Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-09
The Case OfMr. Notary Lebrul

1t was in the assze room In the rai
ace of Justice in Rouen in the autumn OF
lS7-. l was passing short holiday IN
the Norman capital, where the nlgns pe,
fore, at the Cafe dang l. nau
made the acquaintance of the editor OF
La Gazette de Rouen. He had lnvlted
me to attend the trial of what he stated
was one of the most curious causes ce'
lebres that had ever come before French
tribunal, and had accommodated me with
a most excellent seat by his side at the
table allotted to the press.
The largo hall was crammed with spec.
tators. the majority of which were ladies.
These had encroached on the spaces re-
SERVED for the officials of the court, and
some had even been placed on bench
behind the fauteails of the judges them.
seIvss. From what l had been told the
charge was one of attempted murder, a
capital offense, by the way. in France.
The attempt had been totally nnsuccess-
full; it was the personality of the prison.
er that had aroused such interest in his
abortive crime. M. Lebrun, notary at.
law, had lived for forty years in the
town, during which time he had gained
universal respect and sympathy by the
uprightness of his dealings, social and
professional. Though not one of the
lions of the profession, he was very CON-
fortably off, and until the day of his ex.
traordinary crime had always been looked
upon as the most peace.loving and peace
able of men. 1t was said that the vic.
tim had been a perfect stranger to him,
and no explanation of the reason OF his
conduct could be imagined. 1t was sup
posed that M. Lebrun had yielded to a
momentary attack of homicidal mania in
his cruel and oowardly assault, and this
excuse it was expected would be put for
ward in his defense.
I examined the countenance OF the
prisoner with the greatest interest when,
on the order of the presiding judge, he
was brought into the dock between two
gens-darme; an examination which clearly
explained to me the reason of the popu-
ar excitement when it became known
Shat Notary Lebrun had been arrested
Tor attempted murder.
q No one, not even our dear de Balzac,
ould have imagined a criminal In this
tiost peaceful looking of men. He was
she true type of the bourgeois provincial
lawyer, short in STATURE spare of frame,
,iidy and ceremonious in his dress, slight.
y bald and spectacled. His expression
was decidedly amiable, and his manner,
though slightly prim-au attribute to
his profession-affable and pleasing. In
one word. the very last man l should
have expected to see charged with vio
ence. could hardly picture to myself
l'otary Lebrun boxing his office boys
IL RS:
8 After he had entered the dock he
-lnced around the hall and sesmed both
ovts prised ard amused to find himself the
triject of 30 much curiosity. He smiled,
shrugged his shoulders, muttered some
hing, and then sat down between his
NO guardians, to rise, however, again
the next minute, and to bow to the
Judges with much courtliness.
The trial then began with the reading
by the grefier of the long and prosy in.
dictment or acte daccusatioa. While
this was being droned forth another off
cial uncovered table which stood in
the body of the hall, on which lay the
pieces de conUictioR, or incriminating ar.
ticles found in the prisoners possession.
These consisted of one or two bundles of
papers, small engraving in black
frame, and most formidable looking
knife, long and pointed. The point Of
this knife was stained with blood.
After the reading of the indictment
various formalities were gone through,
during the course Of which it transpired
that the prisoner had elected to defend
himself, decision which the president
in vain attempted to persuade him to re-
consider. The prisoner was then ordered
to stand up to bs examined.
"What is your name?"
''Lebrun, Francois Marie.
"Your age?"
''Sixty. three"
"Your profession ?"
"Notary."
"You have lived in this town and ex.
ercised your profession here for forty
wears. You have known how to via the
highest respect from your fellow citizens
Your probity and honesty cannot tor a
minute be doubted. Nothing in your
previous career indicated that one day in
your old age you would occupy the
bench of shame where you are now sit
ting. It is for you to explain the motive
of your extraordinary conduct. This
YOU have obstinately refused to do to the
judges d'instruction. Do you acknowl-
edge that on July ii last you struck NJ
Guillaume de la Licterie ?"
"Yes, Mr.. President"
"With full intent to kill him ?"
"With full intent to kill him."
"Greffier, show the prisoner that
knife. Do not put it into his hands
Prisoner, is that the weapon with which
you attempted the murder p
'It is."
s'Do you acknowledge having treach-
erously and by means of fictitious and
lying promises drawn your victim into
your house?"
'sExactly So"
"You accordingly admit the lying in
waltz"
81 do"
"In what way had yoar victim
aroused your anger, your resentment
What act of his had you to revenge 3"
"None."
"Answer my first question.
''ln no way"
''Have you ever seen him before
"Yes,"
ssYou mean on September s, when you
had short interview with him.
eyes"
"Defore that date you had never seen
him; had not known of his existence?"
"Before that date l had never seen
him, and had not known of his exist
ence."
"What motive, then. had you in muir
derously attempting his life %
The President repeated this question
three time without receiving any answer.
The prisoner merely shook his head.
Come" continued the Judge persua-
siyely, tell us your motive. If, as we
are inclined to believe, it was merely a
mad impulse, one of those unexplained
psychological problems that vex the
scientists of the day, we shall be able. as
we earnestly desire to be merciful. Re-
feet that by persisting in this perverse