The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-16

".
The "Dcsplans Poisoning C1ee," M IT
was called was defined so cOnvul So not
only tie city of Nj, but tine Whole Of
Fluucc. There happened To- be no topic o.
Ungro.Sing interest before the pu1Iic at
that moment and this tale " alleged ciimo
came q. ~ wholesome prey for the popular
ton cues TO feed OIL. The youth aud beauty
of III, suspected murtttess, her uiaiin-
luishcd s.cinl status, the large sum Which
was supposed To have prompted the
murder, all these features combined
to invest the affair with n special at
tractivenCss, 80 that in every place OF
public meeting throughout the coun-
Try Madame DeSpaus ana her dOinRs sup
planted discussions about politics, new
comedies. and new fashions. As the doc
truc Of contempt OF court IS unknown IN
Fancp-at least In the English latter-day
application Of the salne-tho newspapers
freely commented on the evidence that
lad come to light. All that could be rakcd
up as to Madame Despians's untccrdcnts
was broadly published; her portrait ap-
pearcd in the illu-tiated papers ana
sweet port ait II was, ana under the form
OF conplaiutes, long-vindcd ballads de-
scripilNe of the crime v'ere whincd IN the
str cts by iincrint SING era. AT hrst pubic
opinion was, rs almOa, always happens,
dead against the prisoner nut the puDliCa
lion of the portrait Causr "a reaction; ana
when IL became known that Madame D,s-
plans was to be defended by Justin Vi
tall, "Whoso voice had never been lifted
uD in IN unjust cause" the country
divided itself INTO two equal camps, the
one largely composed of husbands, mar
RED ladies' aud old ladies, who trusted that
the pOisoucr would be gullOtined; the
other made UP OF all gallant and romantic
souls, who enthusiastically nay, tanau-
callV, proclaimed her innocence.
The theory OF the prescott ON, asrcgafds
the prisoner, was briefly summed up
thus.-
.I.,it1. N,.t,la,,s ,,a. oil, ,,a,sn,, Of .Vtrav-
aannt tustes. Cold. hearted, wiliul, fond
OF fluerv and generally frivolous. she had
married Captain Desplaus without concern
| for his old age, ana solely because ne was
rich. Once married, hOr conduct had
been ila-iantly irregular. Captain Des-
| plans had been Obliged to forbid Captain
! 1acroix his house because the latter had
made love TO Collide; AM soon Clotllde's
reckless expenditure plunged her husband
into pccWuaiy embarrassing MS, which he
! sought to override by Inluulcious specula-
! lions. aud so ruined himself. From TINS
moment, averred the prosecution,
Madame De-plans had formed me
| project OF marrying Captain LacrOix {;
| ana ii no proof existed OF her
| having poisoned her husband 10 compass
| this end. there existed a strong prcsunp-
ton that she had done &c, and 1t was Ger
| tain that capt. lACrOlN had suspected her
OF this crime. This accounted Tor his hay
ing refused 10 marry her. though his love
for her had been very great; ana also Tor
his having addicted himself To drink in the
| grief winch the knowledge OF her infamous
| deed La 1 caused hun. Ii was not denied
| that during the closing mon h OF his lie
| Capt. IacroiN's Intellect had been de-
| ranged. and many letter, he had written
| ON nts QsltUhpI bore evident traces OF IN
,a.lty; bat the prosecution argucd that
| though facts Inlgnt hc exaggerated IN these
/ Letters, there was % suOsiiatdin OF truth IN
| tneni and that they must be taken IA con-
Lection with the uniiuL OF poison IN the
HsI III
harmed TO CAM. Lac. d. - house Immcdl-
utclV on hi, hcluc bCu-rlddcn, ana fioul
That moment sne hlJ allowed no one u
! uuproacn him. 81, had discharged two
'ol. of ui. three servant, aud THESE person.
d.rl sca 70 her having taken possession ol
the CAptniu's A,u., .Ls if >uo were nl>.Ge..
al A. 10 her having been lmv"riOus and
| r.ttx fntntt.trd and .o lt,rhuNlu.. re ii,lrlu
l.m L. give up the ieys ot tine tiptIIn's
.lntp ,lDhplr,i. cellars. Nc.. " b ON size
constant ' kept about her, with the KEY,
O.. H.. desk. ht4,ali. aud Ol a safe That Dol
t.t.ri l.s vall.als. lnc thad servant
rlnlI woman WHO had lcmliuel with "a.
,u,fttiu till nt. d,sllh. stated th..t Madam,
D..plaI uai nlr.tG the captain val
.i.i. ii'fltr Z i.'ll .lllt SIS, tut lrr'ufc-srt
tr,t VIII n i..e tnoW.4e alone toec hce ID,
lad Often o,,ln1trl th4 .lcN mans yoio.
iDu,ius MaAunt Dvsplans 49, - NOud-o,
nu4l-lt.-. Moreover. that Nndamc De-
plans had ordered her Nhc servant OH II,
uccouat To post any letters n. Captain
might write. \ chemist dcpo-, q To Ma
! uAue De,l lAus having bouEh. Iludhuum u
his snup: uul tan uuct VINO attended tn
s.,K mn -ateCt ideu,c tItt hrdieu rn'he
suddenly az u muin'ut "ncl "a TARA Tor ~
hct'or had seemed 60 eupcNeuc III H.
Clu.itliOu. From ms IT Was luitfrc'
tnut Niudanr Dr-pilus had poisoned "a
Captain .rufl tear tAat d" woult recover
ana that Ny.tu OHle restored 70 health b
wOu!d cancel tActes.alAcniarY deposition
he had made IN her favor at The tiu
4 lII.lglnl AL a..