Arizona republican., 1914-02-13
TRIAL OF MIRABEAU

Readers generally know Mirabeau as one of the great leaders of the French revolution. His efforts dur ing those stirring times so com- pletely Oyershadow other portions of his life that few are familiar with his many escapades previous to that time. Mirabeau may be said to have been born to trouble. At an early age he quarrelled with his father and fled from the parental mansion, but the old gentleman procured a 'lettre de cachet' and imprisoned him.
 When she was only eighteen and he had only passed his majority, Mirabeau married Emile de Marig- nane. The parental funds having been cut off, for disobeying his fath- CT, the young couple had a stormy time of it, and debts piled up so rapidly that they soon became in- Volved. When his father ordered him to the Chateau diff, he told his sen, You ought to be grateful to me for thus preventing your arrest by imprisonment. By this means you will be securely enjoying his majesty's hospitality, where barons and creditors can do you no harm" But while he was confined at the chateau his wife became enamored of a young chevalier. This was the be ginning of the end of their welded happiness. Mirabeau, upon being re- leased from prison, shortly entered into a liaison with Madame Sophie de Monnier, whose husband was president of the Chambre des Comp tes at Dole. There were such stor- my scenes in the de Monnier home ! that Mirabeau and Sophie decided to elope.
 The fleeing pair lived together at various places, finally arriving at l Amsterdam. Here they were arrest ed in May, TIT. They were taken 1 to Paris, and the criminal judge of the bailliage of Pontalier, at the suit of the Marquis de Monnier, declared Mirabeau convicted of seduction and condemned him to be beheaded | (''which will be carried out in eff | J husband forty thousand lvres. So- phie was condemned to be imprison- ed for life in a house of refuge in Besancon.
 The sentence which the court had pronounced against Mirabeau and Sophie in TIT was to take effect in five years time, unless before that period Mirabeau had "purged his contumacy"-that is, presented him. self before the court for the case to be heard afresh. On February 12 l17S2, Mirabeau gave himself up tc the authorities at Pontarler and bt gan his voluntary three months cap- tivity in the filthy, crowded and in- fected prison, situated just over tht council chamber where the judges were deliberating on his fate
 His first examination took plac, on the very day of his arrival. Ol February Fist he was examined fo ten hours. What is most difficul to give any idea of," says Lomenie lis his arrogance before his judges Case? He had no case. His saliva tion must lie wholly in his wit an audacity He said that Madame d Monnier had come willingly"
 The witnesses to my relation with her were in the pay of he husband" said Mirabeau, and a to the witnesses to my relations wit her over the frontier, a French cour cannot take cognizance of thing happening in a foreign country so
 shall not reply to any question whic has as it's object things taking plac out of the kingdom
 Naughty and contemptuous, befor that day was done the accused ha become the accuser, and the judge baffled and bewildered, found them selves arraigned before their prison CT on a charge of the irregularity ( the legal proceedings on which | was being tried.
 In May prisoner and case were re moved to Besancon to be tried thre by the chamber of la tournelle of tn Bessancon Parlement. Here Mira beau attacked Somborde. the mag as being within the prohibited de grees of kinship to M. de Monnie the defendant, and so unfit to act the case.
 Finally compromise was suggest ed and it was decided that favor able decision would be rendered O condition that Madame de Monnit should forfeit the privileges promise to her on her marriage. He onl consented to compromise after | had been able, as he said, "to dictat the law to the judges. I came [ terms? Yes. But when my enemit asked mercv'
 On August 14 17S2 the verdict wa delivered. It completely annulled tf
 sentence of TIT, on condition ths
 Madame de Monnier remained in tf
 convent at Glen until the death
 her husband, and that she shou
 fcrego her marriage settlement.
 was a great triumph, and was 500
 followed by a still greater one ;
 Aix, where Mirabeau again distr
 guished himself in his own defens
 against Emelie and his fathers COT
 duct toward him, and then the nigl
 of the revolution came and Mirabea
 plunged heart and soul into u
 great conflict.
 Tomorrow-The Trial of the Ha,
 market Rioters.