The Red Cloud chief., 1896-12-25

inc Other day AT the court OF RshlLes
Of the Somme held at hmicns, says a
Paris correspondent Of the London
Standard. The following are the cir
Cumstanccs OF this remarkable case,
which probably involves a lamentable
judicial error. On the afternoon Of
April 20, 1887. some customers went
to n wine shop at Malaunay, kept by
Pauline Delacroix. the wife of one
Druaux, but were unable to gain ad-
m%ittance. by knocking at the door
they aroused the woman, who had
evidently been drinking. She cried
ont that her husband had just died of
bronchitis In the head" and that her
brother was also dead. When the gen
darmes were called they found both
men lying dead on the floor and the
m was taken into custody on the
strength Of a popular belief that the
men had been poisoned.
At her trial at Rouen. Maitre Julien
Gouion, deputy for the Seine inferie-
ure, who defended her, expressed his
strong conviction that the woman was
innocent and that the carbonic-acid gas
emanations from "A limekiln adjoining
her house fully accounted for the death
Of the two men. The woman also
%ssseverated her innocence Of the crime
laid to her charge. The medical wit
nesses declared that the victims had
died from poisoning. although they
were not able to determine the nature
Of the poison. and the woman was SEN
fenced to Imprisonment for life.
A few days after the trial the wine
shop was let to IA young married cOu-
pie named Gauthier. They had not
been installed many days when both
Of them were heard TO complain that
they felt unwell. and one day in May.
1883. the young woman was found
dead In her kitchen. and the post-mor-
TEN examination disclosed the same
symptoms rs had characterized the
death of DrlauX and young Della
croiy. The following year Gauthicr.
being very i'll. sold the business TO an
other married couple named DubcauX.
They had no sooner entered into pos
session than they became unwc,l with
out being able to account for their
ailments. One day both of them fell
1own In the shop unconscious. but UNI
Ter prompt medical assistance they
we're brought round.
These circumstance at last reused
the local authorities to action. An in
quiry was held and 1t was found that
the eiiluvia from the kiln penetrated
into the dwelling next door through
. crack in the partition wall. NJ.
Goujol obtained authority for Il
searching inquiry to be made into the
fresh facts brought to light. Several
medical gentlemen said they were of
the opinion that all the victims who
inhabited the DTuax wine-shop had
had been poisoned by the gases from
the lime-kiln.
As a sequel to this inquiry Pauline,
who had then been eight years in
ClermOnt prison, received a pardon.
On reaching home she found that
everything belonging to her had been
sold by order of the law courts. "a
pay for the expenses OF her trial, and
her young daughter had been sent 10
the Founding hospital. Being utter
ly destitute, she went to service at
Havre only a few weeks ago. After
much trouble she obtained permission
to take her daughter from the Found.
ling hospital, but the child shrank
from her, saying she would not liv,
with the murdcross of her father ant
uncle. BY "A Judgment, dated the 26ti
OF June last the Court of Cessation
Quashed the previous sentence agains
Nine. Druaux, on the ground that ;
doubt existed as to her guilt. and henc,
the present trial at Amiens.