New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-13

....d M symptolns indicating the approach OF
PnY,ne sufocaon; and, finally that tne a%tyu, % 81 s
veTo SO tied as to render il not only probable la
- ia tIel them himself but extremely lmPio opipie
sL,t any one else had done 80 Oi course tnis id h
- dsontcd by some medical men, ahI suS'''''S -
- and some odd and unseemly Wfahe"S KUN
yner, we're called TO examine into the n9tting % oI
.bc cords and of course tho experts ulncI'v, @ S
- ,ros converted into experimenting fuou anu
erations in the binding OF hands were
iTinr slbircts 10 the intense eiloVlheHt "a "' VI
ha"ts,tor: II seemed at a events, TO be estdosheu
e.s d. o,nN ~ be liked have tied bis hands himself
a. they were found when he v rs dlsc9NeISu III tno WI
ior and the eminent physician aireau! invntiOncu t
maintained that to lie insenslo.s ioI Aos in o sun
sostnre and when found 10 exhibit Only Inc appear
So which ROux presented would be simply anlmpos-
sibity Moreover, the same authority insisted that
e. r. which ROux showed as the result oi ire
nSons Now from billet of wood. could not possibly
30 been produced by such an Instrument lhe Jnry
acted as We suppose any rational Juiy on ehlh "Ouu
'TskinT into account this testimony and that OF
nuber of witnesses who c0ntradlcted RouX on coiat
eral points-takiDg into account The prisoner mgn
baratpr and even his physical condition they declared
him not guilty. The verdict vas received we learn,
with literal transports of applause, both within and
without the court NJ. Armand, after his eght months
of painful incarceration, was set free AT last
Bpt there was another little ceremony yet TO be gone
,brcugh The prosecutor immediately shifted his
ground and sued tho acquitted man for damages done
by the blows which the jury had just acquitted him OF
giving The claim was tried next day, and the court
ordered that NJ Armand must pay fine of 20 0OO and
the costs Ot the case as damages Tor having lhVcrt
sntly struck ROux blow.
Under the Code Napoleon this decision seems to be
lawful. Even for an madyerient act which causes
damage the doer is liable and the fact that maD is
declared not guilty of attempting to murder does not
relieve him from the responsibility OF having done up
Designed injury. OF course in general way this is
quite reasonable and fair But surely in this instance
M Armand either committed the deed or had nothing
whatever to do with it. II he did anythingif he had
hand act or part in the affair he must have tied the
hends kuOited the feet, battered the head, end at
tempted to stop the wiudppe of his victim If he did
bot commit the criminal Oense then he could have had
no to do with it, consciously unconsoouSly than
II he had been O hundred miles away.
Ii the Jury justified in acQuitting Armand-ahd
che public not only have appanded but TO nave
oil along anticipated their decisionhen we nave raiey
beard Of man outrageously victimized than the
unfortunate accused in this singular case. lie had 10
Endure eight months ofseyeIe imprisonment; he had 10
bear the badeering and bullying. and tcrtarhe OF pun
lie prosecutor and Judge during long and weary trial.
and he has now to pay fine amounting to nearly thou
sand pounds for doing that which the j. declare he
never did. Some OF the French papers claim loudly
against the anomalies Of the case AID rs results ana
ther amezement is surprising for the whole story
reads like Of the scenes in Gil Bias which describe
Gle ecccntrcites OF justice in the days Of Don Raphael
and the Holy Hermandad.