The sun., 1898-01-23

vIrRIoL THROWING UNREs1RAISED
Parisinn Case which illustrates Anew somo
Modern french Tendencies.

Parisinn Case which illustrates Anew somo
Modern French Tendencies.
PARIS, Jan 1o.-vitriol throwing may bo re-
Eardcd as almost native TO France; certainly
thero Is no other country in which 1t is so COM
mon, and in which 1t is looked upon almost as n
matter of course when coming in tho train of
jealousy. IL has thrivod as means of revenge
mainly because. while tho inflicted wounds are
always painful and ofton dangerous, they arc
regarded by juriea MS the evidence OF IN inten-
tion merely TO disiguro and not to kill.
case OF three days ago, which exhibits q
woman attacking man for tho third tlmo
within year. In crowded thoroughfare and
without let or hindrance from the passersby,
has brought to public attention the question
whether something should not be done to put
complete stop to vitriol throwing; whether IL
should not be regarded criino equivalent
to assault with deadly intent; because as tho
law is now enforced, there is little no oxem-
plary punishment tending to prevent q recon-
| mission of tho crime, and. In tho present case,
tho woman had developed what might be re-
garded as mania for vitrol throwing.
The case Is perhaps typical enough to DO worth
recounting. Jean verdier. salesman at q fash
ionable taior's, and Leontine Ducoussu, q pretty
young dressmaker. were lovers. Just q year
ago they had a violent quarrel and parted VOW
ing respectively never to see each other again.
At the end Of three days tho girl wrote. asking
forgiveness. To this letter Jean paid no atten-
tion. She wrote again, then again, and finally
despatched three four letters daily. At the
end Of a week the young man gathered together
all the letters and sent them back to her with
note OF his own asking her to cease annoying
him. Two days passed, and he thought that
| was the last of 1t.
The next day, however, at luncheon time, he
had hardly set foot in the street when he was
Ill, ,,th boot thol, h,, ho
fell he saw Leontine standing few PAGES away.
| revolver in hand. She fired twice again. one of
the balls going wide and the other hitting
glaZior at work in window across the street.
She then turned the pistol upon herself, but
| failed to do any harm. Seeing Jean still alive
| on tho sidewalk, she pulled n bottle of vitriol
| from her pocket and dashed it upon him. burn
| ing him severely. Finally she was arrested
and the young man was taken to the hospital
At the time Of the consequent trial Of the
| young woman it was stated that she would not
| have been prosecuted for the mere attack with
vitriol; it was for the bullet that she had to
! answer. Her punishment was term of several
months in St. Lazare Prison, from which
| she emerged unrepentant. On the contrary, she
had hardly been an hour at liberty when she
| prepared for another attack upon her former
| lover by purchasing moro vitriol She had diff
Guilty in getting meeting with the young man.
because hc knew she was at large and had be-
| come wary. She hung around the shop whero
he was employed for days at time. and once
attacked a young man who resembled him.
before she had burned him much Mean
time Jeans existence was anything but
dared leave his lodgings without sending ahead
| friend to see IL the coast was clear; to get to
street. cross a court, and scale a high wall. IIo
finally appealed to the police for the young
| woman 8 arrest. hoping to get her under bonds
| to keen tho but the DOIiCe cOuld
catch her. She was watchful OF the move
se esueh hs s OF s9 Of
he was not badly injured ! leontins Son was ar. r.
There was an interval of more than two
then. on Jan. >: Jean received this note: "''''''
My dear friend, have been so distracted
year year, yesterday will give you little present
Of what nature the little present" would be-.
Without moments hesitation he went out and
Thus armed. he was prepared for an encounter
with Leontine but week passed without the
Mas o the
steps from the boulevard des Itaiens; the hour
| was noon. and both streets were crowded.
She had evidently been tracking him, for she
before her Fee Il which there
she Withdrew this pot from the bag. and. run.
ming up to him, dashed its contents in his face.
| At the same instant he had drawn his revol-
yer, and he fell. shrieking with pain, he fired
| 1t bindly twice. Both bullets hit the young
woman, and she started to run. The Young man
struggled to his feet and started in pursuit, fir
| ing as he ral. Another shot took effect and the
young woman fell In the gutter unconscious,
and the young man., stumbling, fell over her.
also unconscious. When the crowd in tho
streets. who might easily have prevented both
| the vitriol throwing and the shooting saw the
two combatants notionless they ventured back
doorways in which they had sought refuge, and
found the young woman dangerously wounded
and tho young man in n condition not much
| better. They are now in the hospital. and 1t
| is uncertain whether they will die or not.
| The lesson OF the tale lies In the question OF
what will be done to them should they recover,
or what will be done to either OF them In case
stances, or at the most something very made
quate. There arc no cxtenuattng circumstances
| in the matter. The woman had not been seduced
| nor trenchcrously abandoned; there was not
| even the all-excusng Partisan plea Of
| jealousy. Public comment on tho episode 10
| perfunctory and easy. as 1t nearly always
| Is; there is evident the propensity to regard
sonal to the actors. much as the vendetta Is
regarded in lower latitudes SO far, at least. as
to the attack. or series of attacks, and the
| motive. But very lively interest seems to
| have been aroused concerning the meaps and
| perhaps something will be done to make the
| magisterial view OF crimes In which vitriol
enters less lenient. 1t is certainly a matter
ment to the culprits because the danger OF vitrol
| throwing often involves innocent bystanders.
| A woman addicted to 1t makes 1t very lively
| for a crowd near the person aimed at