contrary； replied in organ tones。 He said that he was
born in Constantinople； and that he had no estate。
The acte d'accusation was read。 It set forth the facts of the adulterous
association of the two accused； of the money lent by Mme Boursier to
Kostolo； of their meetings； and all the suspicious circumstances previous
to the death of the epicier。
The cook…girl； Josephine Blin； had prepared the potage au riz in the
kitchen； using the small iron pan that it was her wont to employ。 Having
made the soup； she conveyed it in its terrine to a small secretaire in the
dining…room。 This secretaire stood within the stretch of an arm from the
door of the comptoir in which Mme Boursier usually worked。 According
to custom； Josephine had divided the potage in two portionsone for
Boursier and the other for the youngest child。 The youngster and she had
eaten the second portion between them； and neither had experienced any
ill…effects。
Josephine told her master that the soup was ready。 He came at her
call； but did not eat the soup at once； being otherwise occupied。 The
soup stood on the secretaire for about fifteen minutes before Boursier
started to eat it。
According to the accused； the accusation went on； after Boursier's
death the two doctors asked