The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-31
THE GENTLE FRENCH JURY
NO TELLING WHERE IT'S MERCY
WILL LAND JUSTICE.
Tenrs ana AcauittnI for the Murderer, Acauit-
tai for the Man Frustrated IN murder,
aud Only sympathy for the HounE
Creature who Drove Men TO Suicide.

u HANat ~ - nv W 1hly bN9 aNfo
been the lsuR ing stock OF the people and the
butt OF tho funny papers, but 1t continues on the
ridiculous tenor Of its way because 1t is sup
posed TO BIO tho living embodiment Of liberty,
equality, and fraternity.
There Is n very strong sentiment throughout
France against capital punishment. and to a less
extent against any punishment at all. Muir
dcrcrs by generalization do not get Oft usually
s%cot.frcc, but they get of entirely too often.
Murde es who have committed tho crime in
hot blood commonly get n sentence of less than
five years in prison. and. IL 1t be a first offence,
almost always something far less severe. In
only one class is the criminal invariably sure Of
conviction. ard that Is in the cnsc OF infanticido
by mothers, married or unmarried. In most OF
these cases there arc strong cXtcnuating circum'
stanccs-the strongest possible-but the French
jury sternly rejects them; 1t has in its clouded
brain a very obstinate idea that these mothers
must suffer the extreme penalty OF two years IN
prison. That is tho invariablc verdict.
Mere attempts upon human life are rs COM
mon In France. and particularly in the capitals
MS 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, tho victims being all
but killed. But there was not a single convic-
ton; the criminals ESCAPED without SO much as
n lecture from the Judges.
Although the public has resolved never to he
surprised at the mental antics OF n jury, it could
| not but raise its eyebrows and shruG its shout.
| ders at the outcome OF another trial OF the last
week, the details OF which nre worth rccounting
not only because OF tho singular verdict but be.
cause OF the inherently Partisan character of
the story:
Lucy Jacquillart, n very handsome young
woman, WAS born twenty-three years ago in a
small hamlet of the Department OF the ionnc.
Her father was a day laborer. but notwithstand-
ing his poverty he gave her a good education
an education, indeed, including many accom-
plishmcnts. At the age of Il she was to marry
a worthy and prosperous young farmer. She
objected and fed to the nearest town. There
she met and captivated a young cavalry officer.
IL. loved her. and did many things for her he
should not have done. 1t took exactly one year
for her 10 ruin him. One day he awoke to find
himself peunilcss and dishonored. She had not
only stolen every ccntime he had, but she had
swindlcd everybody in sight, putting the blame
on him.
The young man killed himself. and the Rirl
promptly found another dupe. whom she sub
jected to exactly the same experience. Four
men she ruined in this way before she was ar.
rested for theft and swiniling and sent to prison
for three years. She served the term. which OK.
pired last year, and ut 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 accom-
plished in intrigue, and, as the result shows. she
made no mistake. Beautiful, educated, and
with that naughty bearing which counts for SO
much in the artificial French capital. she re-
garded herself as lit for any line of work. As q
preliminary to successful business she rented a
sumptuously furnished apartment in the Avenue
dcs Champs Elysees, hired half q dozen servants.
and bought a snowy victoria and rair. Then she
was ready.
For u month she attracted a great deal Of ut.
tention in the carriage parades Of the Bots.
Everybody remarked her. Everybody wanted
to know who she was, and nobody knew. That
was the first lesson; she was talked about, and
had become n parsonage. One day she drove In
her snowy victoria to tho banking house of OPP.
penheim Bros. The two young men. Robert
and Eugene, are bachelors and barons. She was
received by their confidential secretary, Michel
BRAND. To this young man she recitcd a ro
mantle story. She was on the point OF receiving,
she said. a very large Inheritance. but she
had had trouble with her husband, and he
had placed obstacles in her way, In sub
sanitation OF her story she showed Mr..
BRAND a number of letters from various
attorneys, which had been clcverly forged. Mr.
Brand, according to the Paris newspapers. was
overcome by the extreme DISTINCTION of the
Countess" and strnishtway he fell heal oyer
ears in love with hcr-or he experienced that
feeling which serves the same end according tc
the Paris ode. He left his wife and two small
children. and was henCcforth her slave. AT tho
end OF four months, in order to satisfy the cN
igencies Of the Counte $. he had robbed his en-
helms story. OF $4,000 according 10 his own
Whatever the sum, the Countess had it,
When tire Openheims discovered the loss anC
threatened 10 prosecute him. the Countess went
to see them. She was very high and mighty. Sh,
Of Sr. BRAND, but nid"d that. out OF pity fol
him. she would undertake 10 repay the cni RI
amount that he ma" ,,3ien. me OppGh inn 10,
with the Countess. and agreed TO drop NM
lh"m"ht ., pr ns%Gmti%n; H 10y much H. they Tr wsr'
!, aHaittI have ';cn someth iHs to tie tell II Il the GS' case sew wen en-
against her. In. any event, these two flower!
letters were put in evidence at the rial:
"A million thanks. dear madam. for Your ex
, euisite letter. May God and the Holy Virgin
r bless you-you and your ndor bic children. re
!, turn 10 you the letter OF NJ. Brianh, We vii
, sure that your mention OF my beloved mother will
/ bring you blessings. Thanks Tor that %Gcliciou
0 remain at your feet. Your very respectful ant
Q devoted ROBERT OrPENIfEIM."
: DEAR MADAM: I beg OF yon TO have courag
and to Coniide in the very Holy Virgin, who
: from on high, protects those who have conf
. dence in her, | am as Indignant as YOU, an.
fidence. you will see that you will triumph owe
f"lschood and d%urlicity and infamyS-to US
3 for anything in the world Fight valinnlly 70
I The good cause. Have no fear and continue tn
ROBERT
1t was hut q few, days after the writing q
these letters that the OppcnheimS Complainc
to the police of 10th BRAND and the Counties:
and they we're arrested. At the trial cvcrybod
was affected visibly by the grandeur and bcaut
of the young woman. When her history cam
II out she smiled lightly, and her attorney did IN
same. He denied nothing. and seemed to thin
. il all n very good Joke. He told the Jury what
y very bright young woman she was. In the illus
of his admiration for her he even went so far y
TO read a note that she hri written to Victorie
. S,rdou, IN which she bcggei the playwright
o TO help her get a place on IT, stage.
n ~ have played comedy 81, well in the fashion
able world" we're the concluding words Of Il
!. better on The stage"
Z The Jurors thought that was very Witty. an
!, rubhed their hands in appreciation. They wol
). still smiling indulgcnliy when brands alto
" ncy attacked them. His client. he declared, va
Tho dupc OF AN artfui woman. At these wor,
o. the jurors looked very much hurt, but tn,
H. frightened up when the attorney went on to sH
how much his client had loved tho Countc,
u From this the attorney, took his cue ana in 4
IL course of half an hours speech he dwclt on II
beauty. the sacrCdncss of such u love. At Il