The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-06
WADD|NGTON FREE
BY JURY'S VERDICT
Slayer Of senor Balmaccda Ac-
quilted on the Unwrit.en
Law.
BETRAYED PRISONERS SISTER
All Parties TO the Affair Were
Prominent in European Diplo-
matte Circles.

BRUSSELS, July 5.-Carlos Wad-
dineton. son OF Louis waddington. who
was charge dafraires OF Chile at Brus-
sells. was to-day acquitted Of the
charge OF numbering Senior Balmacedn,
secretary OF the Chilean legation, on
February a. 1906.
Balmaceda was engaged 20 be mar
ried to Carlos Waddington's sister. and
on the morning OF February gath called
on Nine. Waddington and announced
his decision to withdraw from the mar
rage, admitting, 1t was charged. that
he had behaved improperly toward
Mile. Waddington. but accusing the
young woman of having misbehaved
before. he met her. When Carlos found
his mother sprostrated as result of
her Interview with Balmaceda he drove
| to the home OF the latter, and after
a quarrel shot and killed him. The
Bnlmaceda family contendcd that the
Waddngtons tried to force tho mar
riage upon young Balmaceda. and that
upon his refusal they resolved to get
rid Of him.
Never before In all Belgium has a
lawyer SO passionately cXcoriated the
character Of a girl young enough to be
Ibis daughter as did Special Counsel
Bonnevie in his final argument for the
prosecution. According to Maitre
Ronnevie, Mile. Washington was o
modern Phryne.
S4ss Audience Creams ut Ronneyle.
The audience frequently groaned
/ while Bonnevie was vivisecting the
character OF the prisoners sister, who
| sat below The prisoner was deeply
1 touched by his sisters grief. but re-
j Trained from crying out at Bonnevie,
as he did on previous days $
1 strange and Impressive incident
! occurred While Maitre Bonnevie was
( presenting the virtues OF Balmaceda
i and the wickednesS OF Mile. Waddlng-
\ ton a white pigeon fluttered In, at the
open window OF the courtroom. Bon
nevie was first annoyed, then disturb
ed. When the pigeon flew IN the i ny
time and settled on the couch exhlp :
lited as tn a.t,v;h ereon Balmaceda sat
i when Washington shot hin, the super
4 stitious audience became highly ner-
vous, and this reached elimination
when n woman exclaimed: 1T is the
soul OF Balmaceda!
4 FOR a moment there was a dead ST.
lence and then the cry OF relief as the
futtering bird flew out OF the window
Bonnevie then resumed his summing
UP, but the pigeon incident had marrec
the pathos Of his paroration.
Crime One of PrcmcditntIon.
throughout his speech Bonnevle en-,
deayored to convince the court thai
waddington had not murdered Bal'na
ceda in the sudden heat Of passion
a upon learning Of his sisters degrade
ton but that he had premedltated tn
A murder days before the crime.
J When Bonnevie concluded no hand o.
voice applauded tho long argument
! which was characterized throughou
! by extraordinary bitterness agains
: the prisoner and his sister
! Maitre Seryais, the public prosecutor
summed up for the state. seryais de
? clared the chief question was whethe
J Balmaceda's murder was justified b.
3 tho Belgian laws and the code OF NOR
> ais.
! alleges that 1t was voluntary homi
eide with the full intention OF slaylne
but Justified by great provocation an
an inyincble impulse which the prls
oner could not resist. The law admit
9 two conditions under which a man ma,
\ be Notwithstanding and tn
! domination OF an Irresistible pas
. siOn."
+ Servais asserted that It was his be
Z. lief that the charge OF premedltato
+ had been proved. He dismissed tn
!. case for insanity contemptuously.
. ave may admit" he said, that Wad
: dIngton underwent o severe mente
4 strain and that false notions OF homo
existed in his young mind. but hpma
!. life is sacred. Although his zeal 10
!, his sisters and famtly's honor Is par
= :, donable, that cannot be accepted as a
:, excuse for murder The public prose
= cutor's speech was also interrupted b
= the flying In OF tho white pigeon
= which then iluttered out with some
! thing In Its beak.
Postal Affairs,