The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-11-08 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE OLD LOVE AND THE NEW.  Another sensational Parisian drama in real life has just occurred, the interested parties being Mdlle. Georgette Divernet, M. Hakelberger, a former lover, and M. Jan Van Beers, the well-known Belgian artist. The heroine is a blonde and elegant beauty, who, being unable to make her mark on the stage, quitted the dramatic profession for the ranks of the "Half-world." M. Hakelberger, who is about 30 years of age, beiran life as a clerk in the service of the Northern Railway Company of France. In that po.ition he had the good fortune of being able to render Madame de Rothschild a signal service, as a reward for which Baron de Rothschild gave him a post in his banking establishment, where he showed such capacity that he rose rapidly, and succeeded in making for himself a brilliant position. Becoming a true mondain, he finally took under his wiug Mdlle. Duvernet, who, beginning as a model fcr the Belgian painter, ultimately cut adrift altogether from Hakelberger, and went away with the artist. If akelberger invited her to a dinner, but she sent no reply to the invitation, and the young man of fashion armed himself with a loaded rev olver and a sword-stick and knocked at the door of his former mistress, in the Rue Prony, at 2 o'clock in the morning. The servant made no difficulty in letting him in, BO Hakelberger, lighting a candle, went straight to the room of Mdlle Duvernet, whom he found with M. Jan Van Beers. "Get out of this, or I'll murder you!" shouted Hakelberger to Jan Van Beers. The artist and the woman rushed into the drawing-room, , the infuriated visitor covering them with his revolver. Hakelberger was in a state of the greatest excitement, for, after overwhelming the woman with reproaches, he drew his sword-stick and broke the blade in slashing at the furniture in the room. Mademoiselle Duvernet was so alarmed at his violence that she ran into the servant's room, whither M. Hakelberger pursued her, and fired two shots at the ceiling. Duvernet, followed by Hakelberger, ran back to the drawing-room, where M. Van Beers was found, armed with a revolver. The sight of his rival increased the rage of M. Hakelberger, who levelled his revolver at his mistress's head. M. Van Beers cried, "You shall not kill that woman." At that moment Hakelberger drew the trigger of his revolver, but the bullet flattened itself against the wall, without wounding anyone. He then rushed into the entrance hall while M. Van Beers fired after Eni five shots from his revolver. Ilakelberger turned round and replied with the two remaining bullets in his revolver. Though ten shots had been fired, no great harm had been done, for the only wound inflicted was one on Hakelberg,er's right arm which had been grazed by a bullet. Nevertheless, his coat collar and the lappel of his coat were pierced by two other bullets. After discharging the last shot, M. Hakelberger fled and took the early morning train for Rouen, but subsequently returned to l'aris. As he was about to enter his house he was arrested. During the examination made by the Juge, M. Hakelberger said that he had intended merely to frighten Georgette by tiring in the air, but owing to the determined attitude of M. Van Beers lie aimed at that gentleman. M. Van Beers, on the contrary, stated that M. Hakelberger levelled his revolver at the woman, and this caused him to fire. liakelberger Icried out, " I am a dead man !" and the artist said "So much the better !" Mdlle. Duvernet affirmed that her old lover had previously behaved in a violent manner towards her, and that she was afraid of him. He has, accordingly, been kept under art...