The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-27
THE GENTLE FRENCH JURY.

No Telling Where It's Mercy Will Land
 Justice-Tears and Acquittal for the
 Murderer, Acquittal for the Man
 Frustrated in Murder, and Only Sym-
 pathy for the Young Creature Who
 Drove Men to Suicide.
 The French jury has long been the laughing stock of the people and the butt of the funny papers, but it con- tinues on the ridiculous tenor of its way because it is supposed to be the living embodiment of liberty, equality and fraternity
 There is a very strong sentiment throughout France against capital pun ishment, and to a less extent against any punishment at all. Murderers by reconciliation do not get off usually scot-free but they get off entirely too often. Murderers who have committed the crime in hot blood commonly get sentence of less than five years in pris- on, and. if it be a first offence almost always something far less severe. In only one class is the criminal invaria- bly, sure of conviction, and that Is in the case of infanticide by mothers,
 
 these cases there are strong extenua- ting circumstances-the strongest pos sible-but the French jury sternly re- jects them; it has in it's clouded brain very obstinate idea that these mothers must suffer the extreme penalty of two years in prison. That is the invariable verdict.
 Mere attempts upon human life are as common in France, and particularly in the capital, as barroom and baseball fights in America. During the last week there have been eleven of these cases before Paris juries. Five of them were exceedingly fragrant, the victims being all but killed. But there was not a single conviction; the criminals es- capped without so much as lecture from the judges.
 Although the public has resolved nev- CT to be surprised at the mental antics of @ jury, it could not but raise it's eye brows and shrug it's shoulders at the outcome of another trial of the last week, the details of which are worth re- counting, not only because of the sim gular verdict, but because of the inher- ently Parisian character of the story:
 Lucy Jacquillart, a very handsome young woman, was born twenty-three years ago in a small hamlet of the de- partment of the Tonne. Her father was day laborer, but notwithstand- ing his poverty he gave her a good edu- cation-an education, indeed, including many accomplishments. At the age of seventeen she was to marry a worthy and prosperous young farmer. She ob- jected and fled to the nearest town. There she met and captivated a young cavalry officer. He loved her, and did many things for her he should not have done. It took exactly one year for her to ruin him. One day he awoke to find himself penniless and dishonored. She had not only stolen every centime he had but she had swindled everybody in sight, putting the blame on him.
 The young man killed himself, and the girl promptly found another dupe, whom she subjected to exactly the same experience. Four men she ruined in this way before she was arrested for theft and swindling and sent to prison for three years. She served the term, which expired last year, and at once started out on fresh adventures. She stole a large sum of money, assumed the title Countess de Chaleon, and came to Paris She thought herself accomplished in intrigue, and, as the Beautiful, educated and with that