The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1885-10-02
LED TO MURDER BY LOVE.


lover, NJ. Sakurada, the late Japanese
charge d'affaires, six months ago, at Rotter-
dau,, has for the past two days filled this
sleepy but pleasant little towa with the
nearest approach to excitement OF which
the Dutch are capable. The circumstances
Of the case were interesting enough to
quicken the pulses Of the most phlegmatic.
The murdercss css-self-accused-is n young,
unfortunate and beautiful victim. The
Japanese charge d'affaircs was local lion,
aud the whole affair had romantic Charm.
common enough in France, Spain or Italy,
but rare in Holland. Murder cases are
not tried by jury in this country, but by
Judges. Possibly justice is not much the
lose. by this system, The Criminal Court
was crowded ON both days Of the trial.
Several ministers, the British ambassador
and a number OF foreign journalists occu-
pied seats while the body of half the Cou,t
was filed with solid burghers and peasants,
chiefly women, whose snow white caps and
silver hcadgcur lent picturesqucness to the
scene.
There was buzz of curiosity as The
prisoner entered Her lovcliucss far ex-
ceeded expectation and won sympathy from
every spectator. Jeanue Lorctte is barely
twenty. She is tall and graceful, with
speaking eyes, long auburn locks ard a
liz Sb,, in
black, with u shawl carelesSly thrown over
he. shoulders. \ large felt hat aud mauvc
feathers Completed her costume. AS she
stood in the dock, with tears in her eyes,
she looked charming enough to soften the
heart of the sternest magistrate.
She answered the questions put to her
with out bravado or affcctation making no
attempt to play the martyr, aud evidently
feeling the shame and horror of her posi-
tion acutely. She admitted tina. before she
became Sakuradas mistress she had been
bcguilcd by an old rouc at eighteen. She
met NJ Sakurada at Brussels, and, not
knowing he had wife aud family in Japan,
followed hiul to The Hague. Nj. kurada
seems for time to have been passionately
attached to his conquest, but gradually his
ardor cooled, Il. d Jeanne Lorcttc's life be-
came so unbcarablc that she often threat
ened to commit suicide, and once actually
wrote TO ph ysician asking how she could
open all artery.
About this time she told friend she
had had cnou h Of that devil OF Il Japnn-
esc.' Separation was eventually agreed
upon, but few days after Jeanne rcpented
at having consented to it, bursttd into the
Japanese legation and vowed that unless
Sakurada parricd her she would kill her.
self. O6 her return home she got out n
revolver set her affairs IN order aud made
Ny sutlerings are too much for me, my
position is too false. | should have to sep
aIatc from Sakurada, the man have re-
yarded as my husband Fourteen months
ago | loathcd him, but for six moths past
| have been possessed Of a strange love for
this false, hypocrtical Japanesc-a love
which will Kill me. Life without hin,
would be agony, with him it is hell
The next day Jeanne again called at the
embassy and was turned away. Frcnzied
with rage, she bought dagger. Her plans
had been changed. She was now bent on
vengeance, though she had abandoned all
idea of suicide \ week after, when Sal
kurada left The Hague, she followed him
and for moment the lovers were recon
ciled. Our meeting was affcctionate,
said the prisoner. That night she slept
with dagger and pistol under her pillow.
In the morning she made 4 last appeal to
Sakurada and declared that unless he prom
ised to wed her she would kill him. He
refused, aud Jeanne, who declares she was
shot him in bed. He died the same even
ing. When his assassin saw him llelcss
she went into Mysteries and shrcked oh.
wretch that am Pity, pity. l have
killed him
Both before and after her arrest she ut.
tempted suicide, but without success. \
dramatic scene occurred in the Court when
the prisoner had ended her story. The pub
lie prosecutor produced revolver. At
sight of the weapon Jeanne uttered low
cry, threw up hcl arms and fcl faintiDg,
and for some minutes the proceedings were
interrupted. When the prisoner recovered
a nun ber Of witnesses were called Several
declared that Saku:ada had promised to