FATHER OR HUSBAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 17

FATHER OR HUSBAND.

WIFE'S CONFESSION. Ihe Palais de Justice was closing its doors, a young woman, heavily veiled and richly dressed, entered and demanded an immediate audience with the official in charge. It was granted her. In a low. firm voice she made her statement. "My name is Madame X. I have come to give myself up, for I am guilty of my husband's death." Then the story was told. Five" years ago the self-constituteti prisoner married the son of a wealthy dealer in precious stones. From a worldly point of view the match was Ideal. Husband and wife each brought a sum of £12,000 into the settlement. The former also received a salary of U.OOOgns. a year in his capacity of junior partner in his father's firm. The newly-married couple took a luxurious flat in a fashionable quarter, and a year later a child was born. From the first, however, the marriage proved unhappy. M. X. was a man of a violent temper and of not too scrupulous fidelity. Questions of interest also arose to widen the breach between husband and wife. M. X. considered that he had a Jnst grudge against his father-in-law, and scenee between the two men were frequent Sime time ago the father-in-law, as happened from time to time, was dining with his daughter and her husband. M. X. seemed moody and preocenpied, bnt the dinner passed off without unpleasantness. Over their cigars M. X. and his father-in-law discussed the question of the Balkan war and its possible reaction on the Great Powers. "In any case," said the father-in-law, "one can be sure that onr nrmy will never fail us in the hour of need." This innocent and eminently natural remark Infuriated M. X. He lea.pt from his chair, and shouted: "It's sheer nonsense yonYe talking!" adding: "If there's a war, we'll be beaten, and thoroughly. You're mad, mad. mad!" •Yon make mc think that it's you who are mad," retorted the old man, with dignity.

The words were hardly spoken before M. X. was at his throat. "This has gone on long enough; it must be ended!" he cried, and flung his father-in-law to the ground. Then, placing his foot on the old man's chest, he reached out for a Persian poniard that hung from the wall among other arms. Madame Relnhardt, who was the lady in question, had been a witness father on the ground, she ran swiftly into the next room, and seized a loaded revolver, which, as she knew only too well, her husband kept in a drawer by his bedside. The poniard was at her father's throat when she flred twice. M. X. fell unconscious over the body of his father-in-law. For a moment Madame X. stood as if turned to stone, with the smoking revolver in her hand. Then she ran to the window, flung it wide open, and called for help. Servants and the concierge ran in. To their qnestions, the husband, who had recovered his senses, replied: "There's nothing seriously the matter with mc; I was foolish enough to try to kill myself—it's all right."

A doctor was called in. and on his advice the injured man was taken to a private hospital. There good hopes of his recovery were held out. as neither bullet had touched a vital spot. Three days later, however, when M. X.. who had persisted in his version of the affair, was writing a letter to his wife, ho fell back back ou the pillows and died in a few moments. It was under the inflnence of the shock of her husband's tragic and unexpected death that Madame X. made her confession. She has been charged with voluntary homicide, but for the present has been left at liberty. The police are making diligent inquiries into the cirenmstances of the tragedy, for it is more than possible that the whole truth is not yet known.