HUSBAND'S LUCKY ESCAPES.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 216, 10 September 1921, Page 19

HUSBAND'S LUCKY ESCAPES.

I , TJie story of a husband's three remarkable escapes from murder at the hands of his , wife and her lover was disclosed In a case 'tieard at East Flanders Assizes. Florent : Itoggeman and his wife Malvina, both 30 years of age nnd of tho labouring class, lived In the village of Berlder, but after the Armistice, failing, to find work there, illoggeman went to France, During his absence his wife had made the acquaintance of .1 factory hand named yanneker, with whom, although she already had three children, she lived. She conceived such an ; afrectiou for Mm that when her husband returned she readily lent herself to a scheme to get him out of tho way once and for all. Purchasing some rat poison at the shop of the village apothecary, ehe dropped it into i her husband's evening cup <»f coffee. I Uoggeman raised uue cup to hid lips, and i Immediately dashed it to the ground, saying ; It was of a filthy taste. Baffled in her first ; attempt, the woman let Vanackcr Into the • house at mHnlght whilst her husband slept. I According to a prearranged plan, Vanacker j' approached the sleeping man with the intention of cutting, hie throat. He had raised the razor to do so, when liis nerve ( failed him, and telling the woman he could not stand the eight of blood, he left the ' house. Tho husband, unsuspecting the plot against him, walked right into the next trap that was laid for him. Tie coople had arranged tbat Vanackcr should shoot him as 1 . Uoggeman returned with his wife from a local festival. At a signal from the woman, ' 'Vanocker came out of a copse T>y the road- • side, and rushing at Rosgeman fired at him. • .Roggeman, more frightened than hurt, for 5 the shot went wide, took to his heels in i mortal fear. In his calmer moments, howi ever, he worked out the significance of these three attempts on bis life—for although he . i was asleep at the time of the second one, , ' local gossip had let him know that i : Vanacker had been to the house that night • i —and he laid information with the police. I'Evidence was collected, and the pair being •' found guilty of attempted murder in the 1 first degree, Vanacker was sentenced to 1C i I years' imprisonment and the woman to 15.