A SENSATIONAL TRIAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1226, 28 August 1885, Page 3

A SENSATIONAL TRIAL.

[Dunedin “Star’s” London correspondent].

One of those extraordinary cases which seem to occur frequent y nowadays in Paris, but which would not be tolerable in anv ocher civilised community, has just been creating a pretty stir. The hero is Dr Quinet, a Belgian physician, who in Ma ch last deliberately shot and well nigh killed a banker’s elerk named Bayot in the Boulevard 'Haussman, one of I lie principal streets in Paris. The trial came on at the Seine Assizes last week, and, as in several cases of a similar kin I lately, ex ited considerable sen-ation. The accuse I, it seems, settled down to practice at Gilly, near Charieroi, in ISC7. “In the f.•Mowing year be fell in love with a young lady Laura Gaunteaux, who was about to he married to a Belgian officer Incmseque ce of his advances an arrangement was come to with the lady that. the consent of her parents should be obtained by an elopement The officer was allowed to continue his addresses and even to send his marriage ptfesenta. Then a few days before the date fixed for wedding Millie. Gonteaux went away to Paris. The accused explained to the father what had happened, and asked leave to marry the d m.liter, demanding at the same time the dowry tint was co have been given to the officer. His proposal wis rejected, and the lovers, after a trip to England and America, returned to Gilly. Years passed away,t,lie doctor worked haol and successfully at his profession. He had a family of eight chil Iren. Mdme. Quinet j had a school friend the wife of a M. Bayot, employed in ? bank at Gilly, whom she occasionally visited. An improper intimacy sprang up between her and M. Bayot. Anonymous le' ters were sent to the doctor; but he suppose ! them to be calumnies On the 7tli of February, ISS4, Mdme Qumet and Bayot weretunn 1 in company in a Held near the town, and were recognised and pursued by a hooting crowd Or Quinet 1 could no longer resist the evidence of ids j wife’s infidelity, and he turned her out of doors. Through a respectab'e friend of her ' family, Mdme Quinet sought a r concilia- 1 lion- The doctor said tint if she avoid ! go into a convent for a time he avoul 1 emsi !er avhat he shout I do. She refused, avunt to stay with an old servant, fell seriously ill, t and was taken buck and attended by her \ husband. But when she hud recovered be again forced her to quit his bouse. Sue then wrote a lung letter, acknowledging all her offences, and among other things expressed doubts of tie legitimacy of b nseventh child. She implored her luisb nd’s pardon, and offered to go and kill Bayot. She still refused to go to convent., but aa’as allowed to return to her hush,mil’s home to pack up her clothes. On lids occasion the husband and av fe met, and she avas tunic i into the street without shoes or sufficient clothing. On the 22nd of November she joined Bayot at Paris whore he had obtained a situation ina merchant's office, having been obliged ti leave Gilly in const:

quenoe of the public scandal which his conduct hid caused. Dr Q i net suspected that his iyifo had cone to Palis, but could obtain no ti lings of her. He threatened to several persons that lie would kill Bayot, and at last lie resolved to goto Paris and tin I him Ot March sho left Gilly with a young man who knew the French capital, and who wis to act as liis guide there. They re died Par s at Midnight. That morning at seven o’clock t hey proceeded to Biyot’s house, in the Rue Per (linnet, and stoo 1 at some dist nice from the door. The doctor was armed with a revolver, which ho adin’ts he hid bought with a view to pnnidt Biyot. He had besides in his pocket a large knife, which he had used in hunting the wild hoar. Biyot nine out of his door at halt past eight o’clock, bavin i his little boy by the hau l. Dr Quinet having seen him, went alone to a place near the ■ house in the Boulevard Baussmann where Bayot was employe I, and waited there for him. Bayot c one to the spot with Madame Quinet. When ho saw Dr Quinet he screamed out ‘ Help I Murder I’ and ran in great terror from one place to another, not knowing what he di L He took hold of a young ra m by the arms, saying‘They want to kill me! Save me!’ iln his alarm aud confusion he ran against two persons in the street, who fell with him to the ground. Dr Quinet came up with his revolver, anl, in spite of the efforts made to stop him, discharged it at the breast of his enemy. The wound was serious, but the hall was extracto I, and in six weeks the wonn led man had recovered. Madame Quinet heard the discharge of the revolver and ran away. She has not since been heird of, and is supposed to have gone to America. The info mation obtained as to the character of the a censed is very favourable to him. He is said to he a hard working and houorabio man, who enjoys the respect and confidence of his feliowtownsmen. His appearance produced a very favorable impression on the audience. In his examina ion he said that lie did not, mean to kill Bayot, but, to take him by the neck and drag him before his wife. Biyot is a tall man of forty-two. In reply to questions, ho said that Dr Quinet had tired at him because he (the witness) had rc'a tions with the prisoner's wife. The Judge having asked the witness if ho had betrayed his friend, he said that he c nil 1 no protect himself from the lady, avho had made advances. He did not know what had become of her. Another witness, Prull, aged seventeen, a clerk in an architect’s office, said that Bayot seized him and made him a screen against the doct or. He and another person fell with Bayot on the pavement, and it was then that Dr Quinet came up and fired his revolver. The Ad-vocate-Genc-al, M. Bernard, denounced the victim in the strongest terms, amid groat applause, and apparently only supported the accusation in order to give the defence the easy opportunity of destroying it. M. Desjardins, counsel for the defence, made a telling speech, after which the jury acquitted the prisoner—a result foreseen all along.'*;