The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-19

fusion of fashionable hats and frocns,
 The public part of the court after the plain clothes men had been ad- mitted through a side door, was filled with spec iJtors who could afford to pay anything from S4 to $20 for a place. The trial began every day al noon and lasted a week. As early as 6 o'clock on the previous evening horde of miserable men and women took up their position for a weary 19 hours wait in the hope of selling their places on the following day. At about 10 a. m number of their places were bought up by small speculators who offered them for sale ro the highest bidder as noon approached This buy ing and selling is openly carried on in the street, and the police probably have instructions not to interfere. At the Steinheil trial I saw a well known dep- uty pay $40 for two seats which the seller guaranteed to be in the first row."
 The trial resolves itself into a triangu- lar verbal dual between the judge, coun- sel, and the prisoner. Sometimes they all speak at the same time. as the French. man who can wait for his opponent to finish speaking has not vet been born. The public also take hand in the dis cussion, and spare neither their applause nor disapproval At the Steinheil trial a contingent of youthful barristers be- haved outrageously, sometimes making 1t impossible for the jury to hear the voice of the public prosecutor, and jeer- ing derisively whenever he made d point against the beautiful widow.
 France claims to be the most civilized country in the world, but human life is now as cheap here as it is in Mexico. Every year, for the past decade, more than $50 men and women have been mur- nnn a Ia am nous increase in criminality has three great causes behind 1t: the entire ab- sence of religious instruction in the state elementary and secondary schools, the excessive indulgence shown to criminals (especially women) by juries, and the flood of alcoholism which is rotting the brains of the masses.
 About one-third of the murders commit ted in France are what are called ''crimes passionels," and women are re- sponsble for large proportion of these. A woman who kills her husband. or lover, and secures the services of an eloquent advocate. is almost certain to escape pun ishment for her crime The average Frenchman is very inpressionable, and forensic eloquence has power in France undreamed of in Anglo-Saxon countries If the murderess affects repentent atti- tude, and dabs her eyes with a dainty lace handkerchief the ''12 good men and true III the Jury s bOX are often moved to real tears. and acquit her without a dissentinent voice.
 The scandal of the excessive indulgence shown to women by French juries has however. reached such ridiculous propor- tions that public opinion has been reused and it is probable that the triumphant murderess has had her day.
 There have been so many crimes pas. sionels" during the last few years tha, 1t is an invidious task to pick out any especially worthy of note. Two cases however, stfsnd out supreme. Madame Lamberjack, the wife of we'll knowr motor car factor, emptied her revolver into her former husband, from whom she had been divorced for 12 months Their respective lawyers had arranged a meeting at the husbands house foI the purpose of arranging an equitable di- vision of the furniture Madame Lam berjack coolly shot her former husband and even pursued the unfortunate mar into the garden, where she finished hel deadly work before the frightened at torreys could interfere. Her defense was that ''she loved her former husband too much to see him married to an. other This plea was accepted, ant Madame Lamberjack was acquitted.
 Murder Is hardly subject for jest. but Abel Faivre's masterly drawing in thu Figaro next day did 2 good deal tt |" I