The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-16
skJn;><A
q -, ~ VI,
U G71e =
Great Trials
%
History
TRIAL OF
EUGENE MARIE CHANTRELLE

|
One of the most conspicuous trials Of
vito poisoning In the annals of Scot
fish criminal Jurisprudence was that Of
| Eugene Marie Chantrelle. The convict
ed poisoner was Frenchman by birth.
who. on August H. 1865. married Eliza
beth Cullen Dyer in Edinburgh, one of
his pupils in n fashionable boarding
school in which he was teacher of
the languages
! Before going to Scotland. Chantrelle
had spent several years in America
although OF his movements and occu-
pations in this country nothing def
nitcly Is known. Almost from the first
the marriage was unhappy one
Again and again the wife was COM
PEELED to take refuge with her mother
Chantrelle had several times threatened
to take her life. Only the wifes deep
affection for their four children kept
her from separation.
To poison his wife had been Chan
trelle's favoritc form OF threat. In Oc-
tobcr, 1877, he insured the life OF his
wife for $4,000, the policy being SO
framed as to take effect only in the
case Of her death by accident. UP to
New Years Day, 1878, Madame Chan
treble had been in good health. She
had allowed her servant a holiday on
that day, and with her husband and
children remained at home
On tho return Of the servant she
found her mistress in bed with her
baby beside her She complained of
being Ill. and the servant administered
to her and went TO her own room. She
left the light burning ana heard moth
! ing more during the night.
When the servant rose the following
morning she heard a moaning sound
proceeding from the room of her mis-
tress and went to see the cause and
discovered that Madame Chantrelle was
unconscious. The girl at once sum
moncd the husband, who WIS asleep in
an adjoining room, or apparently so.
! lie came TO his wife's bedroom and
sent the servant out of the room on n
, pretcxt, and when she returned she
, found that there was a very strong
smell OF gas. which she had not pre-
viously noticed.
| The husband went for a physician,
and also directed that his wife's mother
! should be brought TO the house. The
dying woman was sent to the Royal
! Inhrmary. where Professor Maclaren,
upon examination, found that the symp-
! toms We're not indicative of gas, but
OF narcotic poisoning. Madame Chan
! treble died that afternoon without re-
! gaining consciousness.
ON the following day post ortem
examination was held and subsequent
! Investigations confirmed the general
suspicion awakened by the peculiar
circumstances attending the deceased
| Illness and death and on the after.
noon OF Saturday, January 3, 1878. I'm
! mcdiatcly after the wife's funeral,
/ Chantrclle was arrested and taken to
the Cation Prison.
The preparation Of the case for trial
took several months, and 1t was not
until April that he was indicted. The
trial began on Tuesday. May T. The
/ Judge, who sat at the hearing was
! Lord Justice Clerk Moncre!n. The pris-
/ oner was attired In mourning, and to
\ his indictment ne answered In q clear
and steady voice, Not guilty"
/ For the prosecution there appeared
/ the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor
/ General. Watson and Macdonald, as
/ well az several advocates depute: and
/ the accused was defended by Mr.. Tray