The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-25
A FRENCH MURDER
THE TRIAL OF EYRAUD,
THE ASSASSIN, AND HIS
MISTRESS.
MILE. BOMPARD's. DEFENSE.
Claims She Was Mesmerized by Her Lover
to Commit the Crime Latest Phase
of Irish Affairs.

PARIS, Dec. 19.-When the court room.
in which the trial of Michael Eyraud and
Gabrielle Bompard is taking place, was
opened this morning the usual crowd OF
spectators was present, but they were not
allowed to enter the room, as the court has
decided that the evidence of NJ. Leigris,
head OF the medical faculty of the COLES g
of Nancy, should be taken in ac-
cordance with that section OF
the criminal code which gives
to witnesses the option of making their
statements to the court or the jury alone
DIR, Liegreis when summoned yesterday by
Mile. Bompard's counsel had asked to give
his testimony with no spectators present.
Accordingly he was the first witness sum
moned today and he gave his evidence
while the crowd was kept waiting outside
the doors. He explained to the court and
jury the views of his school. He stated tina
anybody who was hypnotized became in
the hands of the experimenter pure
automaton, morally and physically
They could be made to commit
crimes. He had made one of his
subjects take an unloaded revolver and 60
through the motion of firing at suppose
tious person. The subject afterwards be-
lieved, acting on the suggestion of the
doctor, that he committed murder An
other of the doctors subjects had un-
knowingly signed a promssory note while
under hypnotic influence. He expressed
surprise that he had not been allowed to
see Mile Bompard for the purpose of as
certaining to what degree she was suscepti-
BILE to hypnotic influence.
DR.. Legris said it was possible that Mile.
Bompard had received suggestions, of
which she retained her recollections when
awake. To effect this it would be sufficient
to place the subject in an anRsthetic con0i-
ton. The prisoner ought again to be put
asleep by mesmeriSm in order to revive her
recollection of the facts occurring at the
moment of the commission OF the crime.
The witness pointed out that according to
the Indictment Eyraud had not been able to
put Mile. Bompard asleep, yet she had
been proved amenable to the hypnotic in
fluence of Garanger having revealed the
crime to him while hypnotized. For hi,
(witness) part if he were judge in this case,
bearing IN mind previous mlscarriages of
Justice he would rather cut of his hand
than pronounce sentence upon Mile Bonn
pard.
When the sensation which this declara-
ton caused in the court room had subsidized
the prosecution asked: "By what scientific
means do you determine whether hypnotic
asleep is real or simulatated2
DR.. Liegeois-A subject put to sleep can
bear, without betraying any symptoms of
sensibility to pain, pin pricks in various
parts of the body.
DIR. Brouarde being recalled said that ht
held the opinion of the Nancy system OIL
hypnotizers in small esteem. All hysterical
patients were found to be addicted to max
Ing assertions to pretended facts that ex-
listed only in their imaginations. Every
possible precaution to prevent smu
lated trance had been taken in examining
, the subject at Salt Pelriere. HI
did not doubt the good faitf
of DR.. Luegeois but the latter's statement
wanted scientific proof
The witness was not in favor of AGAR
hypnotizing Mile. Bompard, as he did no
wish to run the risk of letting the audience
hear the revelations that might be obtained
out of the occurrence,
Drs. Malet and Ballet shared in Brouar
de's views. Both thought the crime sc
complicated that it could not have beer
committed under hypnotic influence.
NJ. Robert, Mile Bompard's counsel here
asked that his client he hypnotized il
open court and M. Decor, counsel fol
Eyroud joined in the request The pre-.
cueus opposed the request on the grounds
that the experiment would not help to bring
out the truth. Judges. retired 10 consider
the question, returning several minutes
later they declared hat the request was
rejected Counsel for the relatives of M
Gouile then addressed the court