A HIDEOUS LEGAL FAPCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7366, 18 January 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

A HIDEOUS LEGAL FAPCE

"WHAT TS MURDER?"

"Notwithstanding- that the jury feel compelled by the evidence to return this verdict, they also feel strongly that there was no moral guilt on the part of the woman, such as is associated with the term 'murder.' "

This was the jury's rider to the verdict of murder they were compelled by law to find against the young Frenchwoman Elise 'lienaud, who is the surviving 1 victim of the love tragedy which took place v. Queen's Hotel, Leicester Square, early in October. The details .of the tragedy may be briefly recapitulated. Elise and her lover, Ariuand Quittelier, finding their way to matrimony blocked by financial and other circumstances, agreed to die together 1 . Quittelier bought a revolver, and on n flower-bestrewn bed the unhappy couple laid down to die. liie man shot himself, and tnen Elise tried to do the same to herself, but as it happened the wound she contrived to inflict was not fatal, and she is now convalescing at Charing .Cross Hospital. When the enquiry into the death of Quittelier was concluded by the coroner- a few days ago, that gentleman, in his charge to the jury, said the serious proposition in law was that if it was proved, not as a probability, but absolutely, that these two persons agreed to commit suicide, and one died, the survivor might be charged with murder." It might not be what was popularly considered as murder at all, but that was the law. It was clear from the evidence that these two people determined to die together, and Lneir letters described how the inten^on was to be carried out — the man was to shoot himself first, and then the woman was to shoot herself. If the jury were satisfied with the evidence, they must return a verdict of murder against the woman, unless they gave her the benefit 'of the doubt.

The jury ' found that the deceased and Renaua agreed to commit suicide, and that in pursuance of that agreement Quittelier did commit suiside.

The Coroner: If you find that, it is my duty to tell j'ou that it is a verdict of murder against the woman.

A juror: We cannot alter the law; but I do not see that she is moralty guilty.

The foreman said that some of his colleagues were reluctant to agree to the verdict on account of the charge of murder hanging over the woman. He added, "We all think it is a most unjust law to indict the woman for murder in a case of this kind."

The Coroner: .You might add a rider to that effect; but I may tell you that no rider will prevent her being committed for trial.

And unless Elise Renaud dies before the next session she will be arraigned there on a charge of murder. It is a brutal and stupid law that makes so hideous a farce possible. .

AMERICANISING LONDON.

SKYSCRAPERS IN THE STRAND.

The Americanising of London is ■proceeding apace. The "Times" tells us that an influential Anglo-Ameri-can syndicate has been formed for the purpose of erecting in the heart of London an office building, on American lines, which will be "the largest and handsomest structure of its kind in the world," and is to cost two millions sterling. The syndicate has submitted, to the London County Council a written application for a 999 years' lease of the site, which, it is understood, is on the north, side of the Strand, between the two points at which the new street from. Holborn will debouch on the Strand. The frontage to the Strand will be about 250 yards, whilst in the adjoining streets the frontages will be even longer. "On American lines" means, of course, that the building will be a gigantic structure of steel, faced with stone, and will be abundantly supplied with lifts, as well as with heating and lighting arrangements worked from a common source in the basement. T.he building is to be eight storeys in height, but a portion of it will rise to ten storeys; and in the centre will be a rotunda under a lofty dome, to serve as a general rendezvous. It is estimated that the floor space available for letting will amount to 900.000 square feet, and that the building will contain 6000 rooms. The basement will consist of extensive safe deposits, a large restaurant, engines, boilers and machinery, for furnishing heat, electric light, and power necessary for thirty lifts. The ground floor will contain accommodation for banks and insurance companies requiring large rooms, and for shops. The upper floors will be given up to offices. The rents payable by the tenants are to include charges for heating and elecIric lighting, cleaning and telephone ser\ice. Tt is estimated that the annual maintenance charged will be upwards of •EP.5.000. and ' that the construction will occxipy over two years. The members of the syndicate who signed the application to the London County Council are Sir TM chard Farrant, Earl Grey. Sir C. AYilson. the Earl of Kintore, Messrs. Frederic P>. Esler (New York), George Cnrnwnllis West; Charles S. Drummond. .T. Oakley Maund and C. Sheriff Hilton. '•

Those who know the style of office buildinjr* which menace the heavens above Chicago and New York — "dryqoods orates upside down" they have been called — will utter a pious prayer that London may be saved from such. And it may be taken for granted tha+ the London County Council will not allow of the erection in the heart of the metropolis of such ghastly examples of the triumph of utilitarianism over the aesthetical. though heaven knows there is little beauty in' the frontncp which the Council has permitted to be added to that gigantic oarnAfinserei, the Hotel Cecil. The new building, if 'tis ever erected, will dwarf even that monster building", nnd unless architects can be found who can combine beauty and bulk the •£ 2.000.000 pilp will be a source of upvpr-endiucr regret to Londoners.