The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-26 00:00:00

REMARKABLE FRENCH TRIAL.

A remarkable trial,whichbeatlstrongly on the
political events of the day, has just taken place in
the Court of Assizes of the department of the Nievre.
A woman named Reine Fleury, of Bourres La-
grange, was indicted for having killed her husband.
They had been married twelve years, had one child,
and had always lived happily together. In July last,
she, in gossiping with her neighbours, learned that
the Red Republican Socialists were forming
secret societies all over the departments, and
that they required persons admitted to them
to take a solemn oath to abandon father,
mother, wife, and children to marsh with them,
This made a great impression on her, and she
talked a good deal about it. In October last, she was
told that her husband had joined one of the societies,
and that he had taken the oath. Profoundly affected,
she, when he came home, began to reproach him, and
told her child not to caress him, as he intended to
abandon them both to march with the Reds. " Yes,"
said Fleury, "it is true, I have sworn to sacrifice
everything for the cause of the people, and when the
Reds shall order me, I will abandon my wife and child,
and father and mother."

" What !" she cried, " you have really sworn that !"
" Yes," he answered, " and I will do it, too :" he
added, " whilst I am away, killing others, people will
perhaps come here and kill you."
Reine, who had a knife in her hand, then ex-
claimed, in great agitation, " Wretch I if you mean to
do so, take that;" and she stabbed him in the thigh.
The man cried, " Ob, my leg—my leg !" and fell,
and shortly after he expired. Amongst the witnesses
was a tinman, named Bouchardon, who deposed that
he bad admitted the unfortunate Fleury, with other
persons, to the secret society, and that, after his eyes
had been bandaged, the following colloquy took
place :
Are you a Republican ?—Yes.
Do you feel that you have the courage necessary
to defend the Red Republic by all possible means ?
Yes.

Before anything further be said, swear to say no-
thing at any time of what is about to take place here.
—I swear it.

Swear—l, a free man, swear to defend the Demo-
cratic and Social Republic.—l swear it.
Say, I swear to take arms against any one who
may attempt to overthrow it.—l swear it.
Say, I swear to abandon wife, children, and all
that I have dearest in the world, to defend the Re-
public.—l swear it.
Say, I swear to assist my brethren by all the
means in my power.—l swear it.
Say, I swear to suffer the most infamous death, or
to kill myself if I should reveal the secrets of the
society ?—I swear it.
Now tell me, what does a brother who reveals the
secrets of the society merit ?—Death.
If the lot were to fall on you to kill him, should
you have the courage to do it ?—Yes.
These oaths were, it seems, taken on a drawn sword.
The public prosecutor, in addressing the jury, branded
in strong terms the secret societies; but intimated,
that under the very peculiar circumstances of the
case, the jury might, without injustice, show indul-
gence to the accused. On this a verdict of acquittal
was returned, and the poor woman, after a solemn
address from the President, was set at liberty.