The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-02-15
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DEFENDS SLAYER OF "EMPERoR
r OF THE SAHARA"

me puDllc mas recently READ great
deal in the newspapers about the Lee
baudy case, in which the wife of an
eccentric rich man, once a millionaire,
terming himself the Emperor of the
Sahara, killed him. then was be-
friended by a priest, who stood by
her until she was freed by the civil
authorities, the killing being believed
to be juStifiable. The circumstances
were such that an enemy of the Church
might think that the priest was mere
ly prompted to his course of charity
because the woman was rich. On the
other hand, he was thoroughly upheld
by Catholic moral theology, for the
circumstances seemed such that the
woman was justified in this homicide,
says the Denver Catholic Register
Slater's Manual Of Moral Theology,
Vo. l, page 308, says: ''In defense Of
my own life from unjust attack | may
use whatever violence is necessary
and even go to the length of killing
the aggressor if l cannot otherwise
save my life. This right of self-de-
LCAoCs al laws, dllu b1N lut,
concede, as Innocent III declared ..
A higher value must be set on the life
Of the innocent than on that of the
guilty, especially when the guilty one
is the cause of his life being put in
jeopardy. No one is justified in using
greater violence than is necessary
for the purpose of self-defense, so that
ii by striking or wounding an assail-
ant of my life, l can effectually defend
myself, | am not justified in killing
him. On the same principle, no
private person can take vengeance
for violence which has already been
done, by offering violence in return;
vindictive justice is reserved for pub
lie authority, at any rate in more SER
lous matters. Nor may one whose
life is threatened anticipate the at
tack; defense is only lawful when the
attack is practically being made, or is
at any rate imminent. Unless the at
tack is practically imminent it is al
ways possible to resort to other means
than homicide for the defense of ones
own life; one may invoke the protec-
ton of the law, or at least fly the in
tending assailant.
Under the same Limitation it is
lawful to kill the assailant not only
of ones life, but also of limb, Of chas-
tlty and of property. When it is
said that we may kill an unjust assail-
ant in defense of property, it is sup
posed that the property which is
threatened is of considerable amount"
If a thief threatens to take property
of some value, say 800 Or so, and the
only way to save it is by taking the
thiefs life, this is lawful If a high
Wayman demands ones purse or life,
even though the purse contains little
money, it is not necessary to hand it
over: Il may also defend myself
from unjust attacks, even though it
finally involves the death of the ag-
gressor."
1t is not lawful, he shows, to kill
another who attacks my honor with
insulting words
'What one may lawfully do, that,
as rule, another may help him to
do; and SO | may kill or MAIN an I'M
just assailant not only of my own life,
limb, chastity or property, but when
any innocent person is similarly
threatened, may also do the same
in his defense"
In the Emperor of the Sahara case,
the man came armed to his common
Wy WI 10 hOI
to kill her and to destroy the purity
of her daughter. Hence she was GER
tainly justified in killing him.
Father Roderick MacEachen, in his
Moral Series, vol. III, page 1O1, says:
1T may be possible merely to brighten
or wound an aggressor. Then this
only should be done. 1t would then
be unlawful to kill the aggressor. 1t
may be possible to give an alarm or
to flee. Thus the aggressor may be
repealed. Then it is unlawful to kill
him.
Time for thought is often wanting
| in an unjust attack. A man will
often act on impulse. He may some
times act rashly. But he acts in good
faith. The excitement of the mo-
ment generally excuses him.
TO take another's life, even law
fully, is always an awful deed. 1t
excites horror in every Christian
heart. In unjust aggression the in
tention is not to take another's life
1t is only intended to repel the ag-
gressor. His death is never de-
sired"
| This seemed to be the attitude of
Nine. Lebaudy. She undoubtedly has
| repented of her unlawful union with
| the eccentric millionaire. Her atti-
tude of piety in her affiction and her
instructive turning to the Church
were good signs.