THE FRENCH MURDERERS IN PERSON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 5

THE FRENCH MURDERERS IN PERSON.

An Interview.

The wifo of tho dopufcy for Marseilles in detained whilu awaiting her trial in the St. Laznre Prison, that vast and gloomy pile which stands at the top of tho Faubourg St Deniso, It is this prison which receives all the fomalo nuirderors, pickpockets, andbad characters of Paris and its procincts, that is continually haunted by men of tho moat depraved class, who await tho discharge from prison of the womon with whom they associate. In entering the gaol for the purpose of cooing one of tlio inmates, two massive doors have to bo passed before arriving at tho parlour whoro interviews tako place between the prisoners and their friends. This place, which also serves for magisterial examinations, is furnished with tho utmost simplicity. Its only ornament, if sn it can bo called, consists in the lock on tho door, which, lik<oil tho othor Jocks in tho establishment, is of largo proportions. Tho keys hanging from tho girdles of tho warders arc in them selves formidable instruments of defence as veil as articles of uso and necessity. In tlie'door is a glass panel, through which the warder on duty in the corridor outsido can look into tho parlour. From a window in this room cau bo disccrnod tho court below, in which the prisoners are visible, passing to and fro, accompanied by sinters, who direct them to their daily tasks at tho samo timo that tlioy oudeavour to instil into their corrupted hearts the principles of morality. Now and then the huge front portal swings open andtholarire black van arrives, guarded by municipal troops, and biingir.g up a fresh contingent of palefaced but hardened criminals. Such wos tho place where Madame Clovis Uugues was visited by her friend. She appeared accompanied by a warder, who locked tho door of the parlour when sho had entered it, according to «. custom which seems to havo been adopted for tho purpose of perpetually reminding the inmates of St. La/.are that they are between bolts and bora. Her face was pale, thin, and worn ; her eyes were haggard and iunken, and showed many traces of the .sleepless nights which tho accused has passed since (irsfTshe heard of the atrocious sufferings of the unfortunate M. Morln. Madame Clovis Iluguoa is still attired in tho large fur cloak which she wore on the" day of M. Morin's murder, and the hanging sleeves of which served to conceal the revolver until tho moment of its use. On being asked by her friend how she had brought herself to commit the premeditated murder of which sho was guilty, Madame Hugues said : •' You must know that I had a reason for killing Morin at the timo I did so. I had intended to kill him when the case first came on, but poople told me that if I did so then I should bo accused of hindering light from being thrown on the" whole matter ; so I refrained from carrying out my intention?. But when I saw a new

Riunmoni to tho Appeal Court, all my

former anger Hushed up to my head. I thought to myself, all those infamous libels ii c a'/ain tn be repeated. In my utter ignorance of legal procedure, I was under i in: impression that Morin, in suffering judgment by default, would bo entitled to no further appeal. I accordingly had but une thought—to kill this man who wanted In rob mo of something more precious tluui

life, my honour as a woman, my happiness nn a wife. Soon the thought becamo besetting. Whenever I mot a thin man with

a brown board in the street I thought it was Morin, I lookod fer him everywhere, My mother fell ill, and 1 went to nurse her ; but oven by hor bedside I boilod with impatienco, ft. was nocessary, I thought, to strike down thin wretch thoroughly. At each moinont somo now obstaclo intervened. I know my husband would make sure of the revolver I had, *<o I wont to a gunsmith near the Louvre, and my fcoart beat hard when I asked to «co some revolvers. I had to toll a Ho. I said I was entrusted with a commission—that, in fact, 1 was going to tho country that evening. The man showed mo two lovolvorn, ono small, tho other huge. I hesitated in my choice Ono of tlio rovolvers was too large to bo concealoJ, the other too small for my purpose. 'Take the big one,1 snid the man ; ' with that you will bo able to kill your man better than with the other.' I put twelve francs down quickly on tho counter, and hastonad away with tho weapon, Up to the last moment 1 succeeded in concealing everything from my husband. I calmed him, I prevented him from doing any violence. I [k><J to uuo all my influence with him. Well, J could sloop no longer. 1 had but one idea to put my whole libhistory before an assi/.o court. It was not vengeance only which impelled mo ; Iwaited

to have a great trial. Once, and once only, I was nearly stopped by the thought that perhaps thiM man hud a mother. IJutno; after inquiry, 1 heard that his family had ceased all connection with him. And then 1 recollected again what I had suffered. Yon know my husband, Clovis, is improssionablo, and only ho and I can say what tortures those anonymous lottoiv, thoso halfexpressed and wholly-meant calumnios, caused to us, and how thoy tore and lacerated our feeling.s. All that did more injury than the bullots of the revolver. Tho terriblo words uttorod by somebody, ' There is no smoke without tire,' at every moment haunted us ; and Morin, ovory time ho saw me, sneered aa ouo who should say, 'I ahull not huve to ■_r o to prison, you know.' But I do not know that 1 should have fired at tho last moment hud ho not lookod insolently at me. ]'n descending the stairs of tho Palais, my limbs seen.od to grow weak, but my will, which is always etrongorthan anything else, remained so, and f fired. But I fired because I raw him distinctly beforo mo. My preoccupation whou I first resolved to kill this man was to Uo so. without injuring anyone else. Had there beon any ono by his sido, J should not havo fired. I had another preoccupation—l did not want to hit him in tho back—' wanted to kill him face to face. At tho lust trial Morin came armed ; ho had oven made mo fool his revolver In passing close to me. I was persuaded that this time also he was armed. It seemed to mo something akin to a duel. I would have liked him to tire at mo I assure you that 1 should not have beon so wild with a man who had endeavoured to murder me. 1 could havo u«kod pardon for a murdoror, but what this man did, was it not much more horrible than a thrust from the knife of an asßAtsin? .... i havo had noqualmn

of remorse, but it is hard to havo boon obliged to do as I havo done. After two days.' imprisonment my strength failod, n nil 1 wopt \o\\tf and bitterly. The romomhrwiiH! of this will Hidden my lifo. I roooiied n masculine oducation from my lather in oxile, but 1 »m n woman, anil my strength Is limitod. I have already «uttered much, and am still siiU'oiiinj. During tho early days after the evont 1 was told that he would bo cured, but when I hoard of his torriblo sufferings, I boeamo ill. Since that time I have not slept, and I did not wish to sleop. When I laid mysolf down, 1 saw him at tho Palais, blood-ntainod, and with closod oyes. I only .«ee him now liko that. To avoid this nightmare I profor not to sloop. I have no remorse, but tho datool thin event will remain graven in my memory for over. Only fifteen days havo olnpaod uinco thon. Toari sometimos console me. I havo endured a teniblo tension lately. I pas« whole clays in tho judge's room answering questions, mid it fatigues mi; but tho p.ro.Uwinary examinations aro now over. Yesterday I underwent a painful impxeuion when Ih.iw in M. AthaHn'a rco.m Morin's mistress, n pretty woman, *(>O, WO was angry with m.c, and called mo "La Fommo liugues." However, I hopo that sho wi'l be asked at tho trial whether Morin had any proofs against mo, boc:au.«o sho told tho judgo hero that ho had not, And, as you know, it was said I lind killed Morin through fear of his producing proofs against me at tho Appeal Court." In conclusion Madame Hugues oxpressod hor repugnance to tho prison ami its inmatos, most of whom wore Vfoinon who had committed the most; horrible orimes. — "Daily Telsgraph."