Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-22
.THE DEACON TRAGEDY.
Public Condemnation Of the Guilty
Pair Increases.
NOTHING TO ADD TO THE AFFAIR
Except 10 Give the Facts Some Additional Details.
An Autopsy Held Upon the Dead Mans Body
Despite the Entreaiss Of Relatives
Causing Painful Scene.

of the actions OF nj. Emile Aoeliie, the
Frenchman who was shot and killed by
Mr.. Edward Parker Deacon, AT the
Hotel Splendide, Thursday morning,
become known, public condemnation oil
him becomes stronger and stronger. IL
is not known whether the intrigue be-
tween Mrs. Deacon and NJ. Abeile was
carried on before she came TO the
Riviera, but it is known that
when she arrived at the Hotel
Windsor, a fortnight ago, A6eiile
was not following her. When Mr.. Dea-
con arrived at the hotel he told his wife
that he was going TO attend the ball
given that night by the Cercle Nautl-
que, a swell club Of the Riviera. Mr..
Deacon did not remain very long, how
ever, but returned to the hotel. Upon
his arrival there, shortly after mid
night, he saw the light shining from be-
meath the door of his wife's room, and,
as has been stated, this awakened his
suspicion that his wife was betraying
him.
When in the company with the clerk
Mr.. Deacon burst In the door OF his
wlfe's room, he found her attired only
in In her night dress. She, though
dresdfully frightened, retained enough
presence of mind TO run 10 the toilet
table, on which candle was burning,
and extinguished the light. The clerk,
who had entered the room with Mr..
Deacon, had lighted candle In
his hand that sufficed to show
everything in the room. Mrs. Deacon
rushed toward the clerk and knocked
the candle from his hand, her evident
thought being that, perhaps, In the
darkness, Abeille would be able to make
his escape from the room. But her ell
forts to aid her lover availed her moth
ing. Mr.. Deacon found Abeille couch
ing behind an arm chair, and while the
latter thus sought to avoid the man he
had SO grievously wronged, he was shet
by the outraged husband.
Abeile sprang TO his feet, staggered
through the doorway to the corridor,
and fell bleeding and speechless 10 the
floor. Mrs. Deacon seized her husband
by the hands, threw herself at his feet,
and, in an agony Of fear, implored MIN
TO spare her life, and not to shoot her
lover again. Mr.. Deacon remained per-
fectIy cool. To his wife'S appeal Is he re-
piled: ~ would shoot you but FOR the
sake of the children. / have caught
YOU ut last, and now l will leave you TO
surrender myself TO the police"
The autopsy took place yesterday
evening, and it was the occasion OF
most distressing scene. The relatives
OF the dead man two brothers and
sister. Countess De La Redoute) pro-
tested strongly against the body being
mutilated by the surgeons. They
claimed that there could be no possible
doubt that NJ. Abeille died from the
pistol shot wound inflicted by Mr.. Ed
ward Parker Deacon, and that 1t was
outrageous to disfgure the remains
without any necessity. The Countess
De La Redoute Is said 10 have begged
the officials OF Cannes on her knees not
to allow the body to be mutiated. The
officials. however, insisted that the law
compelled them TO proceed with the au-
topsy, and so the body was handed over
TO the surgeons, who, In due course OF
time, decided officially that death had
been caused by pistol wound In the
breast. The Countess and her two
brothers we're thus detained at Cannes
all night, suffering great torments OF
mind and it was not until midnight
that they we're allowed to take the body
TO the depot, from where 1t started on
its way to this city at 2 o'clock this
morning.
A gentleman who has been on terms
of closest friendship with both Mr..
and Mrs. Deacon, said last night:
Mr.. Deacon is not in the least an i'm
pulsiye or excitable man, but he has al
ways been very determined. The reports
which state his age at 40 years or under
are erroneous. As far as my memory
serves me, his age is AS, but he Is cer-
tainly not less than 45. He is a large.
finely built man, slightly over six feet
tall. His complexion is very dark. His
hair and moustache are black with just
a tinge OF gray. There Is no founda-
tion for the statement contained In the
dispatches that Mr.. Deacon is in the
banking business. He has never en-
gagged In business OF any kind.
The French law governing such crimes
as the killing OF NJ. Abeille Is not very
different from the American in its re-
suits. Even in America juries at times
take a lenient view OF such offences.
Vicomte D'Abzac, the French Consul
General here, quoted the French code
when asked what the law OF France
said in such cases. In article 324 ap-
pears this paragraph:
"In the case OF adultery
murder OF the wife, as well az the para
mourn. committed by the husband In
the instant when he surprises them IN
fdgrdnte deltctO in his house is e1cusa-
ble."
"Is excusable" is used only in the le-
gal sense and is equivalents to tie
phrase 'is done under extenuating cir
cumstances."
Article 326 says:
"When the excuse has been proved,
ifitiss question OF crime punishable
by death or hard labor for life or trans
portatiou, the penalty will be reduced
| TO Imprisonment without labor for
from one to five years"
Article 30i says:
Murder is punishable by death when
Il precedes, accompanies, or follows an
other crime. In every other
case the guilty one will be punished by
Imprisonment with hard labor for
| life."
The Consul said, moreover, that the
prisoner will have trial by jury in the
Court Of Assizes. and the jury will de-
eide upon the facts, while the Judge
will PROFOUND the law. In similar
cases prisoners have been acquitted By
| jnries but il does not necessarily fol-
! low that such will be the result In the
present instance
The judicial interrogation OF Mr..
Parker Deacon will open az Grssse to-
morrow. On Tuesday Deacon will be