The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-28
FROMFOREIGNPAPERS.
Madame Clovis-Hugues Tells the Story
Of Her Wrongs and Her Vengeance.
How the Boats of General WOlseley's Khar-
tOum Expedition Are Hauled Up the Foam
ing Rapids of EgyptS Great River.
MADAME HUGHES IN PRISON.
She Tells the Story of Her WrOngs-NO Re
morse, but Tears in Abundance.

The wife of the Deputy of Marseilles is de-
tanned while waiting her trial in the St Lazare
prison, that vast and gloomy pile which stands
at the top of the Fauboug St Denis. 1t this
prison which receives all the female murderers,
pickpockets and bad characters of Paris and its
precincts, that is continually haunted by men of
the most depraved class, who await the dis
charge from prison of the women with whom
they associate. In entering the gaol for the pur-
pose of seeing one of the mates two massive
doors have to be passed before arriving at the
parlor where interviews take place between the
prisoners and their friends.
Mad. Clovis Hughes appeared accompanied by
a warder, who locked the door of the parlor
when she had entered it, according to a custom
which seems to have been adopted for the pur-
pose of perpetually reminding the inmates of
st, Lazare that they are between bolts and bars.
Her face was pale, thin and worm her eyes were
haggard and sunken. and showed many traces of
the sleepless nights which the accused had
passed since first she heard of the atrocious
sufferings of the unfortunate NJ. Norm Mad.
Clovis Hughes is still attired in the large fur
cloak which she the day of M. Morin's
murder, and the hanging sleeves of which served
to conceal the reyolver until the moment of its
use. On being asked by her friend how she
had brought herself to commit the premeditated
murder of which she was guilty, Mad Hugues
said:
You must know that had a reason for kill
ing NORM at the time 1 did so. 1 had intended
to kill him when the case first came on, but
people told me that if 1 did so then l should be
accused of hindering light from being thrown
tha bp1a I Oh iTg
out my intentions But when saw new sum
mons to the appeal court all my former anger
flushed up to my head. I thought to myself, all
these infamous libels are again to be repeated.
In my utter ignorance of legal procedure l was
under the impression that NORM in suffering
judgment by default, would be entitled to no
further appeal l accordingly had but one
thought to kill this man who wanted to rob me
of something more precious than life my honor
as woman, my happiness as wife Soon the
thought became besettiug Whenever l met
thin man with brown beard in the streets
1 thought it was NORM. l looked for him
everywhere. Ny mother fell ill., and I went to
nurse her; but even by her bedside boiled with
impatience. 1t was necessary, I thought, to
strike down this wretch thoroughly. At each
moment some new obstacle interviewed. l knew
my husband would make sure of the revolver l
had, so I went to gunsmith near the Louvre,
and my heart beat hard when l asked to see
some revolvers. had to tell lie. l said was
entrusted with a commission-that in fact, 1
was going to the country that evening. The
man showed me two revolvers, one small, the
other large. 1 hestated in my choice. One of
the revolvers was too large to be concealed, the
other too small for any purpose. "Take the big
one," said the man. with that you will be able
to kill your man better than with the other" l
put twelve francs down quickly on the counter,
and hastened away with the weapon. Up to the
last moment I succeeded in concealing every
thing from my husband. 1 calmed him, l pre-
vented him from doing any violence. 1 had to
use all my influence with him.
well, I could sleep no longer l had but one
idea-to put my whole ffe-history before the
assize court 1t was not vengeance only which
impelled me; 1 wanted to have a great trial
Once, and once only, l was nearly stopped by
the thought that perhaps this man had a
mother. But no; after inquiry, heard that his
family had ceased all connection with him
And then l recollected again what 1 had suf-
fered You know my husband, Clovis, is i'm
tortures those anonymous letters those half
expressed and wholly calumnies caused
to us, and how they tore and lacerated our feel
ings. Ali that did more injury than the bullets
of the revolver. The terrible words uttered by
somebody, There is no smoke without fire. at
every moment haunted us; and NORM, every
time he saw me, sneered as one who should say
L shall not have to go to prison.
you know But l Go not know that /
should have fired at the last moment had he
not looked insolently at me. In descending the
stairs of the Paais my limbs seemed to grow
weak, but my will, which IS always stronger
than anything else, remained so, and fired.
But fired because saw him distinctly before
me- My preoccupaton when first resolved to
kill this man was to do so without injury to any
one else. Had there been anyone by his side |
should not have fired l had another preoccu-
pation-I did not want to hit him in the back-I
wanted to kin him face to face. AT the last trial
NORM came armed; he had even made me feel
his revolver in passing close to me. l was per-
suaded that this time also he was armed 1t
seemed to me something akin to duel /
would have liked him to fire at me. [ assure
you 1 should not have been wild with man
who had endeavored to murder me. l could
have asked pardon for a murderer but what this
man did, was it not much more horrible than a
thrust from the knife of an assassin
81 have had no qualms of remorse but it is
hard to have been obliged to do as [ have done
After two days Imprisonment my strength
failed and | wept long and bitterly. The re-
membrance of this will sadden my life re-
ceived masculine education from my father in
exile, but | am a woman aud my strength is
limited. have already suffered much and am
still suffering. During the early days after the
event was told that he would be cured, but
whtn heard of his terrible sufferings L became
ILL., Since that time have not slept, and die
not wish to sleep. When | laid myself down
saw him at the Palais, blood stained. with his
face pale weakened and with closed eyes. /
have no remorse, but the date of this event will
remain craven in MY memory forever Only
fifteen days have elapsed since then Tears
sometimes console me- have endured terrible
tension lately. pass whole days in the
judges room, answering questions and it fa-
ticues me; but the preliminary examinations
now over. Yesterday | underwent a painful
:..: .I.. ; !! A.L.l;.,s