Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-04-05
Extenuating Circumstances.

OF the strange and whimsical motives
which determine French juries III the DIS
covery of cxtenuating circumstances (ie'
circumstances attcnuantes) very curious in
stances are recorded.
Some years ago, an innkeeper and his
wife were tried for having murdered
traveller while lodging in their house, and
further, for having made part Of the dead
body into sausages, with which they duly
rcgaled succeeding customers. These sin
gularly revolving accusations were clearly
proved, and the jury returned verdict Of
''guilty, but without premeditatlon, and
under extcnuating circumstances"
In lS4S, a man killed his mother, and
then reduced the body to ashes in the fire
place. lie was found guilty, but with
"cxtenuating circumstances" 4 bare
verdict of guilty was doubtlessly reserved
in case any other man should advise him.
self to burn his mother before she was abb
solutcly murdered. In lS43 a servant
girl committed several robberies on her
master and mistress, who, unwilling to
prosecute her, contentcd themselves with
giving her notice to leave. The girl prof
tied by her short stay to poison them
both. The jury found her guilty; but,
considering how much she must have
been irritated at the prospect of being dis
charged, added, that it was under ''exten-
uating circumstances"
About the same period young woman,
aged eighteen, who had been married
many months, happening TO have some
little diSarrangement with her husband,
was guilty of the horrible cruelty of pour
ing molten lead into his ear as he lay
asleep. He did not die, but his sufferings
were intense and prolonged. The girl
was tried for the offense; her counsel did
not venture to affirm that his client had
not committed the decd imputed to her,
suggested that it might have been the un-
happy result of a mental alteration to
which pregnant women are occasionally
liable. The jury found this conceit so
excellent that it eXtenuated the circum-
stances up 10 the point Of depriving them
of the scmblance of guilt. They returned
a verdict, recording the innocence Of this
interesting criminal.
4 poor woman named Rosalie, unable
to support her illegitimate child, and not
having the courage to take it herself to the
hospice les enfaHS trOureS, agreed with a
ncighbor that he should convey il thither
for certain monetary consideration, to
procure which the poor woman gave her
last sou, and sold the remnant Of her
scanty wardrobe. When the day came
the man expended the money in drink,
and then c0olly threw the child on the
ground, crushed its head with the heel of
his wooden sa5ot, and digging a hole
buried it out Of sight. It will hardly be
believed that any jury could find extenu-
ating circumstances in this ruffianly case;
but nevertheless 50 it was. Guilty, with
the invariable addition of les circumstances
dtte3luanteS.
4 widow in the department Of Vaucluse.
in 1915, was proved to have buried alive
| three illegitimatc children III as many
wears. The same verdict was recorded.
Another woman, married to bricklayer,
and who it is to be presumed had some
sentiment of hostility towards her hus-
band, took the opportunity, when he was
! working ri the bottom of well, 10 kill
him by literally stoning him to death with
her own hands. The same verdict was
returned. At Iscre man set fire to the
loft where his father "a paralytic man up
wards of so years of age) slept, and fairly
roasted him to death. 1t was remembered
by witnesses that the accused had threat
ened his father in these words, II would
like to see thee roasted like toad on a
shovel" And he had to the best Of his
ability redeemed his promise. The jury,
struck with admiration az the scrupulous
fidelity with which the prisoner had kept
his word returned verdict of guilty, but
with "extcnuating circumstances. Corn
hill Magazine.