The memoire recounts the attack on Decroze on 28 December 1760

The widow Burdet states that on the night of the seventh to the eighth of January 1761, she finds herself very unhappy because of the sins committed in her house. She asks God for forgiveness for all of her sins and promises to do penance if he deigns to preserve her life. She declares before God that the hatred of Curé Ancian comes from the fact that he wanted to sin with her for about two years. She claims that he reproached her for her aversion to him and that on 6 December, while drinking in her house, he told her that he no longer wanted to put the straw too close to the fire. She conludes by saying that this is the real case of his sin and commends herself to God.

The widow Burdet notes that since Mr. Voltaire has done her the favor of helping her with her work, she begs him to be so kind as to pass the mémoire on to a lawyer in due course.

The statement notes that when questioned yesterday about wounds he received to his head, François Collet, a watchmaker’s boy from Sacony, dared not answer for fear as several people had given him the obligation to pay legal costs if he complained about Ancian. Being poor and upset by his injuries which have prevented him from earning a living, he remained silent but later realised the importance of speaking up. As such, he declares that Decroze was murdered in his presence. He says that on 27 December he saw Ancian at the house of the widow Burdet. The following day, having had dinner with her, Ancian entered the house at 10:30pm with several other men, all of whom were armed with large sticks that had been reinforced at the end, one of which had been reinforced by and iron point. These men beat the diners over the head with the sticks. He begs pardon for not having made the confesstion sooner.

The statement notes that when questioned yesterday about wounds he received to his head, François Collet, a watchmaker’s boy from Sacony, dared not answer for fear as several people had given him the obligation to pay legal costs if he complained about Ancian. Being poor and upset by his injuries which have prevented him from earning a living, he remained silent but later realised the importance of speaking up. As such, he declares that Decroze was murdered in his presence. He says that on 27 December he saw Ancian at the house of the widow Burdet. The following day, having had dinner with her, Ancian entered the house at 10:30pm with several other men, all of whom were armed with large sticks that had been reinforced at the end, one of which had been reinforced by and iron point. These men beat the diners over the head with the sticks. He begs pardon for not having made the confesstion sooner.