Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-05-25
ONE YEAR FOR DEACON.
Arraig neu for the Murder of Nj, AbeiIle,
tie French1nan.


| NICE, May 20.-DeacOn was sentenced
| to one years Imprisonment at the close
of his trial.
NICE, May 2O.-The trial of Edward
| Parker Deacon, who is charged with
manslaughter for the killing Of NJ.
| Abeille, opened to-day before the
assze court of the Alpes Maritimes.
| The courtroom is small oblong hall,
i more like q corridor than a court of
justice in populous district. The room
might hold $50 persons if it was
crammed to its fullest capacity.
At an early hour the slum-like
alley leading to the palais de
| justice presented q considerably livelier
appearance than usual. The case has
naturally excited the greatest int rest
among all classes of inhabitants, as many
| French newspapers have taken occa-
sion to attack Mr.. Deacon, solely be-
cause he is an American. A large crowd
of the residents of Nice gathered about
the palais de justice, while the doors
| leading to the courtroom were blocked
by those who had been lucky enough to
secure tickets of admission. These
tickets were all at the disposal of the
president of the court, and the demand
for them for long time past, in fact
ever since the date of the trial has
! been fixed, has been something extra
ordinary. The French Journalists were
particularly anxious to be present to
| hear and report the proceedings, and
| large number Of them occupied seats at
| q table between the seats where the ac-
cused and his counsel sat and the jury
| box.
| Mr.. Deacon was brought into the
| courtroom by two gend&rmes, who es-
corted him TO the prisoners bench and
took up their position one on each SIDE
of him. AS he entered the room all
| eyes were directed upon him. The
stories that have long been current as to
his Indifference over the killing, or as to
the results of his trial, were belied by
| his aspect. A pallor, caused either by
| anxiety or lll-health, marked his feat
ures. He looked neither right nor left,
| but concentrated all his atten-
ton upon the judicial bench.
He was dressed in black coat,
black vest and plain dark tweed trous-
ers. Mr.. Deacon is about 90 years old.
| He is tall, and his thin hair is showing
gray about the temples. That he was
nervous WAS betrayed by the frequent
| spasmodiC contraction of his eyelidB and
| his mouth. His voice was firm, how
| ever, and In clear tones and with thor
| ough ease he responded in perfect
| French 10 the questions asked him bv
| the procureur. Mrs. Deacon, who had
| been formally cited to appear, was not
present. All the other witnesses re-
| piled as their names were called by the
| clerk Of the court. NJ. Grihier read the
| hn
very outset paid marked attention TO
| the evidence. 1t was purely Nice
| jury, composed OF tradesmen in the
! city and a few petty landowners, but
| they were men of fair intelligence.
Mr.. Deacon, on the invitation Of The
| president of the court, recounted his
| relations with his wife from their mar
| riage until 1890. Their life, he said,
WAS happy one until they made the
| acquaintance of Abeile. That was in
| 1857. Abeille's visits to the Deacon
home were at first rare, but they
| subsequently became SO frequenC
| that he objected. Finally these
visits led to the breaking of
| the happy domestic relations that had
heretofore existed between himself ant
! his wife. AS the questioning was con-
| tinued Mr.. Deacon made bad breaks IN
| his French, and his language became
| better to secure the services Of an in
! terpreter, and thereafter Mr.. Deacon
| gave his evidence in English.
Continuing has testimony, he said
| that after bis suspicious were aroused
| violent scenes between himself and his
wife became frequent. His mother and
| brother-in-laW were informed as to the
state of affairs. They said that jealousy
was at the bottom OF the trouble and
| counseled moderation. Acting on
| their advice, he renewed his AMIGA
| BILE relations with Mrs. Deacon,
| but at the same time he resolved to
watch her closely. About this time the
| family physician advised him to 90 to
| Hamburg, as he was suffering from In
| fammatlOn Of the stomach. Mrs. Dea-
| con started for st. Moritz at the same
time. While Mr.. Deacon was at HON.
| burg, he received al anonymous letter
| stating that Abeille was with his wife.
| Mr. Deacon wrote to her from Homburg
| saying that she must cease all acqualnt-
| ance with Aheille. Although he
then had no doubt as to his wife's fdel-
| ity, there was scandal which he
! could not tolerate. He wrote Mrs. Dea-
| con that she must choose between him.
felf and A N02ne h1m Mr. nanfnondl
| to be a good, loving husband, but insist
with Abeille. She made no reply to
| this letter for ten days. Then she
wrote that she had taken time to
consider the contents of his letter.
Mrs. Deacon said that she was
not responsible for the presence of
.Abeille at St. Moritz. Her, nervous
system, she added, was too much
| affected by air. Deacon's tyrannical
| conduct, and she could no longer stand
it. She concluded her letter by declar-
| ing that her husband could send the
| police, or do whatever else he liked.
! In another letter Mrs. Deacon said that
ahe could not stand such insults az her
| husband offered her, and that all rela-
! tons between them should cease.
| Thenceforth, she said, they would only
| communicate with each other through
| her lawyer. She added that Mr..
| Deacon had in the meantime better 60
| to the United States and give her re-
! pose. Mrs. Deacon knew that her
| husband had to go to the United States
r ,,lNC ofI I1yI