The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-10-03 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

PARIS LOVE TRAGEDY. ENGLISHWOMAN TRIED FOR MURDER.  The trial of Mrs. Poulton for the murder of M. Glaser, of the Russian Bank, has taken place in Paris, in the Assize Court of the Seine. Mrs. Boniton is a good-looking Englishwoman, 30 years of age, a native of Ashton-under-Lyne, and she has relatives in a good position both in that town and Manchester. The court was crowded when she was led into the dock and placed between two gendarmes. She was dressed in black, and very soon by her demeanour gained the sympathies of those in court. In her examination the whole story of her life was gone over, from the time of her marriage at the age of 16 to a gentleman now living in Chester until the commission of the crime. She left her husband in 1835 owing to incompatibility of temper, and went to Germany with her only daughter, and five years later came to Paris for the purpose of placing the girl in a school. Shortly afterwards she was introduced to M. Glaser at a café, and the acquaintance ripened until she went to live with him as his inisLiess, being known as his wife during the next four years, during which time she accompanied him wherever he went. From time to time lie promised to marry her, but the promise was never carried out. When she came to Paris she had about £4,000, all of which had been spent during her residence with Glaser. She even advanced him £5OO in order to settle a claim upon him by a former mistress of hir,, named Lina Muller, who lived in Berlin. This she did of her own free will, and in her desire to help him to clear the way for their marriage. In January, 1894, however, Glaser's affection for her began to cool, and, deciding not to live with her any more, he finally installed her in an apartment, where lie used to visit her once or twice a week, lip to that time Glaser had been merely a clerk, but he was then promoted to be sub-manager of the bank, and having, it was contended, no more need of her monetary assistance, lie determined to get rid of her. In May of this year he wrote a letter to this effect, and asked her to come to tire bank to receive £5OO, which, he said, she had lent him. Mrs. Bonito° went to the bank, but was enraged at his offer, and declined to receive the money unless lie carried out his promise of marriage. Sire had a revolver with her, and produced it, and in her excitement it went off, killing Glaser on the spot. The prisoner averred, in reply to the judge's questions, that she did not know the weapon was loaded when she left home. She was strongly pressed by the judge on this point, but she never wavered from the statement that she never intended to kill Glaser, and that she could not believe him dead when she saw him lying on the floor before her. A number of witnesses were called, who spoke of the relations existing between Glaser and the accused, several of them testifying as Co the way he ill-treated her.  The jury were only about five minutes in considering their verdict, and pronounced the prisoner not guilty. Mrs. Boulton was therefore acquitted, amid applause. The judge decided to %rant If. damages in the civil action brought on behalf of the Glaser family, and ordered Mrs. lloulton to pay all the costa of the trial.