BEAUTY ON TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12740, 17 December 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

BEAUTY ON TRIAL.

TRIPLE CHARGE AGAINST A YOUNG . WOMAN. A sensational case is now occupying the Court of Audi, in the Gers. Madame Galtie is on trial for the poisoning of her husband, who was a justice of the peace, of her grandmother, and of her brother, each of whom had been insured. The case attracts great attention, and, if ail the charges against Rachel Galtie be proved, she will take her place in the gallery-of the most notorious criminals of all time. The woman is beautiful to look upon, but she has cruel eyes and thin lips, which she keeps well closed, except when answering questions. In Court she seems to be absolutely indifferent to everything, and listens to the judge's scathing denunciation of her conduct without flinching. Her,past was brought up, but she merely smiled as the judge told how, when a girl, she used to sew the ears of cats together, and stick crochet . needles in the .eyes of canaries. Once she seemed to flare up for a moment, when tht president reminded her that her father had seen her sitting in the lap 0* a young man on the day of her brother's death. '* He did not see us." she said, quickly, and repeated the words when the judge persisted in contradicting her. All that Rachel Galtie will admit is one charge, that of having stolen money and jewellery from one of her friends, Madame Larrien, whose house ehe tried to burn down. This extraordinary woman Galtie wanted money fo; dress, jewellery, and trips to Paria. She lived with her husband, the justice of the peace, in Saint-Oar, a quiet out-of-the-way little place, but containing some other young married' women, who were better off then herself. These even looked down upon her, as she was a butcher's daughter and thy wife of a man who bad barely £90 a year as a minor law official. Rachel Galtie resolved, therefore, to get money by any means, to as to lie equal with the richer women, who sneered at her. Arsenic was the stuff used by accused, according to tho indictment, but she strenuously affirmed that she only bought the poison for rats. "There were nc* rat's in the house,"' said the judge. One of the witnesses states that accused adhered to her original affirmation, even when reminded that the post-mortem examination of the bodies of her victims established the fact that arsenic had been used. " I assure you, " Ah: insisted, "that the .stuff was for rat.*.' " Oh! there were rats everywhere you went," retorted the judge, and Madame Gakie nodded in the affirmative. Among the principal witnesses called was a veterinary surgeon, who told some arsenic to accused. He stated that he at first gave the stuff to Madame Galtie herself. Three days later he was surprised to find the servant of accused corning to him for more arsenic. He told the girl that he had already given her mistress enough arsenic to poison all the nits in the town. The servant replied that the rats were eating up the stuff like magic. .Another important witness was a cheinkt, who- also supplied arsenic to Madame Galtk, and who, when he heard of the deaths of her husband, grandmother, and brother, had his suspicion!;, which he subsequentlv communicated to the Procurator of the Republic. Madame Larrien, the woman from whom accused admitted that she stole jewels, deposed that Madame Galtie was quite gay on the day of her brother's death. A "doctor, who attended the brother, Gaston Dupont, said that the young man showed all the symptoms of having been poisoned. Madame La.men likewise affirmed that Gaston Dupont suffered fearful pains before he died, and that his cries and moans were terrible to hear. His sister, accused, was at the same time attributing his illness to some whipped cream, which he had taken at table. The same witness? deposed as to the fire at her residence, during which liei jewels and other articles were stolen. Prisoner was eventually adjudged guilty, and sentenced to 20 years' penal servitude. She took her sentence* »;i,lii the utmost coolness.