The weekly union record., 1864-04-23
Extenuating Circumstances.

French iuries have q curious habit Of
declaring criminals guilty, with extenuating
circumstances, aud they do this sometimes
under very odd circumstances, IS the following
Instances, collected from number OF French
reports, show:
In lS4S, uiaa killed his mother, and then
reduced the body to ashes III the fireplace. He
Vas found guilty, but with 'eXtenuatiDg cir
cnms,ances." 4 bare verdict of guilty was
doubtessly reserved in case any other man
should advise himself 10 burn bis mother before
she was absolutely murdered. In lS43, q
servant girl committed several robberies on her
master and mistress who, unwilling to pro 'ecute
her. contented themselves with giving her notice
TO leave. The girl prohled by her short stay
TO poison them both. The jury found her
guilty; but, considering how much she must
have been irrita'ed at the prospect OF being
discharged added that II was under ''eXtenu-
ating circumstances"
About the same period, a young woman.
aged eighteen, who had not been married many
months. happening TO have had some little dis
agreement with her husband was guilty OF the
horrible cruelty of pouring molten lead into his
ear as he lay asleep. lie did not die, but his
suferiugs were Intense ard prolonged. The
girl was tried for the offence her counsel did
not venture 10 affirm that his client had not
committed the deed imputed 10 her, but sug
gestcd that it might have been the unhappy
result of mental alteration 10 which pregnant
women are occasionally liable The jury found
this concert so excellent that ii ''eXtenuated The
circumstances" up TO he point of deprlying
them OF the Semblanee OF guilt. They returned
a verdict recording the innocence of the inter
is ing criminal
\ poor woman banned Rosalie, unable to
support her illegitimate child and not having
the courage to take it herself to the hoSplce les
entdns tToures, agreed with neighbor that be
should convey it tbitber for q certain monetary
consideration, to procure which the poor woman
gave her last sou, aud sold the remnant of
scanty wardrobe. When the day came, the
man expended the money in drink, and then
coolly threw the child on the ground crushed
its head with the heel Of bis wooden sabot, and
digging hole. buried it out of his sight. Ii
will hardly be believed that any jury could find
extenuating circumstances in this ruffianly case;
but nevertheless so il was. Guilty. with the
invariabe addition Of les circumstances Gttenu
GteS 4 widow in the depar ment of Naucluse,
IN | S45, was proved to have buried alive three
illegiiimate children in as many years. The
same verdict was recorded.
Another woman, married 10 n bricklayer
and who, it is to be presumed, bad at least some
sentiment os hostility towards her husband
took the opportunity, when he was working at
the bottom of well, to XII him by literally
stonlng him to death with her own hands The
same verdict was returned. At Isere, man
set fire to the loft where his father IA paralytc
man of upwards Of eighty years OF age) slept,
and fairly roasted him to death. 1t was re-
membcred by witnesses that the accused had
threatened his father in these words Il would
like to see thee roasted like toad on q shovel"
And be had, to the best of his ability, redeemed
his promise The jury struck with admiration
at The scrnpulous fidelity with which the prs-
oner kept bis word, returned verdict of guilty,
but with "extenuatlng circumstances.