The chronicle=news., 1914-07-18
TRIAL OF FORMER
FRENCH MINISTER'S
WIFE BEGINS MONDAY

Paris, July 1S.-Mmc. Caillaux.
wife of the former French premier
and minister OF finance, will be TAX
en- tomorrow from the st. Lazare
prison to the conciergerie adjoining
the palace of justice. to await her
trial beginning Monday for killing
CASTOR Calmettc. editor Of the FL
garo, on March 16.
Tho prisoner is to be lodged In the
cell occupied in 1909 by Madame
Thercse Humbert. while under trial
on charges of swindling the French
public out OF several millions OF dol
lars.
Madame Caillaux' health appeared
to be much better than when she
was arrested in March. 1t is re-
ported she intends to apply for di-
vorce after the trial whatever its
outcome. as she is said to consider
that by SO doing she will show the
greatest mark of her love for her
husband, since by remaining with
him she thinks she would prove an
obstacle to his political career.
The trial is expected to last at
least five days. The space In court
be given up almost entirely to news
paper men. 142 of whom from all
parts of the world. have been allotted
places in the press box. Oddly
enough the seat Immediately behind
Madame CaillauX' position in the
prisoners enclosure will be occupied
by reporter from the Figaro.
Women are not to be allowed in
the public section of the court, but u
few places have been reserved for
them in the passageway leading from
the jury room to the jury box. Some
e, mmotion was caused in legal cir
les bv the report .hnt til" authCIi-
ties intended to piac. stto1s dctach-
ments of municipal guards both In.
side and outside the palace of JUS
ticc in order to prevent the possibil-
ity of disturbance. as i! has been
stated that the royalists intended to
make demonstratiot
Detectives wearing barristeTs'
gowns and caps also are TO be sta
toned about the cpu.t. Interest III
the trial increases III intensity as the
hour approaches for the pubic ap-
pearance of Madame Caillaux. The
p ewspapcrs again Este the series CT
!.olitical and judicial saaElnls which
attended the killing o: Caimette. OF
which newspaper columns are flied
with discussion. ':i ~ case aud ra-
u ors that some of &c most promin-
ent figures in the po n:,ai world are
to be examined in court.
The testimony of President Ray
mond Poincaire will be read The
vital legal question in the case is
that of premeditation. The prosscu-
ton. hire...d by Procur tor General
Jules Herbaux, declares that the
crime was deliberately planned BY
Madame Caillaux in c:1er % rid her
husband of a Formidable opponent.
The defense on the oth.r hand will
seek to show that Madlse Caiiia 'X
intended only to '"scG E.lmette 4
lesson and that hi. cta,n was IN ac-
cident.
The questions to be put to the jury
are, IlTSl, ID Tile dttuoCu tuAiIJ VI
wilful homicide?" and second, "Was
the homicide premeditatcd?" If the
| Jury replies Eyes" to these questions,
the sentence must be death. If the
reply is eyes" to the first and NO
to the second question, with extern
uating circumstances, the sentence
must be hard labor for life. Ig ex-
tenuating circumstances are admit
ted the trm must be hard labor for a
period fixed by the Judge and rang
| ing from 5 to 20 years. The 2resid-
ing Judge has the right to ask the
jury 'Is the accused guilty of in
lflicting injuries which caused deatt
without having the intention tt
kill?" If the answer is "Yes" the
sentence is two years. which, how
ever, could be suspended under thu
first offense law.