Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-07-23

scmriimes they al speak al the same
time. as the Frenchman who will
wait for his opponent to finish
speaking has not yet been born. The
public also takes hand in the dis
cussion and spares neither its ap-
plause nor disapprovai. At the
stcinhell tnal contingent Of youth
full harristcrs behaved outraeeously.
sometimes making il Impossible for
the jury 20 hear the voice Of the pub
lie prosecutor. and Ajeering derlsiyely
whenever he made a point against
the widow.
France claims 10 be the most civ
nized country In the world. but hu-
man life Is now as cheap there as II
ls il Mexico. Every year. for the
pact decade. more than $50 men and
women have been murdered. or
nearly one day. This enormous
increase In criminality has three
great causes behind il. the entire alb
senee Of religious instruction In the
state elementary and secondary
schools. the excessive indulgence
shown 20 criminals. especially wom-
zen. by juries, and the flood OF al
coholism.
About one-third OF the murders
committed In France are what are
lcailed crimes passionels." and wom-
en- are responsible for large pro-
lpoftion ~ these. A woman who kills
{ her husband and secures the services
~ an eloquent advocate is almost
certain to escape punishment for her
crime. The average Frenchman is
very impressiona BILE. and forensic ell !
equence has a power In France I'M
dreamed Of 10 Angio-Saxon countries. I
II the murderess affects repentani |
attitude and dabs her eyes with a |
dainty lace handkerchief. the twelve 4
good men and true" in the jury's box /
are often moved 10 real tears and /
acqun her without a dissenting voice. I
The scandal Of the excessive indul-
genee shown 10 women by French I
iuries. however. reached such ridicu-
lous proportions that public opinion
has been reused. and II is probable
that the triumphant murderess has
had her day.
There have been SO many crimes
passionels" during the last few years
that ut is an inyidous task to pick
ont any especially worthy Of note.
Two eases. however. stand out su-
preme Nine I.amberiack. the wife
Of motor-car factor. emptied her
revolver into her former husband.
from whom she had been divorced
for twelve months. Their respective
lawyers had arranged a meeting al
the husbands house for the purpose
Of arranging an equitable division Of
the furniture Mime. Lamberjack
cody shot her former husband. and
even pursued the unfortunate man
into the garden. where she finished
her deadly work before the frightened
attorneys could interfere. Her de- !
Tense was that 'she loved her for
mer husband too much to see him
married 10 another" This plea was
accepted. and Nine. Lamberjaek was |
acquitted.
Murder is hardly a subject for jest,
but Abel FaiVres mastery drawing
IN the Figaro next day did a good ,
zeal To arouse public opinion. His
picture represented man lying on
his face, and a sardonic-looking mid
ile-agcd woman standing over him. a.
Sith smoking revolver in her hand "
They viii acquit me- ! loved him
% much" she is saying. with an +
vii grin.
Another crime. Of peculiarly
Itrocious character. was the MUIR
Ter Of N. Poeckles. whose wife KEEP.
small school in suburb Of Paris Ia
The hired a couple Of ruffians, who Il
eaylaid and shot her husband as ne 81
sas returning home in her company
ate at night Her defense was that OF
er husband was a man of dissolute be
haracter and that he had been I'M ce
aithfuI to her She. too, escaped the to
enalty Of her crime The result of co
nese two acquittals was an enormous ki
Increase Of husband murder, but fr
here is reason 10 believe that the
ave Of crime has reached its zenith. IN
Excessive lenience has had its day re
ven in France. 90