Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
FOR LIFE
FOR A SLIP OF MEMORY
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
PARIS, June II, 1909.
''..f were wrongfully accused of crime
in France said an American resident or
Paris who has carefully studied French
Jurisprudence. II should flee the country
rather than await trial. That Is how much
confidence have In justice here!'
The remark was called forth by the case
of the innocent convict Loizemant, recently
liberated conditionaly with his guiltless-
ness practically established and universally
admitted though he must remain dis
graced until a lengthy process OF revision
has cleared his character. 1t might have
applied to scores of cases no less striking,
no less deplorable. II perhaps less notorious.
For the law of France still holds that an
accused man is guilty until he has proved
his innocence: none except the mans vim
dlctive personal enemies may believe him
guilty Of the crime with which he Is
charged, but, the accusation once brought.
he falls victim to the questionable principle
Of presumptive culpablity. The supreme
safeguard of the Anglo-Saxon's liberty,
presumptive innocence, is thus reversed to
become the most serious menace to the
Frenchman's life and honor.
From the numerous cases which might be
cited to Illustrate the horror of this sys-
tenn, that of Emile Loizemant, while being
the most recent, is likewise the most char
acteristic Of the responsibility with which
the rigors OF French law are applied.
*
Loizemant was accused of having muir
dered the wife of the tax receiver in Ribe-
mont, not far from Laon. There was no
evidence against him except the testimony
of man VIGOROUSLY his enemy Other wit
nesses had nothing further to say than
that they did not consider him "sympa-
thetic." Loizemant, called upon to present
proof that he had not committed the MUIR
der, could only reply that he def1ed any
body to prove that he had committed It,
The consequence was that on the sheer pre-
sumption of his guilt he was condemned to
be guillotined. When the "dossier' Of the
case was submitted to the President OF
France, as Is the custom before a man Is
put to death. M. Loubet expressed amaze
ment at the nimsiness of the evidence, and,
refusing to countersign the death warrant,
he changed the sentence to hard labor for
life The case still remaining before the
public, and the General Association OF
French Tax Receivers having interceded in
Loizemant's behalf N. Loubet again modi-
fed the sentence to five years solitary con-
finement. Loizemant had served only two
years and half when his prison doors
go free. But in the eyes Of the law he is
still murderer and a convict, and must
remain SO until he can accomplish the i'm
possible and prove that he did not do what
nobody can prove he did.
Three other cases which are being agi-
tated together with that of Loizemant are
those of the ex-convicts. Hawis. Chaies and
Gauthier, all as innocent as human evil
dence can make them, yet all victims or
presumptive guilt.
Louis Hawis, Belgian. was arrested In
1875 In the Disc department. charged with
having murdered man named Hamelin.
whose body had been found in the Disc
river. near the famous chateau OF CON
piegne. The only witnesses were two dis
reputable women. who alleged that they
had seen Hawls throw the body into the
water. The fact that the spot where they
declared Hawis had committed this act was
800 feet beneath where the corpse was
found in the river, 80 that 1t would have
had to drift up stream, was not allowed
Iteration. Hawis was condemned TO
penal servitude for life. After Twenty-Five
years OF hard labor he was recently re-
leased, his term having been shortened on
account of exemplary conduct.
Returning to the outside world he found
that one OF his accusers had died and the
other acknowledged that both had perJured
themselves In order to incriminate him
from spitefufness. Hawts Immediately ap-
piled for revision: and extraordinary as II
may seem. the reopening of his case was
refused Such permission would have In
ferred tho possibility OF an error, even
though the original sentence might have
been confirmed. and the Judge, who con-
sidered his reputation at stake. would not
admit OF @ question.
Ax
lean Chales may claim to be the victim
Of one of the most extraordinary bIunders
ever committed to his own prejudice BY