Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24

man pleading for his head. Accused Of
killing a certain Nine. Durantin, in Agen.
he had been arrested. released from lack OF
evidence against him. and rearrested on
called upon to explain the presence of
blood stains in one OF his pockets. AS 1t
happened, he was a notorious poacher.
which fact had more to do with his arrest
than anything connected with the murder.
He answered simply that he habitually
used his pockets to carry the game he had
bagged. This statement being inscribed by
the official stenographer, a chemical ex-
animation Of the blood stains was ordered
and showed that the blood was not that of
feathered game, but Of a mammal. Chales
Rad forgotten to mention that the day be-
Tore his arrest he had carried a calfs heart
In his usual game bag; his reply had been
taken down officially and no correction was
allowed. On account of this slip OF his own
memory he was judged guilty and sentenced
to the pententiary for life. after twenty
Ave years he has been conditionaliy re-
leased like Hawis. but nobody Is willing
to authorize an inquiry into the conditions
of his condemnation.
i
Louis Gauthier. now ffty-four years of
age, was condemned when lad of sixteen
for alleged completely with his mother,
who received life sentence to hard labor,
in the murder of his stepfather, named
AIlegrain. After violent scene, Allegrain.
who often got drunk and beat his family,
had endeavored TO hang himself. Upon
failing, he had left home. saying he was
going to Paris. But at nightfall he had
turned homeward, and stopping at a small
town had got drunken than ever and then
started for the house. 1t was a dark
night. and presently he was heard to cry
out. Neighbors ran to his assistance and
found him struggling in a marsh near his
home, but he was drowned before they
could pull him out His wife and stepson
were accused of having thrown him in,
evident as 1t was that he could barely
stand when he had left the last saloon
and that accident might have been fore
seen.
For their defense. In addition to the last
named piece of evidence. they had two i'm
and his wife. living within two hundred
feet Of the marsh. had heard the dying
mans cries: Help. friendsi I'm drown
ing! All, my poor children! What mis-
surely not the words of man being killed
by the children on whom he was calling.
Grimois, however, got frightened at the
cross-examination and contradicted him
self: and his wife was not allowed to APP
pear. The defense was lost, and judgment
passed on the prisoners. Grfmois is now
dead. but his wife declares herself ready to
swear to the evidence which she was de-
barred from giving before, and she also
swears that her husband was haunted by
a lifelong remorse for having allowed
himself to be confused in giving his testi-
mony. But here again revision Is refused.
X
The fact of remaining guilty in the eyes
Of the law has more Importance than might
at first appear. The freedom Of the ex-
convict has its terrible irony. On re-enter-
ing the world, where in nine times out of
ten he is thrust broken In health through
the hardships of prison life and without
e. - t. laI h.,
atty to show at the mayors Office OF every
town in which he settles and to every
person to whom he applies for work, a
paper from the penitentiary authorities
certifying to his character, to his offense
and to the length of his prison term. The
effect Is naturally to awaken prejudice and
close against him innumerable avenues of
self-support. No one wishes to have in his
employ an ex-convict; few care even to ex-
tend charity toward him. Free he is in a
theoretic sense, but not In practice. He
must suffer still the penalty of the crime
which he has expiated. A French criminal
chain through the world as long as he
lives, and wear for the rest of his existence
tiguratively at least his odious and dis
carded prison stripes. This Is the wrong
against which Victor Hugo cried out in re-
gard to Jean Vatican OF Les Miserables'
and Balzac with Farabeche in lie Cure de
Village" and more recently Francois Cop
pee added his protest in lie coupable"
But the wrong continues unchanged
And this Is not all. Criminal records play
an especially important part in French law
The exlstence OF dossiar Is q phantom
terror that follows In the footsteps OF the
ex-conyict wherever he goes Suppose he
has been pardoned by the ciemency Of the
state; the vsriest suspicion Of svi conduct