The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-25
JEALOUS WIFE PAID LIFE
TOLL TO LAW OF WAR
Trial of French Army Officer Revealed Amazing Do
nestle Drama Stretching Over Period of Ten
Years, Ending in Death of Spouse

just over ~, with hair cunning gray.
lie has "A fine aquiline nose. and is an
easy. kindly looking man.
After the act of accusation was read.
telling the history OF the case, showing
how Nine. Herail had never allowed
herself to be separated from her husband.
even by his professional duties. the
President proceeded to the interrogatory
of the accused. but he put no questions.
allowing him to tell his own story with
out interruption.
standing with his back to the audi
ence. speaking In "A low voice, weeping
continually and at times compelled to
break of entirely by his sobs. II was
almost impossible TO follow Capt He
rail during the hour he spoke although
the public was hushed 70 absolute ST.
lcnce
"It IL q Ntahtmnre."
MY poor wife" mo way 70 induce
her" did all could" could never
succeed" at is a nightmare" II had
a vertigo" were phrases often repeated.
After describing her refusal to leave.
he groaned "Oh. mon Dieu mon pieu .'
and leaned on "A table shaking with sobs
When he described her final NO" he
broke down completely and oh! ma
femme. Ma femme" were the only
The president of the court asked
Herail why he had not had proper con-
fidence In his Colonel and told him the
exact truth. The answer vas a sob
and with handkerchief to his ewes he
murmured that he always hoped tn
the last second 20 persuade her TO ~.
using all his passionate affection In a2-
pealing 10 her. AN the hutnilia,ions
had undergone through my poor wife
h.fn 4, "A
the momen, Just before the tragedy
Lieut. col Moineville told OF the
orders issued agains, The Srcsence "
wives and regretted capt. lTerairs
rcticence. as a solution could have been
found. For instance. the Captain could
have been sent away on special mis-
sion and thus separated from his wife.
He quoted another officers words that
'Herail had never had SO happy a life
as since the war began"
Major Golfer. the public prosecutor
described Nine. Heratl as egoistic. self
willed and without any understanding
o! military exigencies. lie said Herail
was too weak toward his wife" He
blamed Herairs exaggerated pride"
which prevented him placing proper
confidence in his Colonel and cNplaining
everything and dwelt on the "rynicism"
OF Hera.l's words that his VIII. would
court to pass severe sentence. but 10
decide whe tho shots were fired "
Kill or to intimida;. His nervous
evaporation explains and IN q great
measure excuses his crime" added the
prosecutor Let him bench, 10y oX-
tenuating circumstances
The public prose cutor quoted Nine
Herail's mother as saying that her
daughter ":yrannized'' over her husband
Herail never bought hat without his
wife and that she went with him even
when he went to get his hair cut. This
caused the only smile Of tie day.
The audience grew silent once more
when the famous advocate VI. Robert
rose TO plead for the accused officer VI
Robert has been phenomenally success
ful in his defences Of persons accused
OF crimes passionnels"
The lawyer said Nine Herar had
made her husbands life = he'll by he.
lnssstence on being always Wit him
lie told how In 1905 the Captain had 20
attend the grea; nanpuvres lie had q
trace OF sore throat and his wife in.
sisted that he ask the regimental sur.
geon To certify, that ne was too ~ ,u
take part In The manpuvres. Uerau
went to the doctor. who refused to give
the certificate, whereupon mis- wife went
to the doctor late at night and Insisted
until he signed the certificate. fearing. as
ne has explained that she would throw
herself out OF the window 1t other
times, said VI. Robert. she had locked
her husband In rooms with h,r ana
thrown away the key to prevent him
going away to fulfil some duty
outside OF this unbalanced affection
she was the best mother and wife pos
sble. Had four soldiers removed her
torcibly from Compicgne she would
have found means to return the next
day. VI Robert showed a photograph
of the three Herail children To the
Judges and read a letter from Nine
lierails mother, who said He has al
ways been The best Of sons for me. as
daughter am sorry for him. tie
never was able to refuse anything to his
wife. ! stlll call him my son in spite
Of "A minutes folly
"A condemnation to Ave Years in
prison concluded the lawyer. will
mean that he is driven from the army
You cannot refuse your pity a, mo-
ment when France needs the devotion ~
all her children. The cavalry is await
ing the forward move DO not take
away his honor. As for his life. he is
ready to give II TO france"
The court retired. the accused retired
and the audience waited twenty minutes
without much questioning AS to what
the verdict would be. Iierail heard IL
alone, later. as military law ordains tha;
the accused person shall not hear IL IN
court He intends 10 return at once
to his regiment at the front.