Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
Marie Jeanneret was a Swiss serial killer who was alleged to have 30 people to her name. Marie Jeanneret was born on 13 January in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. Marie came from one of the most distinguished families. However, her parents died whilst Marie was still a small child. They left her a considerable fortune, and she was subsequently brought up by her uncle, who was also her guardian. Marie received an excellent education and was brought up in a deeply religious manner. But, as those around her noticed, she had a peculiar character. Not only did Marie have a penchant for religion, but she also paid meticulous attention to her health. Time and again she consulted doctors about her alleged illnesses, which were, however, merely imaginary. Marie was a true hypochondriac who had a penchant for painful treatments. Instead of taking medication for her back pain, she preferred to be treated with a red-hot iron, which left deep scars on her back. In 1865, fearing she was about to lose sight in one eye, Marie travelled to Vevey, where she sought help from the doctor Henri Dor, who, however, dismissed her as a hypochondriac. Two years later, she consulted Henri Dor again, as she feared she was going blind in both eyes. When he carried out an experiment using a prism, he exposed Marie as a liar. Marie then sought treatment from another doctor, named Goudet, for her bladder and uterine ailments. During this time, at the Beroud boarding house in Vevey, Marie met a young lady from Nyon named Berthet, whose sympathy she won through her genuine, imagined ailments and her religious convictions. They became close friends until Marie gave her a mixture of wine and sugar water to drink. Whilst the two were on their way to Clarens, Berthet became very ill. Her pupils seemed paralysed and her heart felt as heavy as lead. Marie showed compassion and, after a brief rest in Clarens, they returned to Vevey. After returning to the boarding house, Marie gave her another glass of her strange concoction, whereupon Berthet collapsed onto the sofa in a state of utter exhaustion. She remained in a delirious state throughout the night and the following day. Eventually, her relatives were informed of her condition by telegram; they brought her home, thereby undoubtedly saving her life. It was only after three days that she was able to explain to her doctor, Dr Lamibassy of Nyon, how she had fallen ill. After hearing her account and asking her a few questions, he concluded that Berthet had been poisoned with belladonna. However, Berthet regarded the whole affair as a series of unfortunate circumstances, which is why she decided against pressing charges against Marie. In October 1867, Marie began training at the nursing school in Lausanne, but she had to drop out after two months because the condition of her eyes rendered her unfit for work. Whilst she was there, Marie was assigned to care for patients in their own homes. One of her patients was Mrs Chabolz, who became very ill after drinking Marie’s tea. Marie called her daughter, who was horrified by her mother’s condition. When Marie gave her daughters some sweets, which she described as ‘princesses’, they too fell ill. At the time in question, a certain Mrs Juvet was living in Geneva; she had founded a private hospital for elderly and frail people. To better prepare herself for her new role, she spent a few days at the nursing school in Lausanne. It was there that she met Marie. When she learnt of Marie’s nursing home, she immediately applied for the position of nurse there. Marie was offered the post. However, shortly after she started work, two elderly patients died. Mrs Juvet quickly suspected Marie, who herself soon fell seriously ill and passed away on 17 January 1868. Shortly afterwards, Marie’s 11-year-old daughter Jenny-Julie also died, after Marie had given her some sweets. In May 1868, Marie took up a position in the home of the French painter Emile Bourcart. She was to look after his ailing mother-in-law. However, a few days later, Bourcart’s mother-in-law suffered bouts of vomiting and confusion; she subsequently refused to be cared for by Marie, whereupon Bourcart dismissed her. Marie, however, left behind a small bottle which allegedly contained valerian drops. In reality, the contents had been laced with atropine. Once Marie had left, Bourcart’s mother-in-law’s health improved immediately. She then took up a position with the widower Mr Gross, with whom his childless daughter, Mrs Bouvier, also lived. Both died shortly afterwards. Marie moved into the Desarzens boarding house, where, in June 1868, she made the acquaintance of 24-year-old Marie-Catherine Fritzés. One day, the latter fell ill after drinking a glass of lemonade that Marie had given her. The doctor who was called recognised the symptoms of belladonna poisoning and had her admitted to the cantonal hospital immediately. The hospital doctor made a similar diagnosis; he had heard of Marie before, as she had never entered a house without someone falling ill or dying. He reported his suspicions to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who had Marie arrested. This was followed by a search of Marie’s room, during which 17 vials containing various substances – including atropine, chloroform and morphine – were found. It transpired that, between 1867 and 1868, Marie had obtained these vials from nine different chemists in Geneva, Vevey, Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds. On the orders of the public prosecutor’s office, six bodies were exhumed, those of patients Marie had previously treated. Atropine and morphine were detected in five of the bodies. On 23 November 1868, Marie was charged with six counts of murder by poisoning and three counts of attempted murder by poisoning. Marie, who earnestly maintained that she had only intended to help her patients and friends, was sentenced to the maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment. Her conviction led to the abolition of the death penalty in the Canton of Geneva in 1871 by the committed politician Marc Héridiv. On 4 April 1884, at the age of 48, Marie died in prison in Geneva, having gone down in criminal history as a Swiss serial killer.
