The Daily Hesperian
(Gainesville, Texas)
Friday, July 22, 1892
pg. 3

"It's You, I'll Kill You."
She Begged Piteously for Her Life on Bended Knees
Sherman, Tex., July 20 - Albin Regnier this afternoon shot and almost instantly killed his pretty granddaughter, Josephine Gremeau, at his home, No. 758 S. Montgomery street.
There is a pathetic story leading up to this terrible domestic tragedy.  A few days since, Ben Simpson, a stepson of Regnier, imparted to him a secret concerning the girl.  This the girl had herself told to Simpson some months since, but at her urgent request he has kept her secret because she said if her grandfather found it out, he would kill her as he had threatened to do if she ever went astray.  Simpson said he had pleaded with her to break off her acquaintance with the young man who had caused her ruin or force him to give her his name.
To the latter step she objected, but after a while she consented, saying that she would do so only to save her life, as she knew she would be killed if the matter ever reached her grandfather's ears.
Simpson himself carried a letter to the young man, which subsequently proved to be an appear from her for the protection of a name, though Simpson at the time did not know what it was.  Matters grew more and more complicated and more and more was leaking out about the misfortune of the poor girl and Simpson, finding that he himself was having the finger of suspicion pointed at him, decided to tell the whole matter to Regnier just as it was.
This afternoon Regnier and his wife, who were at home alone, began to discuss the matter and a hot and stormy interview followed.  Miss Lillian Morton, who was standing just across the street, says Mrs. Regnier told her husband something and he replied:  "Why didn't you tell me that before?"
Mrs. Regnier gave a woman's reason, "because," and Regnier replied:
"It's a lie," and his wife rejoined: "Well, I'll prove it."
She then went to her daughter's, Mrs. E.W. Haskell, who lives at No. 840  on the same street about a block away.  Mrs. Haskell says that her mother told her that Regnier was laying the whole blame upon her (Mrs. Regnier) and her children, Mrs. Haskell and Ben Simpson, saying they were the cause of her grandfather's trouble and disgrace.  This Mrs. Regnier had strenuously denied and then went over to the house to sustain their mother in what she had said.  When they got there Regnier was gone and Mrs. Haskell remained at the house with her mother.  They sat talking of the matter for probably half an hour, when Miss Josephine Gremeau and Miss Frances Gremeau came back from up town. They said they had met Mr. Regnier up town at the court plaza and that he said something to them as they passed him, but that they could not understand what it was.  Hardly had they time to take off their hats when Regnier came up to the door leading to the dining hall and, addressing his granddaughter, said:  "It's you; I'll kill you."
The poor girl in a  tone of pleading supplication , as her grandfather drew a pistol from where it had been concealed in his pants band, cried out: "Oh, grandpa, don't, please don't."
Mrs. Regnier rushed forward and piteously begged her husband to kill her, but not to kill the poor child.  Rudely was she shoved aside and deliberately leveled the pistol at the girl who had refused to run out of the house as told to.  She was kneeling before her grandfather praying in agonizing tones for her life.  Regnier fired 3 times and as his daughter, Francis, fled down the street he called to her to stop, that he intended to kill her.  After the shooting Regnier deliberately walked up to the city and surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Gene Andrews, to whom he very coolly said:
"My granddaughter has disgraced the family and I have killed her, or at least I have tried to."
In fact, so calmly was this said that the office, while he took him in charge, half doubted what he said. He had no pistol at this time. While several  have been found  from whom Regnier tried to borrow a pistol, where he got it is yet unknown.  At the jail he refused to talk to the reporter and simply  said: "I have nothing to say.  What I told the officers they can tell you."
James Clark, who lives near, was one of the first to reach the house,   and when he got to the prostrate girl she was gasping out her last breath.  She recognized him and faintly said: "I have been shot.  Oh, what shall I do?"
She did not live exceeding 2 minutes from the time of the shooting. Mrs.  Regnier is crazed, wringing her hands and crying piteously.   She has not been able to make a statement of the affair at all.



Denton County News
Wednesday, July 27, 1893
pg. 1

KILLED HIS GRAND DAUGHTER
Because She had Disgraced Herself
Sherman, Tex., July 20 - Albert Regnier, a man of French extraction, about 6 o'clock this evening killed his grand-daughter, Josephine Greamean, [sic] aged 17 years. Regnier was heard to abuse the girl on the streets this afternoon and after he was arrested told the officers that the girl had disgraced the family and he would rather be in prison than be disgraced.
He got a pistol at Lindsey's second hand store this afternoon, as he claimed, to kill a dog.  He went home and commenced his bloody work on the poor girl, who is believed to always have been pure and virtuous.  The first shot missed her and she fell on her knees begging for mercy, but another ball pierced her heart and still another entered her breast.    There is much excitement in the city, come believing he must be insane.  Others who know the man say he is perfectly sane, but mean.
LATER - - -  An examination was held over the remains of Josephine Greman [sic], who was so cruelly murdered last evening by her grandfather, Albert Regnier, and the alleged disgrace upon the family had no foundation.  The deceased has been exonerated.  Either the grand-parent was misled in his belief concerning her or there must have been some other motive leading up to the affair.



The Galveston Daily News
Friday, July 22, 1892
pg. 5

THE SHERMAN TRAGEDY
The Fair Victim Buried - The Coroner's Inquest
 
Sherman, Tex., July 21 - The body of Josephine Gremeau, the girl murdered by her grandfather, Albin Regnier, was laid away at the west side cemetery this afternoon, and there was scarcely a dry eye in all the concourse when Rev. Mountcastle, the Methodist clergyman who officiated at the burial, consigned her body back to the dust of earth.
The inquest has been finished, as far as the evidence is concerned.  At the request of Coroner Huikle of the First precinct a postmortem examination was made upon the body.  This was to demonstrate to a certainty whether or not there was truth in the broadcast rumor that the unfortunate young lady was in a delicate condition.  The examination set at naught all such reports. Dr. Lankford in his  deposition said: "I found nothing to indicate that the deceased was other than a pure and virtuous girl."
Regnier still maintains his silence. He had a conversation with his son Joe, a lad of 18, to-day.   To all others he has the same reply: "I don't  care to talk of the matter." Last night, however, he said to Deputy Sheriff Gene Andrews: "I made her kneel at my feet and told her for that I intended to kill her, and she asked me to shoot."  This is quite at variance with the statement of Mrs. Haskell, an eye-witness, who before the coroner to-day, said, as she said last night to the News reporter, that the girl was pleading for mercy when she was killed.



The Galveston Daily News
Sunday, July 24, 1892
pg. 7

PROUD HOUSE OF REGNIER
The Prisoner's Statement to the News Reporter
His Heart Made Glad by the Proven Innocence of His Daughter - How He Received the News

Sherman, Tex., July 22 - Ben Simpson, whose name appeared quite often in connection with the Regnier-Gremeau  homicide, was under detention for a short while.  Constable Whitesides, who had him in charge, stated to The News reporter that Assistant State's Attorney Jamison did not believe he could in any way be implicated, and hence he released him.
To The News reporter and Chief of Police Melton, Ben Simpson said:
"I don't know that any one ever suspected that I was any ways connected with the girl's errors, if she had been guilty of any and upon this I alone have her word, but there was no doubt that Regnier thought I and my mother and sisters were rather against the girl and trying to condemn her."
"Is there any truth in the report that Miss Josephine repulsed an offer of marriage from you?"
"None in the least and a package of letters received by me from her and which I afterward returned to her, if they could be found, would completely knock that story out."
In a more extended interview the young man went into details of his version of the dead girl's history, always giving her statements to him direct for authority.  Among other things he said:
"I did not tell Mr. Regnier that Miss Josie was in a delicate condition, and she never told me that she was.  It was of the error that she had  told me of 2 or 3 months before that I told him at her request.  Rumor alone seems to have made the holding of a postmortem examination seem necessary.
"You made one error or perhaps oversight in quoting my statement.  I did not go to Mr. Regnier [sic] with a statement of Josephine's faults of my own account solely, but on the preceding evening she had requested me to do so.  When I did tell him he did not seem to manifest any great anger, but simply said: "'You did right, for I am the proper person to be told of it."
There was also a slight error in the account yesterday, which said Mr. Regnier and Mrs. Simpson were married in Van Alstyne.  Mrs. Simpson had been living in Sherman oft and on for some time when she met Mr. Regnier.  They were united in marriage at the residence of John Stanley in east Sherman on N. Newton, between Pacific and the Texas and Pacific railway.  Both of them had, however, been residents of Van Alstyne and vicinity."
When Constables Blair and Whiteside went to the jail yesterday evening they told Regnier the result of the postmortem examination and that the physicians had pronounced the rumors as  false.  The old man appeared stunned for a moment and then exclaimed:
"Oh, my God, and ------- lied to me."
To-day a News representative with Drs. Michael and Saddler visited the prisoner.   When called, Regnier greeted each of his 3 visitors by name.  Dr. Saddler inquired how he felt, to which he replied: "I feel as well as a man could under the circumstances, but I feel so much more relieved than I did yesterday before Mr. Blair came up and told me that my poor child was innocent of the guilt they charged her with.
"Was it upon the statement of ------- that you shot your granddaughter?" inquired the reporter.
"Yes, upon ------'s statement, backed up and substantiated by ------ and ----."
"What did ------ tell you of the case?"
"He said that Josephine had gone wrong months before and had succeeded in destroying the evidence of her shame, but that misfortune had again overtaken her.  He said he did not desire that any blame might rest on him and that he had told the straight of it.  I gathered from what he said that some of this information had come through ------.   I was frenzied and my brain was burning up with shame.  I gave the reports the lie, but they backed themselves up with corroborating statements and with letters giving me the name of the young man who was charged with the ruin of my poor girl.
"I came up town and got the pistol.  No, I won't tell you who gave it to me.  It was a Colt's 5-shooter 45 caliber.  When I got back I said to Josephine:
"'If you are guilty, I am going to kill you,' and as she sat in front of me and said: 'Papa, I believe I am," I fired.  Only one shot was intentional, the other 2 were accidental and involuntary.  They say that I called out to my little girl Frances that I wanted to kill her.  I called to her that she ought to come and look after Josephine and she ran of crying: 'Papa, I can't do it.'" 
"If Josephine had tried to run I would not have followed her, but when she stood firm and never denied her guilt I killed her.  Of course, I killed her. I would have slain 50 of my children rather than that one of my name should live to walk about to be the subject of remark and reproach.  They say that they pleaded with me for her life. They stood there prepared to condemn her as they had already done and point the finger of shame at her.  I might have killed more of them, but there are some people too miserable to died for honor's sake; better that they should die with the curse of guilt upon their consciences dragging them down slowly, pitilessly.
"The doctors have made my heart glad because they have assured me that my poor dead child had not dishonored the name that has been a proud one always.
Here Regnier, overcome by his feelings, stopped a moment and wiped the tears from his eyes.   He resumed:
"The family of Regnier has always for 20 generations and more been one which carried with it respect and was a guarantee of honor and chastity.  King Humbert of Italy has for his second name Regnier and directly can his right to bear it be traced back to my own family.  More than 100 years ago a daughter of the house of Regnier fell and her father, a colonel in the army of Napoleon, traveled for hundreds of miles to kill her.  His purpose was discovered and she was hidden away from him, but he found her and she died by his hand.
"She was the first one of all our women to fall, and when they told me that my child had gone astray I determined if it were true to place her beyond the reach of those who would scorn her and point to her with the finger of shame.
"I have given instructions that my wife be given what is her property and the doors of the house be nailed up. I want Frances to go live with her aunt, Mrs. Stanley, in east Sherman.   I am glad you tell me she is at Mr. Clark's house.  He is a gentleman and has a kind, fatherly heart.  Josie!
My God, to think that she did not deny it.   She must certainly have not understood fully the grave nature of the charges they had against her.
To the reporter, as the visitors were leaving, he said:
"Tell the people in your paper for God's sake, for the sake of honor, to suspend judgment until the story is told."
The preliminary trial had been set for 10 a.m., but it was postponed until 2 p.m. when it was called in the district court room, the regular justice court room being to [sic] small to accommodate the great crowd of spectators, who began to flock in as soon as the officers were seen coming across the court plaza with their prisoner.  The prisoner, after glancing around the court room once, never removed his eyes from a legal paper he held in his hands until his daughter came in and throwing her arms about his neck began to weep.  The prisoner then gave way to his feelings and cried.
Then the legal machinery began to move, the witnesses were collectively sworn, and Miss Lillian Norton placed on the stand. Taking testimony was necessarily slow, as it had to be taken verbatim.  Her testimony was in substance what has already appeared in print  as her statement.
The testimony of James Clark and Mrs. Haskell did not materially differ in any essential point from what they have heretofore told The News reporter.
After their testimony was heard, court adjourned until 8:30 in the morning.



The Galveston Daily News
Monday, July 25, 1892
pg. 6

The Horror at Sherman
Regnier's State of Mind Before the Homicide
Testimony of Ben Simpson, the Informant, Bearing on a Quarrel with Deceased Previous to the Fatal Day

Sherman, Tex., July 23 - The case of the state of Texas vs. Albin Regnier, charged with the murder of his pretty grand-daughter Joseph Gremeau, has thrown everything into the background with the public to-day.  When  the case was called in the courtroom this morning there were several spectators  and gradually the crowd gathered in numbers.  There was much excitement if not more than yesterday.  The defendant's counsel was this morning reinforced by Capt. J.D. Woods.
At 8:30 o'clock the prisoner began to write and for over an  hour he wrote steadily.  Then he folded up the paper and gazing intently at the pile of  books on the desk before him maintained the same immovable countenance of yesterday.
Miss Frances Regnier was the first witness placed on the stand. As to the actual killing she knew very little, not being an eye witness.  She said in substance that for several days before the homicide her father had acted peculiarly. He did not talk much but would pace back and forth in the yards. She was not close enough to him at such times to tell whether or not he was talking to himself.  He would answer short, but not harshly, when spoken to and when he did talk it appeared to witness that his mind was clear off of what he was talking about.
She did not remember whether her father had spoken to her stepmother or not.  When she and Josephine got home from up town on the afternoon of the homicide the witness said there was something so strange about the house that she felt like someone was dead, and she asked them what had happened.  She could not exactly explain it, but she felt just like something was going to take place.  When she heard some one say that her father was coming, she went to the east front door.  She heard some one say something in the middle room.  She could not tell who or what it was, but the fear if impending danger still remained with her. Josephine had gone into the middle room only a few minutes before.
She did not know the details of the killing, which occurred soon after this.  She didn't know of any serious trouble that had occurred in the family since the death of her half-sister that would have caused such depression.  When her mother died, of course, her father was sad.  She didn't know that he acted differently from what any other man would have acted under the same circumstances.  The witness also detailed how her father had acted when the other little troubles had taken place.  He seemed to be sad and troubled, but he didn't act strange.  She did not remember the first time she noticed him acting strange - whether it was Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.  He had a strange look in his eyes.  Don't remember the hour of the day. Didn't notice his walking about in any particular place in the yard. The neighbors saw him walking about strangely.  During the time she never noticed him talking to Mrs. Haskell or her brother Joe.  He (Regnier) spoke to witness pleasantly the afternoon before the homicide.  Never heard him say he would kill any of the children who disgraced the family.  Had always treated witness and Josephine kindly.
Some time was consumed in reading over the deposition of the witness, which she signed after the usual few corrections.
Deputy Sheriff Gene Andrews was the next witness placed on the stand.  In substance his evidence was as The News has heretofore published.  He had known the defendant for a number of years; he had surrendered to witness and told him what he had done; that he had done it on purpose; said he had returned the pistol to the man from whom he had borrowed it. He noticed that there was something strange in his expression when he gave up.
Dick Walsh was the next witness.  He has known the defendant for some time, probably 6 months.  Witness kept guns and pistols; saw defendant the afternoon of the shooting; he was at the store; he wanted a pistol; let him have it; it was a 45-caliber; he put it in under the waistband of his pants and held it there with his hands.  He then went southward out of the store.  He said he wanted to kill some dogs.  He borrowed the pistol from witness.  He did not speak of buying a pistol.  He appeared  to be quiet and was sitting in a chair when witness came in.  Witness sat down by him and talked.  He appeared to be all right.   He was first told that the pistols were all new and not to be loaned out.  It was then that he told what he wanted with the pistol.  Witness asked him why he didn't get a shotgun and he (Regnier) said they would see the shotgun.  Witness told him he was liable to shoot at a dog and to kill somebody on the other side of town with the pistol, and he said, "No, I'll hit 'em."  Witness finally loaned an old "45" which was in the drawer; said he wanted it until morning; said dogs would come right up to the foot of his bed.   The pistol was returned; don't know by whom except by hearsay; saw it again in probably 30 minutes, examined the pistol and 3 shots had been fired.  Two cartridge had been skipped and the 4th one fired.  There might have been clerks present at witness' store when Mr. Regnier went to borrow the pistol; no one else took part in the conversation.
Here the prisoner handed his counsel the paper he had written during the morning.
The next witness placed on the stand was C.W. Moore, an employee of Mr. Walsh.   In substance his statement was that on Wednesday last he saw the defendant; had known him for 8 or 10 years; knew the vicinity of his home on S. Montgomery street.  It is about 1/2 of a mile.  He was looking at pistols at the store.  He didn't say he wanted to buy the pistol then.  Said something about it not suiting him to pay the money out just at that time.  Witness told him he could rent a pistol at George Lindsay's.  He went out and was gone some little time, when he came back and said that Mr. Lindsay was out of everything of that kind.  Regnier saw Mr. Walsh about this time and went to him.
After Mr. Walsh had finished talking to another gentleman who was in the house at the time he (Walsh) turned his attention to the defendant.   He had said something to witness about dogs bothering him. Did not notice anything unusual in his manner at the time.  Saw him not longer than 30 minutes after he left the store.  He came in at the front north door then.  Had his right hand down in the waistband of his pants.  He pulled out a revolver and handed it to witness saying, "I am through with it."  He said nothing further, but walked out and went up the street.  Witness examined the pistol.  It had evidently been recently fired 3 times.  Witness put it in the drawer and afterward told Mr. Walsh it had been returned.  Described the condition of the emptied hulls about the same as Mr. Walsh.  He seemed to be moderately cool and collected, but appeared to have just walked rapidly.  The pistol was a single action 45-caliber Colt.
At the conclusion of this testimony the state announced that it was not probable that they would desire to introduce anymore testimony and rested. Court then adjourned until 2 p.m.
Regnier was brought into the courtroom a little before 2 o'clock this afternoon.  He said to The News reporter: "Your report of my statement of the affair was verbatim and correct.   It was just as it all occurred."
At each opening and closing of a session of the court Regnier's little daughter affectionately kisses her father and the old man shows plainly the deep emotion under the influence of which he is laboring.
The first witness placed on the stand this afternoon by the defense was Ben Simpson, who said in substance: "My name is Ben Simpson.  I am a step son of the defendant.  I was living at 849 S. Montgomery street the day of the killing.  That had been my home for about 10 years.   I was living with my mother; that was her property.  I have not been living with my mother all the time.   My mother has not made it her home for about 4 or 5 years since she married.  Since then I have lived with my sister, Mrs. Haskell, and her husband, that is when I was there.  No, 849 S. Montgomery street has been occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Haskell since my mother left.  That is not far from Mr. Regnier's house.
"I have known the defendant between 4 and 5 years.   I did not know him before he married my mother.  I have not been with him much and have not had as good opportunities to get acquainted with him as others have had.  I have seen him with his family very frequently.  He always treated them all right when I was about them.  I never saw him treat any of them harshly.  He treated Josephine like he did the rest of the family.  He seemed from his actions to love her as he did his own children. I never heard him speak a harsh word to her.
"He never in any conversation with me indicated that he had peculiar ideas about female virtue.  He never said that he would rather see one of his children dead than go astray.  I talked with him about Josephine the day before the killing.  It was between 12 and 1 o'clock on Monday between his house and town.  We were coming to t own, I overtook him.  I told him I wished to tell him something concerning Josie that was secret.  "I told him that she had been gotten away with by one man in town and one man out of town and all that I knew she had told me herself.  I  didn't tell him the particulars.   I told him I thought he was the one to know it.  He replied, 'That's right; go on.'  He turned around and said, 'I'll go back home.'  He went toward his home.  I came on to town.  He didn't seem affected  in any way by what I told him.  He didn't seem shocked.  He walked a few steps after I told him before he started back.  I never looked back to see if he went home.
"I never had any other conversation with him in reference to Josephine.  I didn't tell him the names of the parties who had wronged Josephine.  I did not tell him when or how it was.  I saw him in about a half hour in town.  He was walking up the street by himself.  I did not speak to him.  I saw him next that night at home. He was sitting in front of the house.   I did not speak to him.  I was at his house that night.  I heard him talking with no one that night except my mother.  I paid no attention to the conversation.  I didn't usually pay any attention to their conversation.
"We were all together.  I was talking to the girls and my mother.  Josephine and Francis were the girls.  I talked to them both in and out of his presence that night.  I don't recollect the conversation, but it was first one thing and another.  Before night I told Josephine of what I had told her grandfather.  I don't know where Mr. Regnier was.  I did not tell Josephine that night.  If  Mr. Regnier had anything to say to the girls that night I did not hear him.  He did not join in our conversation at all.
"I never observed him closely that night.  I did not notice how the information was affecting him.  It was none of my business how it affected him.  I had only told him by her request.  She wanted me to tell it to him because I knew it and she had put confidence in me.  Josephine and I were on intimate terms.  I first saw the defendant on the day of the killing, some time in the morning about 7 o'clock.  He was at his house.  He was walking around the yard.  He was walking around and whittling, as he usually did when he was walking around.  I merely observed him as I passed by.
I don't know that it was his usual custom to walk around and whittle.
"I stayed Tuesday night at defendant's house.  That was what made me notice him the next morning.  I saw him before I had eaten breakfast.  I did not know whether they had eaten breakfast at Mr. Regnier's or not.  I went back  to Mrs. Haskell's to eat.    After eating breakfast I stayed about the place awhile and then went to town.  I did not speak to Mr. Regnier at all Wednesday morning.  He neither spoke to me nor paid any attention to me.  He did not ask me to stay and eat breakfast.   He never did ask me to stay.
"I saw him next in the afternoon at home about the middle of the afternoon.  I did not talk with him then. He, as usual, was sitting around the door step.  He was alone.  He was not whittling at that time. He was not reading.  I don't recollect that he even looked up; he had his head down.  I was going to town.  I remained up town nearly all the rest of the afternoon.   I saw him that afternoon as I was returning home.  He was at his home.  He was in the back of the lot them.  He was milking or attending to the cow.  That was about sundown.  I was going home.  My sister and her children were there when I got there.  "I know that I am not mistaken about it being about sundown, because I can tell daylight from dark.   I remained at home and ate supper after sundown.  No one came there after supper.  My sister did not leave after supper, or if she did I never knew it.  I saw my mother at her home that evening.  When I went back there after supper no one went with me.  Along in the afternoon I went up to defendant's house.  I don't remember of having seen him.  My mother and the 2 girls were there.   Mrs. Haskell was not there."
Here the witness said that he thought he had been talking about Tuesday, but the questions had been asked him by the defendant's counsel about what had occurred the day after the shooting.
"I saw the defendant at his home on the morning of the day of the shooting.  He was walking a bout in the yard whittling.   I saw him again in the afternoon at his home about 4 o'clock.  He was sitting in the yard in a chair.   I did not speak to him.  He looked up.  No one was with him.  My mother was in the house at the time.  After that I did not see the defendant any more.   When I got to my sister's she was there with her children.  I remained there until my mother came to the house.   She came about 20 minutes after I got to my sister's.  My mother remained about 2 and a half minutes.
She went home and my sister and I went back with my mother.  We were going to defendant's house.  We were going there to see defendant and correct some tales that were told about Josephine.  Defendant was not there when we got there.  No one was there.  I walked through the room and then went home.  I went back there once again before the shooting to see if the girls or the old man had come back.   I wanted to straighten to the old man the tale I had told him and which he disputed.   He was not there when I went there the last time.  The girls were not there.
"My sister went to see defendant for the same purpose; that was to prove that the tales about Josie were true.  I would have proved them by the girl herself.  I did not go back any more until after the shooting.  My business is a  street-walker.  I have no trade at all.  While I was not engaged in going back and forth to prove up the tales on Josie  I was just loafing around the streets.   I tried to borrow a gun from Mr. Lawrence and I tried to borrow a pistol from Mrs. Gill.  I had no short words with the defendant when I told him about Josie and I did not contemplate any trouble with him.
"I did say to Jim Clark before I told Mr. Regnier of Josie's trouble that the girls had had their fun and now I would have mine.   I did not say anything about bloodshed when I was talking to Jim Clark.   I never had but one conversation with Jim Clark about this matter.   On the evening of the shooting I tried to borrow Jim Clark's gun.  I asked Jim Clark that afternoon if he had a pistol.  I wanted a pistol or gun at home.  I wanted them for use.  I did not want to kill a dog.  I wanted to kill anything that needed killing.  I wanted the pistol or gun to kill a human being.  I don't know who it would  have been.  Some one had been carrying off the wood.
"Josie first told me of her troubles something over 2 months ago.  It was at her request I had kept quiet.  She asked me to tell him on Tuesday.  I asked the old man on Sunday night where he would be the next day as I had a great secret to tell him.  Josie's troubles were what I referred to.  Josie did not ask me to tell him on Tuesday.  I saw him on Monday but did not tell him because she had not yet told me to do so. Josie told me to tell him on Tuesday morning.  That was at her home.  Defendant was not there.  It was in the forenoon.
"Frances was in another room.   Josie, Frances and I were not friendly at this time like we had been.  Frances had called me a liar, but Josie had not.   For 2 or 3 days we had not been as friendly as we had been, but we had not been quarreling.   Josie and I had never had a row.
"Mrs. Surghnor came up when Frances and I were having a row, Josie was present.  It was about some letters that they said had been taken out of Frances' trunk.  They were Frances' letters.  I said in that quarrel that I was going to make a little hell myself.  I did not say "I didn't' care a d--m how many letters Frances got, I only wanted Josie's letters,' nor did I say anything to that effect.
"For about a week before the killing Josie and I had not been as friendly as we had been.  It was not more than 3 days before the killing when the rows between Frances and I came up.  It was not these rows that I referred to when I was talking with Jim Clark.  When I referred to the girls having their fun, I meant Josie and Frances.  I had had no rows with the girls before then.
"I am 26 years old.  She, Josie, when she told me to tell her grandfather of her troubles was not as friendly as she had been, but then she had not lost confidence in me.  It was about noon 2 or 3 months ago that Josephine revealed her secret to me.  No one was at the house except she and I."
Very little more was developed in the cross questioning on the part of the state.
Mrs. Dan Surghnor, when placed on the stand, said: "I have observed a change in the actions of Mr. Regnier, especially since the Tuesday before the shooting.  After Sunday I noticed that he walked a great deal in the yard, whittling a     great deal.   He seemed to have no aim or purpose in walking about the yard.  It looked as if he were in a deep study.  I can't say that I paid much attention to this up to Tuesday evening.
"On Tuesday afternoon I told Mr. Regnier about some difficulties that I had witnessed between his daughter, Frances and Ben Simpson, and also between Josie and Simpson, and told him if he didn't stop Ben Simpson from aggravating the girls they would leave home.  Frances had already threatened it.  He seemed struck speechless; turned white.  He never gave me an answer.  This was late Tuesday afternoon, the day before the killing.
 "I regretted having said it, because it seemed to worry him as it did.  I noticed that after supper that he still walked in the yard. It was about bed-time when I saw him last walking in the yard.  This was about 9 or 10 o'clock; it might have been after 10 o'clock.  Sometimes he would sit down in a chair and then get up and start to walking again.  "I last saw him when I went out to put the horse in the stable that night.  I saw him about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the next day; he was standing with his head leaning on his hands, which were upon the picket fence at Mr. Taylor's store, which is just  across the street from where I live.  No one was with him.  He stood there until I drove past him and spoke to him.  I stopped the buggy.  He never spoke until I spoke.  I told him that I regretted that I had spoken  to him about the row.  He said, I think: "He will not bother us any more; I'll kill him first."  Referring, I supposed, to Ben Simpson.  I never saw the defendant again that day.  On Monday when I spoke to him about the hydrant he gave me what I thought was a very short answer.  I was not at home when the shots were fired, but got there just at that time.  I did not hear a conversation between the defendant and his wife the day of the killing.  He had never spoken short to me before Monday."
Mr. Bliss, one of the attorneys for the defense, in arguing the right to introduce the testimony of Mrs. Surghnor, as to the condition in which she believed her statement about the quarrels between the girls and Ben Simpson had placed the mind of the defendant and his subsequent half threat to kill him (Simpson) if he persisted in bothering them, said it was relevant, because it showed that it was not improbable that the defendant had gotten the pistol with the intention of killing  Simpson, instead of his granddaughter. The court adjourned at 5:30 p.m. until Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, July 24, 1892
pg. 1

ANOTHER MURDER
A Man in Sherman Shoots His Granddaughter

The Gazetteer is called upon to record another cold-blooded murder in this county.  Late Wednesday afternoon Albert Regnier, of French extraction, living in Sherman, killed his granddaughter, Josephine Gremeau, aged 17 years.  Regnier was heard to abuse the girl on the street during the afternoon, and after he was arrested told the officers that the girl had disgraced the family, and that he would rather be in prison than be disgraced.
He got a revolver at Lindsay's second-hand store, claiming he wanted to kill a dog.  He went home and commenced his bloody work on the poor girl, who is believed to have always been pure and virtuous.  The first shot missed her, and she fell on her knees begging for mercy, but another ball pierced her heart and still another entered her breast.  She lived only about 2 minutes. 
After the shooting Regnier deliberately walked up to the square and surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Gene Andrews, to whom he very coolly said: "My granddaughter has disgraced the family and I have killed her, or at least I have tried to."
Deceased was not quite 17 years of age, and had lived with her grandfather, who had been married twice, since she was a child of 4 years, at which time her mother died and consigned her to the care of her grandfather.
Mrs. Regnier, her daughter, Mrs. E.W.  Haskell and Miss Frances Gremeau witnessed the shooting.  The young man who is alleged to have caused the deceased girl's shame was a boarder at the house for quite a while. The Sherman Register of Thursday states that under instruction of the court a postmortem examination was made.  The physicians reported
to the court Wednesday afternoon that there was no evidence whatever to support the rumor which led to the terrible tragedy.
Thursday, after the coroner's inquest, a friend of Regnier's called on him, and to him Regnier made the following statement: He said that Mrs. Regnier told him on last Sunday the story of his granddaughter's shame. He at once pronounced it false, and afterward, when the girl denied it, he believed her.  The subject was broached to him several times and he was nearly crazy with grief.  On Wednesday his wife and stepson again made these charges.  He again refused to believe them, and Mrs. Regnier then said she would get her daughter and son and prove it.  "That drove me wild," said Regnier, "and I went up town to get a pistol.  I was crazy. When I came home they were all there waiting.  I again asked Josie about the matter and she said nothing.  Then I fired.  I did not realize what I had done until that night.  They (meaning his family) brought the whole thing on and her blood be on their hands."
Bent Simpson requested the Register to correct the statement that Mrs. Haskell told him of Miss Josephine Gremeau condition.  He states that Mrs. Haskell never told him anything about it, but that the young lady herself told.

Joe, born 1874 & Mary Francis Regnier, born 1876

The Galveston Daily News
Wednesday, July 27, 1892
pg. 6

THE REGNIER TRAGEDY
Defendant Held to Answer Without Bail
"The Unfound Story of the Girl's Ruin Actuated Regnier to Do What  He Did."
Sherman, Tex., July 25 - Interest in the Regnier case still continues.  The defendant was brought into the courtroom a few minutes before 2 o'clock this afternoon and before the case was called held quite a conversation with his son, Joe, who, with his sister Frances, has been near him all during the trial.  Interest in the trial and the fact that the cool courtroom offered quite a contrast to the hot street corners served to make the crowd a large one early in the proceedings this afternoon Court called proceedings promptly at 2 o'clock.  The attorneys for the defendant held a short conversation and a  slight delay was caused by the absence of Mr. Jameson, attorney for the state.  Judge H.C. Head was the first witness placed on the stand this afternoon.
He said: "I have known the defendant maybe 6 years. He has talked to me of his daughters.  It was while I was judge and was coming  home from McKinney.  That was 4 or 5 years ago.  I had not known him very long then.  [The state objects because his feelings toward them then might have changed.]  Our acquaintance was slight at that time.   He brought up the subject of the girls.  He said, as near as I can remember, that he was a widower.   He spoke of the 2 girls.  He seemed to think them smarter and better than other girls.  He spoke of their education and welfare generally and the general tenor of his conversation impressed me that he was very proud and fond of them.  He spoke of the responsibility of raising 2 girls and taking proper care of them.
"I cannot say that he spoke of royal blood in the family, but I think he spoke of his family being an old one of high standing in France and that his position there was not in keeping with said family standing.  The main subject of his  jail
 was his 2 daughters.   I can't say, but I believe I had met him once before, this was either my first or
second time.  I think he recognized me as judge, and he came up and began to talk to me.  The conversation was on the cars.  I did not notice that he was drinking."
The next witness placed on the stand was Judge E.P. Gregg, who in substance said: "I am acquainted with the defendant, have known him 12 or 14 years.  The acquaintance was rather intimate; it began to be intimate when he was a school trustee.  I was thrown with him a great many times while he was a trustee and have had business transactions with him since then.  He always regarded me as a special friend.  He frequently talked to me about his affairs in a confidential manner.  He was living with his first wife when I first became acquainted with him.
"He often talked to me while a widower.  He ofter spoke of his 2 little children, one of them I understood he said was his granddaughter. 
This was after his wife's death.  From his actions and talk it seemed that he thought a great deal of the children.  He often spoke of them. 
Recently when he was keeping a boarding house, he said to me that he wanted to quit the business to relieve the 2 children of the hard work and worry.  He didn't want them to have to live such a life. He always spoke of them in a fatherly and affectionate way.   This was especially impressed upon me recently when he spoke of the boarding house being an undesirable place for his 2 girls.  He said he wanted to get a home for them and would rather work harder himself.
"As county judge I married him to Mrs. Simpson, who is his present wife. I never heard him speak unkindly of any member of his family.  He spoke to me frequently of the standing of his family in France. In this he had a great pride.  (Upon this the testimony of Judge Gregg was pretty much the same as that of Judge Head.)  This frequent reference to his  family created the impression upon me that he was foolish or rather silly upon the point.  (The state objected and the defense said it proposed to show that it was a mania with the defendant.)
"I was especially struck with the old man's feeling toward his family when a son was recently arrested for some offense.  He seemed to be fearfully hurt and declared he would rather see him dead than in any such trouble if he were guilty.  That was, I think in December last.  The boy was put in jail.  He came to me about it and seemed almost wild.  I don't think I saw anyone who seemed to feel the humiliation more deeply."
Dr. S.F. King was placed on the stand and said: "I am one of the  physicians who conducted the autopsy on the body of Josephine Gremeau.  I did not examine the body for the wounds which caused the death."
Capt. J.D. Woods said in substance: "I have known the defendant, I think, 2 or 3 years.   I was employed by him in last December to defend his son who had been arrested upon a writ from Freestone  county.  He seemed to be very much broken down and it took me a long  time to find out what he really did want.  I finally learned that his son was in jail and  he wanted me to go and see him.  I could not find out anything else from him.  I asked him why he didn't go and he said he didn't was to see him until I found out anything else from him.  I went and reported to him the next day. Then after that he and all the family went to see the boy.  I told him I didn't think there was anything in the case.  That seemed to quiet him right down.  I didn't know when I first went there that the old man had been there.  I learned that afterward.   His son was charged with embezzlement.  He had been working on a newspaper at Wortham.
"I have a great deal of experience in defending people charged with crime. Have noticed that there is often a great deal of agitation on the part of parents when their children are arrested and wouned or charged with a serious crime.  It is peculiar for a parent to be concerned under such circumstances.  His agitation was beyond what is usual.  It surprised me.  I have possibly seen mothers agitated as badly as he, but not a father."
Mrs. Surghnor being recalled, said: "I washed the body of the  deceased.  I examined the location of the wounds  carefully.  I noticed 3 openings from wounds - 2 in front and 1 behind.  The 2 in front were very close together and about the middle of the breast.  The wound in the back was about the lower point of the left shoulder blade.   There were no wounds in the side.  At first we thought, before undressing her, that she was wounded in the left side, but found it  was a clot of blood that had dropped down and had oozed out and discolored the dress.  When I undressed her I found it  was a mistake and that she was not wounded in the side at all.
The deceased was about 5' 10" in height.  She was a rather large and well developed woman.  [Here witness described how the trunk was sitting and the direction from which 2 balls had entered it.  The position of Regnier and the girl at the time of the shooting has heretofore been given in evidence.]  Neither party could have been in the door, they must have been in the room.  [Here witness said that the house had been broken into last night as some of the articles had been moved out into the middle of the floor.  The windows show that some one had effected an entrance into the house last night.  The house had been securely locked.  Here Miss Regnier said to the reporter that the keys to the house were in her possession last night and that no one had intimated a desire to get into the house.]   The witness resumed.
"There is a hole in one sleeve which is burned and in my opinion must have been made by a bullet.  I think one of the shots must have missed her."
Miss Regnier states that she thinks the trunk had been opened but does not know that anything had been taken.
Witness said: "I did not see the shooting.  I was not called in as  an expert to examine the bullet holes in the trunk.   I saw the bullet holes  yesterday.  Miss Frances Regnier was with me."
The witness could only give her opinion as to how many wounds.
She believed the wound in the back was made by a bullet which passed through the body.  She did not particularly regard the defendant as insane.
"It is my opinion that the man was out of his senses from Tuesday until after the killing.  I don't believe he knew right from wrong.  If he knew he was killing her I am satisfied he knew he was doing wrong.  I thought he gave me a very short answer at the hydrant Monday afternoon.  I think he was in his senses though at that time.  He was walking and   whittling as if worried Tuesday morning.  I thought he was out of his senses later on Tuesday because he looked it and the remark he made indicated it."
Miss Lucian Norton being called back to the stand gave in her testimony as to the finding of the bullets.  It did not differ materially from that of Mrs. Surghnor.
Miss Hattie Collins was placed on the stand and gave some corroborating evidence as to the finding of the 2 bullets in the trunk and described the rag about one of the bullets being of the same color as that of the jacket of the dress worn by Miss Gremeau.  She thought this bullet was of 45-caliber.  She had seen this bullet Thursday.
Warden McKinney of the Houston street prison was placed on the stand.
He said: "I know the defendant.   I know his son, Joe, when I see him.  I was in charge of the county jail in December.   Joe was in jail; I saw his father when he came down to see him.  I went to the cell with him.  He looked at his son.  He turned away from the cell and did not say anything.  That was before Capt. Woods had seen him (Joe).  I do not  remember whether he came back any more."
The defense here announced they had closed.  After waiting for a witness who could not be gotten readily the state closed.  It was submitted without argument.
The defendant was held to answer without bail, stating that evidence on the point of insanity was insufficient to permit bail. He hit the witness Simpson some hard raps in delivering his opinion, stated that he believed that the story told by him to Regnier was wholly without foundation and was what actuated the old man to do what he did.  But he should have controlled his anger and madness and not have committed the terrible deed.



The Daily Hesperian
(Gainesville, Texas)
Tuesday, July 26, 1892
pg. 3

REMANDED WITHOUT BAIL
Ilbin [sic] Regnier Has His Preliminary Hearing
Sherman, Texas, July 25 - [Special} - The preliminary hearing of Ilbin Regnier, who shot and killed his granddaughter while pleading for her life, closed at 5 o'clock this evening.  Regnier was remanded without bail.
Defense attempted to prove insanity, and that Regnier's stepson, Bent [sic] Simpson, had slandered the girl and was the indirect cause of the killing.  In his charge the court scored [sic] Simpson and said: "Do not believe one word of his testimony; think him the prime cause of the trouble."



The La Grange Journal
(La Grange, Texas)
Thursday, July 28, 1892

The killing of Miss Josephine Gremeau at Sherman, last week, by her grandfather, Albin Regnier, was a lamentable affair.  The old man killed her because he believed she had brought disgrace upon his family, which belief, it turns out, was based upon statements made to him by his step-son, Ben Simpson, and were untrue, as shown by the report of the physicians who made the postmortem examination.  From all the testimony adduced at the inquest The Journal believes that Simpson is a villain, and had some ulterior purpose in view in making the false statement he did.  Should it prove true he deserves to be ex---- by all good people.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, November 6, 1892
pg. 1

ANOTHER MURDER TRIAL
The trial of Albin Regnier, charged with the murder of his granddaughter,  Josephine, at Sherman in July last, was called in the District court at Sherman early in the week.  Owing to the disability of Judge Brown, Judge Wood was selected by the bar to preside.  Twelve jurors were secured Wednesday  and the trial opened.  The Sherman Register says that the old gentleman seemed greatly disturbed and during much of the time he would sit with his face in his hands silently weeping.  The evidence of Mrs. Francis Regnier, who died a few days since had been taken down in writing, was submitted to the jury. 
Mrs. Bird, who lives near the Regnier residence in south Sherman, testified that she was passing on the opposite side of the street when the shooting occurred.  She heard Mrs. Regnier say: "Don't kill my dear child."  Regnier said: "Yes, I'll send her to h--l."  She heard the shooting and saw Regnier come to the door and hear him call, "Francis, come here to me."  She did not go and Regnier said: "I will kill you before the sun goes down."  This was entirely new evidence, having never before been offered in court.
The case was given to the jury Thursday evening and at 4 o'clock they retired.  The jury remained out many hours and finally the foreman announced to the judge that it would be impossible for them to agree.

The Galveston Daily News

Saturday, January 28, 1893
pg. 6

SHERMAN SIFTINGS
Sherman, Texas, Jan. 26 - The case of Albin Regnier was called on a motion to reduce the bond to $200 [sic].  The court refused to hear the case except on a writ of habeas corpus and such a writ was sworn out.  The prisoner when brought out gave unmistakable signs of failing health and seems to have aged rapidly since his incarceration.  The bond was reduced to $200 on account of his bad health.  The defendant seems to despair of giving the bond as it is.  Regnier's crime is the shooting to death of his granddaughter, Josephine Gremeau, in this city last summer.



The Galveston Daily News
Monday, January 30, 1893
pg. 2

RELEASED ON BOND
Sherman, Texas, Jan. 29 - Abbin [sic] Regnier, who has been in jail since July last on the charge of the murder of his granddaughter, Josephine Gremeau [sic], was released to-day on $2000 bond.



The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, February 5, 1893
pg. 1

Albin Regnier, the aged carpenter, in jail in Sherman charged with killing his granddaughter, has been released on $2000 bail.  Regnier is in bad health, and informed the Sherman Register he was going north to visit relatives until the date of his trial, when he will return.  He has been tried once, the result being a hung jury.