The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-20
SORRY HE KILLED ABEILLE.
DEACON MEANT ONLY TO MARK MS
WIFE,s LOVER.
u,s Own Account or the Discovery OF Her
ra,thIessness- Returned Early from the
Hall to which She Had Refused to Go.
and Found AbeiiIo with Her In Her Room
n. Had Been Suspicious for Long Time.


PARIS, Feb. 1o.-Edward Parker Deacon. the
American banker OF this city. who shot and
tul,d Emile Abeille. formerly it Is said. an
ot,ach,i of the French Legation In Washington.
In IN, bedroom OF Mrs. Deacon. q daughter of
Tho late ADMIRAL Charles II. Baldwin U. S. N.
the Hotel Splendide, in Cannes on Tuesday
rirht. gave his version OF the occurrence when
hs was arraigned before magistrate in that
,tv This morning. for preliminary examine
zion Before beginning his story he said that
ho was sorry he had killed NJ. Abeille. and that
Ia had only wished to mark him for his Grim
ina relations with Mrs. Deacon. These rea-
TINS. no said. "are now effectively stopped.
and do not intend to apply for divorce. But
shall remove tho children from her care. and.
m can help it. she shall never see them again."
Nr. Deacon said that, having long suspected
.h,t his wife and NJ. Abeille held improper
relations. he had resolved to learn the truth
for himself He asked his wife on Tuesday
night to accompany him to a ball which was to
h. given at the Cercle NautiQuc. Mrs. Deacon
excused herself on the plea that she was in
,lisnosed, and he went to the ball alone He re-
turned to the hotel about midnight. unob-
served, it appears. although it is said
that ono Of the servants was suspected
NJ being aware OF Mrs. Deacon's rela-
t;ons with NJ. Abelle and OF keeping
her informed about her husbands movements
Arrived at Mrs. Dcacon's bedroom. he saw a
TIGHT shining from beneath the door. He had
not believed her indisposition to be rs serious
a. she had represented. so no paused at the
door to listen. Hearing voices within. he at
once concluded that NJ. Abelle was in the
room. Resolved to secure n witness and to
surprise his wife with her lover; he went down
stairs and asked one ofthe hotel clerks to come
there H'sT mil might be no mistaS i as to the
Accompanied Ly the clerk he returned to Mrs.
Mrs. Deacon answered the summons; appear
hand and the clerk there. she eXtinguished
the light carried By the latter. Mr. Deacon
md she hurried after him toward the bed;
The hotel clerk struck match and relight.d
hs candle Then Mr. PsSOG found Aoee
tf ses t lev MsS saa fsa
ie fell dyins by the side Of the bed. After re-
preaching his wife: who was on her knees be-
fore him pleading for her life. Deacon left the
Mrs. Deacon and the. hotel clerk were also
examined by the magistrate. Their storins
tended to confirm the statement made by Mr..
Mr.. Deacon, It is said: had received many
anGnymGus letters warning him him Of Mrs pea
pears recently absented himself from Cannes.
and Mr.. Deacon seized the opportunity to go
hastily summoned back. however. by an
anonymous message. said to have been sent by
w % tns sSs Hsd The
seen Nj. AbeiIle. and Mr.. Deacon pretended to
be hoodwinked. but set out to discover the
The mother and brothers and the sister Of
n Ateille arrived at Cannes this morning and
t s sns IS Of h e0 81 the 81 sp
started for Paris with the body this afternoon;
Many well-known people are Offering bail
THE CODE MAKES IT "ExCUsABLE."
The French law governing such crimes as
ierent from ours in its results. Even in
f enf f0" Vsy qF'ss Such at o s%s tHeS
DAbzac; the French, Consul General here.
quoted the French code when asked what the
IN the case Of adultery y murder Of
BY the husband in the instant when he sur sur
prises them i" hd0ramte dei'cto in his house is
us excusable" is used only in the legal
sense and is equivalent to the phrase lis done
under cxtsnuating circumstances"
When the exc use has been proved if it is
sa question Of a crime punishable by death or
s sad HGr S s to the
labor for from one to five years"
Article .}Oi says:
Murder Is punishable by death when it pre-
cedes. accompanies. or follows another crime.
In every other case the guilty
S Sne vii BE- e. pHnshed by Imprisonment with
The Consul said. moreover. that the prison
er ss wI havS trial by Inry In the Court Of
facts, while the Judge will PROFOUND the law
IN SIM lar cases pri soners have been acquitted
Raj u ,cS Sf It Dies tha not follow
stance.
AT tho, office of Coudert Bros. one of the
french lawyers engaged by tho firm said he
believed Deacon would he acquitted.
AFRIESD OF THE DEAcoNs JUsTIFIEs THE HUs-
BAND
a gentleman who has been on terms OF
Deacon almost from their cIiiidkood and whc
mas frequently visited them ut their home in
have ave- Howl 'Is, '1iS Mr. and Mrs. Deacon init
se Of h sna bo %aSo fly %a WHO'S sef thing
almost, incYmprchonsible. Tho 4cspntchcs
c c,at"i l., ~ the napers have been somewhat
and as ths nformaton Is measre si tnnrc
seems to be no doubt AS to the. general nature
a. %wha, , occurred knowing Mrs Deac,onmsI
nan man Ah"illo ! know very little about. except |
E it NJ is a man without much social stand |
hss been able to secure an entr6e to the best |
hnonsrs II the, facts as reported are true. Mr.. !
dd nGnn o waI wh2Ily justified In acting as he
s sITaIte man could do. have not heard the
snsntest word Of unfavorable comment in re- |
gati 10 his behavior and don't believe ono !
=, ms friends Will ever think the worse Of him |
,ur IL Mr. Deacon Is not in tho least |
an an ,mbuisive or eXcitable man. but he has al |
Ways been very determined. The reports |
Mm',h state his ago ut 40 years or under are |
SSttIoheonS As far as my memory serves me. |
" age Is AZ. but he is certainly not less than |
~ a., ieis q large. finely built man. slightly |
HIT H. FIX iee tall. His complexion Is very dark.
t Hus nair anu moustache are black with Just a
.,nGe Of gray There is no foundation for the
Natsmnent contained in the dispatches that |
mr. nr:. Deacon Is in the banking business. Ho |
nus never engaged in business OF any kind.
IN Mri Deacon lived very little In Boston. al
ttnhough he belongs to prominent Boston
Iahm mi and he Is not 50 well known in boston.
W we was brought up as a boy in Newport and
S GJnt I, school there. Then he entered brown
wPhege. where hs was'pursuing his studies
W. Whe, tAa war broke out. He left college to 90
~ mo war. He was on the staff OF Gen
ppeSsens. think. and at the close of the war he
.ad risen to the rank Of Major. He never re-.
tlrncd to col lege but shortly after tho war was
oyer he went abroad. where he has remained
ne NE greater part OF his time ever since. He
iMed N London a number OF years at first:
tSIer that lie spent most OF his time in Paris
tnt was never secretary of the american Irpa.
aon at Paris. nor did he ever hold any dirlo-
mar, NATL post that am aware Of. lie always had
Erhiy 81 money. and lived Just Where and
hpW III suited him. Since he and his Wife went