The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-22
A MARROW ESCAPE.

The contrast between the treatment Of
accused persons on their trial in France,
and the milder conduct of our criminal
proceedings, has been often insisted on,
and with some complacency. 1t has been
said that in the one country the prisoner
is assumed to be guilty till proved limo,
cent, In the other he Is assumed innocent
until proved guilty. Yet the French tleO.
ry might seem to be Mt least consistent
and logical; for the fact that man is In
custody, and under restraint, amounts al.
most to dealing with him as though he
were guilty. We make him q present, for
his comfort, of the handsome theory; the
French dislain tine compliment, and only
carry out our practice to the end with a
brutal and relentless logic. Some Incl
dents in the recent Communists trials at
Versailles, which have been reported ver-
batum, will illustrate the singularity Of
French criminal procedure In rather
striking fashion.
These trials were directed by a number
of officers, who filed the offices of presi.
dent, prosecutor and reporter, and the
trials began by the reading of general
Indictment against the whole party of &c.
Cused, setting forth NIL the incidents Of the
affair In question. This was drawn up 10
o rather sensational and dramatic style,
full Of such phrases as "this hideous bus
incss,n "these execrable villains" 'this
cvcnsO is simply humbug," and was fol-
lowed by little epitome Of the particular
part each accused had taken in the affair
Then each prisoner stood up and was In
terrogated by the jndge, assisted by the
prosecutor, who strengthened weak places
by putting questions himself. The Judge
had before him all the dispositions Of the
witnesses, and on these'he founded bis
questions. The accused was called on
usually after this form: "By the doeu-
ipents Just read, you are accused Of certain
offences; what have you to say in your
defence I"
The prisoner generally said he was inno-
cent, or, in few sentences, gave some
excuses. The president then Ito take the
case Of FRANCOIS, the governor Of the pris'
on where the hostages were conhnedD
would answer bluntly =" Everything
proves your guilt; your nomination to
the post, and your choice Of such subordi-
mates as PicOn and Ramain, because you
knew that these men would carry out
your wishes with greatest cruelty"
FRANCOIS answered-"I did not appoint
them" The President had him In q sec
ond. 1--WE havo your letter of appoint
inent here" thus drawing first blood.
But the other explaining that he had made
tho same offer to every one OF the old
jailors, the president, no doubt a little put
ont, returned to the attack with rather q
shabby thurst. "At all events, the court
will see from the behavior Of these two
men that you had an object In view In ap-
pointing them" Then the accused was
asked whether he had done certain things,
which he would deny, and was met by n
quotation from the evidence Of a witness
whose evidence was to come, the prisoner
being thus ingeniously forced to deny the
truth or give some explanation. The
judge would be sarcastic at times
"Nhere were you from eight to ten
o'eloeki" "Tn bed" "No doubt, from
the agitation into which the noise Of the
firing had thrown you" Sometimes the
evidence Of one prisoner would affect the
btherj and the Judge would turn to the
latter and ask" What have you to say
TO thati" Some, like the woman La
Chaise, would answer rashly-"lps a
Hep others would Intellectually try to
Justify themselves.
The examination OF the witnesse, re.
yealed the strangest characteristics. EVi.
dencv was given in speeches whole pages
long, and discussion like the following
we're in frequent occurrence. The prose-
outor--d Didn't you hear a dispute be.
tween FRANCOIS Briant, and Robe q. to
shsrinr the bootyi' Witness" Well,
tbis ~ seemed to me on such good terms
with each other, that am really amazed
Al the question. These gentry lived to.
solber on the fat Of the land. ] used 10
.sy 10 them, Oar children re dying,