THE LATE TRAGEDY IN THE FRENCH ASSEMBLY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1445, 2 February 1885, Page 2

THE LATE TRAGEDY IN THE FRENCH ASSEMBLY.

A friend of Madame Clovis Hugaes, vho shot M. Morin in the French Assembly the other day, has paid a visit to the accused in the St, Lazue prison—which receives all the female murderers, pickpockets, and bad characters of Paris and its precints—and has given the following particulars of an interview : —Her face was pale, thin, and worn ; her eyes haggard and sunken, and showed many traces of sleepless nights. On being asked by her friend how she had brought herself to commit the murder, Madame Hugues said ; “ In my utter ignorance of legal procedure, I was under the impression that Morin, in suffering judgment by dafault, would be entitled to no further appeal. I accordingly had but one thought —to kill this mm who wanted to rob me

of something more precious to me than life, my honor as a woman, my happiness as a wife. Soon the thought became besetting. Whenever I met a thin man with a rown beard in the streets I thought it was Morin. I knew my husband would make sure of the revolver I hud, so I went to a gunsmith near the Louvre. Up to the last moment I succeeded in concealing everything from my husband. Well, I could sleep no longer. I had but one idea—to put my whole life-history before an assize court. It was not vengeance only which impelled me ; I wanted to have a great trial. Once, and once only, I was nearly stopped by the thought that perhaps this man had a mother. But no ; after inquiry, I heard that his family had ceased all connection with him. And

then I recollected again what I had suffered. Morin, every time he saw me, sneered as one who would say, “ I shall not have to go to prison, you know.” But I do know that I should have fired at the last moment had he not looked insolently at me. At the last trial Morin camearmei; he had even made me feel his revolver in passing close to me. I was persuaded that this time also he was armed. It seemed to me something akin

to a duel. I would have liked him to fire at me. I assure you that I should not have been so wild with a man who had endeavored to murder me. I could have asked par ion for a murderer, but what this man did, was it not much more horrible than a thrust from the knife of an assassin ? ... During the early days after the event I was told that he would be cured, but when I heard of his terrible sufferings I became ill. Since that time I have not slept, and I did not wish to sleep. When I laid myself down I saw him at the Palais, blood-stained, with his face pale, weakened, and with closed eyes. I only see him now like that. To avoid this nightmare I prefer not to sleep. I have no remorse, but the date of this event will remain graven in my memory for«ver. ” To another visitor she declared that despite her present* “ lowspiritedness ” she will be perfectly restored when the dramatic hour of her trial comes, and that she hopes to produce a good effect upon the jury.—European Mail .