New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09
A CELEBRATED CASE,

| There are many and just complaints con-
corning the laxity of our methods in dealing
with criminals 1t is something, however, in
| their favor that they work on the side of the
old-fashioned rule, that it is better to let many
| Of the guilty escape rather than TO punish one
| of the innocent. In older countries, on the
other hand, the law usually leans on the side
| of severity. There has been much complaint
| in England of late years concerning the lack OF
| facilities of appeal in capital cases, which are
so gHevousy abused in this country. The time
| is so short between conviction and execution
| that the authorities have narrowly escaped on
more than one OCCASION recently, putting an
innocent man TO death, and sometimes the
revelation of the mistake comes too late.
| An extraordinary instance Of the same ten
dency is seen in celebrated case now before
the French Chambers. The story has aroused
popular interest and sympathy to such an ex
tent that 1T has been made the subject of a
drama on the boards of Paris theatre. II
dates back to the coup detat of Napoleon III.
Pierre Vaux was a schoolmaster at Longe-
pierre, in the Department Of the Saone -et-Loire
His stern fidelity to the Republican cause
earned him the enmity Of many Of his neigh
bors, who went over like sheep TO the side Of
the usurping Emperor. VauX was, neverthe-
less, elected municipal councillor. The en-
nifty between the Republican and Imperialist
factions was intense Suddenly a series of
fires, mysterious in their origin, spread through
the community, attacking the homes Of the rich
and poor alike. Every effort to discover the
supposed incendiary failed until somebody took
advantage of Vauxs unpopularity to denounce
" the revolutonst," as he was called, as the
criminal. He was condemned in October, 1852,
to transportation for life without evidence, and
really upon nothing more than the suspicious
of his enemies. He suffered twenty three years
of mental and bodily misery in Cayenne before
he died.
But the real criminal had meantime been
discovered, several years before the con-
vict's death, and proved to be personal enemy
of the schoolmaster and village Mayor. lie
confessed, not only the crime, but his own
false witness against his unfortunate victim.
But unluclsily for Pierre Vaux, his enemy
committed suicide in his cell the day before his
trial. We say unluckily for Pierre Vaux, be-
cause according to one Of the strange pro-
visions Of the Code Napoleon, q person unjustly
condemned cannot obtain repeal of his SEN
tence until the guilty party is tried and judged.
The real criminal cannot exonerate the inno-
cent man without trial. So that while Pierre
Vaux's inn ocence was absolutely established, it
could not be legally demonstrated, and he wore
his life out as a convict. Now that he is dead,
his status cannot be made good without
special bill, modifying the Code Napoleon. His
family, who remained with him in his miser-
able exile returned to France upon his death
twelve years ago, and have ever since been en-
gagged in petitioning the Chambers for justice.
His children have now addressed a pathetic
appeal TO NJ. Floquet to carry through the bill,
which has been introduced at every session for
this purpose. But it is said there is little pros
pect of its passage. The French regard the
Code Napoleon with superstitious reverence,
and the Deputies feel that if they once begin