Fatal Marte

Last week a woman named Marie Petitjean Becker, a 58-year-old widow with crisp bangs, a broad mouth and glutinous eyes, sat in a Liege courtroom testifying that she had always been virtuous, romantic, if anything, too tender. Speaking in a husky, flat tone, she gave no indication of the nervousness she had ample reason to feel.

Liege's 16th-Century Palais de Justice, where she testified, is famed for its courtyard columns, the work of Sculptor Francois Borset. No two are alike. Almost as numerous as the famous columns, just as various, executed with the same artistic touch, were the crimes charged against Marie:

P:About six years ago, Mme Becker's husband died--she said of cancer--leaving a thriving lumberyard. She quickly ran the business into the ground, looked around for a new husband to support her. One M. Costadot. who was unfortunately a married man, struck her fancy. One evening, as they chatted pleasantly about a film they had just seen. Widow Becker brewed tea for Mme Costadot. She died.

P:Widower Costadot lived with Widow Becker for a year, but could never make up his mind to marry her. When he turned her out she was hard up for cash, so she arranged to sell to a M. Guichner a dressmaking business, in which she had dabbled, for 10,000 francs. She did not tell him it had failed for 400,000 francs. When he objected, she brewed tea. He survived.

P:Shortly afterwards. Widow Becker became acquainted with one Lambert Beyer, who, since he had both money and poor health, was most attractive to her. She became his nurse, cared for him (and for the 40,000 francs in securities which he habitually kept in his apartment) with great tenderness. He died.

P:Fifty-four-year-old Julie Bossy fell ill, engaged Widow Becker as nurse, died.

P:Catherine Becken Pairot made the mistake of lending Widow Becker some money, the much worse mistake of taking a meal with her. She died.

P:Mme Damoutte, who said she hated to have to ask Widow Becker for at least part of the 700 francs she had lent her, died.

P:On a park bench Widow Becker chatted with Marie Ramache Lambert, who said she was lonely and asked Widow Becker to come up some time and do some needlework. Mme Lambert made a will leaving 400,000 francs to Widow Becker, died.

P:In the course of time five more patients died under Nurse Becker's ministrations; their possesssions were later found in her apartment.

After six years, the Liege police caught on.

On the first day of the trial, which was expected to last six weeks and involve 294 witnesses. Widow Becker protested: "I was too good. I never harmed anybody."

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