MME. STEINHEIL FREE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7016, 3 January 1910, Page 7

MME. STEINHEIL FREE

DBAMATIC SCENES AT CLOSE OF THE TRIAL" EXCITEMENT IN.PAMS' “On my Sou! and conscience, before God and man, .the answer of the jury is ‘No’ to all the questions." In these words the ’ foreman of the jury announced the result of their deliberation's in the Steinheil trial at five minutes past one o'clock on- Sunday morning (November 'l4th) after oiio of tho most exciting and strenuous days ever experienced in a court of justice.. Describing the final scene, “The Standard's” correspondent says ; Never have the precincts cf any court been tho scene of'tho conflicting emotions and frenzied outbursts of triumph that greeted the acquittal of MiUo.Stemheil. No king or .queen, victorious general. or public idol has ever stirred the enthusiasm of Paris to its core like the unhappy woman whoso iu'-nths'of martyrdom thou ended in it verdict'cf “Not guilty” on every count of fife charge against her. From noon to one a.ra. — thirteen hours—the interest of millions of Frenchmen centred round the rocm where twelve citizens were weighing the issues of life and death regarding one frail fellow-creature. The theatres were filled: there was a first night at (ho Vaudeville, and "Lohengrin” at tho Opera, but the thoughts cf most wore far from the mimic stage®, and few dreamed of going to rest until the .result of the great trial was known. Several of the leading newspapers had kept motor cars by tho dozen drawn up at every o-ate loading to the court, and when the verdict was known they raced through the streets, journalists and chauffeurs alike wildly waving their hands and shouting tho nows of the acquittal. A® the, news spread, like fire under a wind: along the boulevards and up to Montmartre, the cafes, full of those who were waiting, burst into music and cheers, whilst men and women, danced and kissed and cried in semi-delirium. “Mafeking Day” in London is the only comparison that can be imagined for the hour of “Steinheil Night” in Paris. WAITING FOB THE JUEY.

The tension of the waiting for the jury became unendurable as the minutes dragged on. At five minutes past one the door Opened and the twelve marched in. From the other aide appeared Me. Aubin and his two juniors. , Somebody declared that Me. Steinhardt had made a sign of clapping; his hands. The jury wore actuallv smiling, and so was the president,, and .even the grim Public Prosecutor. It appeared incredible, after the despondency of the last two hours. M. de Valles proclaimed that he would not tolerate any demonstrations, and then the foreman of the .jury stood up, flourishing a paper in his hand, a stout, thick-set man with a resolute face, ou p-hich a thousand eyes were fixed. Without a second’s hesitation he read out in a loud, clear voice the verdict of acquittal.

FRENZIED EXCITEMENT. -f What followed defies description. I.ikd a (thunderclap, the violent, pent-up emotion of the who’e court found vent in one frantic, roaring cheer. “Bravos” rang from floor to ceiling till the windows shook. Barristers '.threw, up their caps, some climbed on the benches waving handkerchiefs, others thumped the desk, and the wave of exultant applause rolled and echoed along the corridors

till it reached the street and burst out-: side. | '■ Then the prisoner's door opened, and followed by an anxie ,'.s doctor,.; and /bed";! r twecii two burly guards in uniform, supporting it os ca'refully and gently’as' ; nurses with a child, appeared the now familiar little black figure , veiled ;; in ::t •crape. Her lawyers had not dared ixc toll her yet, and she had long given up . .all hope. Her counsel had indeed scarce-''-'— ly ventured to- encourage, her,- and when they knew the acquittal they: feared the. good news might prove fata.]. $o ; ,1 only begged heir to believe in the jetty. When the guards came to fetch her they Were themselves as pale as a. sheet, and N lifted rather than led heritor the last N time,- into the dock. For a moment ehi> , stood clutching the woodenii rail;*:and-. j 1 her wide-open, tragic , eye® only saw a , sea of upturned faces—an outstretched '. friendly hand and a, confused .mass of f flying blttck,robes. Her ears only heard • a din' Of inarticulate delight, carrying . id her the message "acgulttctL"/-'. ■thw-;.?; ■ drowned the president's voice; i 'si that, she was free. : - i'. , MME. STEINHEIL FAINTS. The shock' was evidently too sudden; i and swaying' once her fingers loosened.- - she fell bock in a faint, to bo carried ‘ - out —her deathly-white face wet:with 1 3 (ears, and her brown, hair clinging - ;• damply to her forehead. She was finally ;■ - taken away by Me.' Aubiu'e two secret tarics in a motor car towards . two ; 3 o'clock to the Hotel Terminus. A/bogus, t - motor car with a veiled woman was first ' / 3 despatched from the court, and was fob " 3 lowed by all the newspaper, motor Mrs j 3 round Paris, thus ePabling the acquitted L-j } prisoner to evade pursuit and .. infer-, :J : views. Early next morning she left Pans 1 for a, destination which was kept , a • c profound secret, when she , saw her 2 daughter, who was staying with relative* .1 r of the late M. Steinheil. So endexi a drama never equalled on w ‘ any stage, and il am .compelled to add - a painful exhibition, of the torture's to J which an innocent victim may be put by ;:f } the vices of a procedure which will { probably now be reformed. ii