The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-09
IS ACQU|TIED0 OF
MUROER CHARGE
jury DOES NOT HESITATE TO
FHEE WOMAN WHO KILLED
III sBANu AND ALNT.

PARIS. June s.~-One more incom~
prehensible verdict has been brought
in by the jury of the Seine by the
acquttai 0f u wonIau WHO had MUIR
dered her husband and his aunt
The man, on his return from Tonkin
last year had behaved honorably in
marrying his cousin, with whom he
had been on intimate terms while
he Vas d municipal guard, but she
showed no gratitude. On December
Sd last. he seolded their child, girl
OF nine, because her school report
was not satisfactory. His wife cried.
Il will kill you and your aunt"
Jules Pascal went to bed immedia-
tely after this scene. Marguerite
went out with her daughter, bought
a revolver and cartridges, getting
the gunsmith to explain how the
weapon was TO be handled, lunched
at a neighboring restaurant, and. re-
turning to her home, left the child
with the concierge. She went up TO
the fiat on the sixth story and fred
at her husband as he lay sound
asleep. lodging two bullets In his
head with fatal effect. Reioading
the revolver. she took the train to
SavIgny-sur- Orge, where Mademo-
iselle Pascal, an aunt of her hus-
hands dweit Marguerite Pascal
discharged several shots at the old
woman, as she opened the door of
her house. the result being her
death at the hospital three days
later hen, returning to Paris,
Marguerite gave herself mp 10 the
police.
AT the trial attired in deep mourn
ing she shed copous tears, and made
great play with a poekethandker-
chief. All that she could say TO ex-
plain her murder Of her husband
was that she had been compelled to
IL by an irresistible force. One of
the witnesses was the gunsmith. who
said that Marguerite Pascal was very
calm when she came to his shop, and
that she declared that she was buy
ing the revolver for her husband.
But you are sufficiently ac-
auainted with your trade to know
that women never purchase revol-
vers," the presiding Judge objected.
Not AT the present day, was the
reply. whereupon the advocate
general exclaimed +'The sale of re-
vulvers ought to be forbidden.
Yet he was wonderfully mild
when he delivered his address. n
medical expert had pronounced Mar
gurite Pascal to be perfectly sane,
but added that as she was q nervous
woman some indulgence might he
shown. This the advocate general
actually admitted.
Give her the benefit of extenuat-
ing circumstances aud the court VIII
certainly pass on her the minimum
sentence--that IL To say. five years
hard labor. Do not let this penalty
brighten you. Ii will not be too
severe. for this IL horrible crime
To the bewiiderment OF every one
In. court, however. the Jury returned
verdict Of not guilty on both
counts. The Temps last evening
after remarking that there was no
possible excuse for crime committed
with veritable refinement of fero-
city," and that the advocate general
spoke OF the murderess as the
victim of imagination and fixed
idea" as IL the only victims were
not the two persons killed by
Marguerite Pascal" says that her
acquittal Is very grave matter. as
it shows that those who have 10
speak and to Judge in the name OF
society do not understand their duty
and display weakness which is very
like treason,