AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 590, 10 May 1876, Page 3

AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

{From a correspondent of the Press) PARIS, March 9. Perigueux for the moment absorbs as much attention as Versailles, the assizes of that city being occupied trying three persons for a “ most sacrilegious murder,” whose horrible details have no parallel in the annals of crime, and which afford in addition, a strange page in social history. Jean Garrigues, the victim, was a rich peasant farmer, aged fifty-four, anddied in October, 1874, after three weeks atrocious sufferings from arsenical poisonings. His son, wife, and farm servant, are arraigned for the murder. The deceased was a thrifty, hard-working man, who had the worthy ambition to make his son a gentleman, by giving him a first class education, and the profession of physician. To accomplish this end, the father mortgaged his property and reduced himself to positive want. A man with these ideas, and following them up with such resolutions and sacrifices, has claims for sympathy and respect. The father of Horace also laudably worked to raise his son to a nobler social condition by means of a superior education, Opinion agrees, that the deceased was obstinate, but differs as to his addiction to drink. His wife was a notoriously bad character, her immorality was flagrant, so there is nothing astonishing that their home was unhappy. After seven years passed in Paris, the son returned home with his medical diploma ; he speedily displayed a disgust and contempt for the homely maners of his peasant father, and trading upon the wicked character of his mother, made no secret of his anxiety to get xid of him. To further his designs, he installed as man of all work near his father, an individual named Issier, a disreputable character, who speedily became master, for the doctor lived in another

j locality with bis young wife. The mother ( not only hated her husband with a Duchesse de Septmont abhorrence, but desired to wed Issier ; the son bought in the mortgage of bis father’s holding, then ejected him, and refusing to support him, was condemned by Ihe Courts to allow him a pension of 600 f a year ; he openly avowed his intention of being relieved of this liability very soon. So much for the motives of the crime, and the means commenced by an attempt in March, 1871, to poison the father’s soup, for he was quite cognisant that his death was contemplated. The wife was the head devil in the business, and she lived form time to time under the same roof as her husband, but in a separate room. She incited the servants to maltreat him ; killing him she plainly stated would be the greatest pleasure to bestow on her ; she waylaid him to roll a stone on his head, and urged a cowherd to stick him with a stable fork and throw his “ carcass ” under the bullocks to suggest the latter had gored him, Threa tened folks live long. In September, 1871, the mother, son, had a dinner ; the father was absent ; a portion of a hare was put aside for his supper ; it was poisoned Next day the man was ill, violent vomitings became continuous, his drinks were all poisoned ; when he rolled in agony the wife and Issier enjoyed the scene as if it were a play ; his thirst was terrible, so they supplied him with “ buckets ” of water. His son refused to visit ; another doctor did so however, and his prescriptions instead of soothing made the patient worse—the potions were dosed with arsenic. A few hours before dying Garrigues requested his wife to come and bid him farewell ; although in the next room, she refused. When he died there was delight in the house ; the Thracians made merry on such occasions also. Issier stepped not only into the dead man’s shoes, but into his clothes, and he had made the coffin, according to the sou’s directions, a week in advance; it was too narrow—(the coffin is exhibited in court)—so he jumped on the corpse to make it fit, demanding after each stamp, “ Why do you not complain now, old Cicero?" A supper and dance were given in honor of the happy release ; the six hours’ old widow indulging in a dance called the “ Congo,’ where jupons are tucked up very high. She found a few minutes to slip into the death chamber and art fire to the coffin, but the flames were ex tinguished soon. The widow declared she had not time to seek a clergyman to perform the funeral service, as she was too busy superintending the slaughtering of a fat p : g to feast her friends. Part of ihe trial had to be heard with closed doors ; it is whispered that this examination touched upon a Sepoy mutilation of the remains, aggravated with the outrage that put an end to the life of Edward 11. at Berkeley Castle. The exhumation of the body led to the three arrests. The son is a splendidly-formed man, aged thirty-two, of distinguished intelligence——indeed all the accused are remarkably intelligent. He tried to escape from prison twice, and for a time feigned madness. There is no question of his inhumanity ; he was well aware of the perpetration of the crime, winked at it, and desired its accomplishment ; he did not give arsenic, but he took no precautions against others obtaining it in his dispensary ; he conversed about its effects, and the different means for employing it, but his connection with the actual commission of the crime so far, can only be inferred. Of the mother’s guilt there is no doubt, and she is destined, despite her age, fifty-four, to make an acquaintance with the latest improvement in the guillotiug. During her examination she fidgets and spits like a Catherine wheel ; argues with the judge like counsel, and positively tripped him up on a point of law. The jury will scarcely allow the wretch of a son to escape, so will likely find him and Issier guilty with extenuating circumstances. This will protect their heads, and the judge will save them from all anxiety how to live for the remainder of their natural lives. Since Dr Pommeraye was executed, France has had no Palmer in her dock. Only think this crime and these manners took place in the richest and most enlightened part of the realm —not far from Bordeaux,

The French, it is not unreasonable to hope, will in a little time resemble Hardoastle, who had no turn for politics. He said, “ There was a time indeed I fretted myself abou 1 -. the mistakes of government, like other people ; but finding myself every day grow more angry, and the Government growing no better, I left it to mend itself.” The Republicans are rapidly coming round to this state of mind ; the completed elections give them a net majority of thirty in the Senate of 300 members, and in the Chamber of 174, in a total of 534 deputies. Nothing then can make the Republic rue, if Republicans to themselves do rest but true. Their very success imposes on them greater sagacity. The Bonapartists count some thirty of theirs in the Senate, and about eighty-three in the Chamber. What an insignificant result after the nation has been appealed to. They are the largest of the minorities, and will be the most troublesome. “ Scenes ” are to be expected as certain as flowers in May, but President Jules Grevy will know how to maintain order. If a deputy, after being three times solemnly reprimanded by the President, that is, “ called to order,” persists in his disturbance, he can be expelled, and his misconduct placarded in his electoral district at his own expense. When the new Government shall be at work, and the Republicans officially installed throughout the country, the political education of the people will make still more rapid progress than it has even done since 1870. The Bonapartists would not be even the minority they are, were it not for the patronage extended to them by the late reactionary cabinets, the spite of disappointed Royalist voters, and the faet that many of the elected are excellent local and popular men, virtues which cover many political sins. After being in power for twenty years it would be strange if the Empire did not leave behind it some admirers, regrets eternels among its placemen. Fifteen years of prudence, moderation, and patience on the part of the Republic will create a new generation. France only wants an administration that will loyally carry out her now plainly expressed desires, that will eschew keeping her in a go-cart, and that will take the initiative in all necessary ameliorations. The Government must not resemble that chief who said to his partizans, “ I am your leader, so I will follow you." It must place itself frankly at the head of opinion, and not be afraid of the country; Nearly all the internal troubles of France have originated from a deaf antagonism between the authorities and the people, and the temptation of the first to resist the second, j'as a fundamental starting point of their ostrich statesmanship. It is only necessary to observe that it is the party of M.

Thiers which is about inaugurating the regime of the Republic with Republicans, to ensure the guidance will be loyal, conservative, and sage. The country, in addition to the defeated Monarchists, has had another class of Jeremiahs to put up with—the book makers, who were simply disposed of, by being refused the liberty to bet even on the racecourse. This sweeping virtue defeated itself, and after living the life of the roses, the decree has been recalled. Were the reform persisted ir, horse racing in France was kil'el. The spectators take only a qualified pleisure, or interest, in the improving of the breed of horses by means of races, but they have a profound love for making money by bolting; not a few live as Dives on their gains, and hundreds obtain by the same means a comfortable existence. It is said that no new religion can succeed if the ladies be opposed to it ; and this ex plains why Dellinger and Hyacinthe can never cut out the Holy Father. On the other hand, it is as historical as Charlemagne that betting owes its success to the warm support it receives from the fair sex, who attend the field to wager, and take part in the war of display of toilettes, many of the latter being supplied to the distinguished wearers on the understanding that they will recommend friends. “ Some to church repair, Hot for the doctrine but the music there.” In a late betting prosecution, it was proved that the principal professional bookmaker in France made half a million of francs profit yearly. No wonder he is now the owner of the grand stand, and indeed, the course at Auteuil, He has just opened a theatre, a folic never known to fail to pro duce a Banting influence on a plethoric purse, next to which ranks in efficacy starting a newspaper to supply along felt want—that no one experienced. Then about newspapers ; by the foot of Phnroah, or the scales of Themis, at the rate journals are being lestablished here, France will not have sufficient mills to fabricate paper, and since the Garlists have been “ knocked into a cock’d hat,” and the Herzegovinians ” locked out,” her supply of rags is cut off. As every theatre in Paris pursues its extraordinary occupation on Sundays, by having two representations instead of one, so of late every “big daily” has its petit for the evening. The Sons journals arc becoming an institution in Franca ; every party starts a minnow, but only those of Liberal politics blossom like the rose. There is a sign of *he times in this The -BonaparLists demand a ‘‘national subscription” to found a tiny Goliath —“Don’t you wish you may get it?” reply the masses. The evening papers can henceforth have telegraphic summaries from Versailles of the day's legislative proceedings “up to the moment of going to press," which with many is about ten in the morning; the Government convinced by lending the wires, no revolution need be apprehended. Adieu then pigeon despatches and pony expresses, the capital is itself again. The chief manly sport with Frenchmen is foil fencing, next cigarettes, sugar and water, and beer. If the Republic be destined to celebrate its silver wedding, cricket will certainly be adopted in the Lyceums, and football in the young ladies’ academies. There have been three accidents last week from exercising with the foils ; one was mortal and the others dangerous. It is remarked that in friendly fencing, more wounds occur than *in orthodox duelling. Hangup philosophy if it cannot explain this. The carpenters are on strike, and theii grief is simply the demand to be paid every fortnight, instead of every month, The present arrangement places them at the mercy of the credit system, or worse, of those extortioners who keep marine stores, and lend only one franc at a time, at the rate of two sous a day interest. Those “ tin ” smiths who are employed in the Mint, have, it is said, some points in their charter demanding redress ; what a shame for men coining every day, but rivers will ever flow to the sea. A greater calamity still threatens the country. The supply of crayfish, if ecrevisses can be called such, is on the decline, and so a dinner will be deprived of one Lucullian luxury in their little delicate red claws. Jules Janin forgetting that they are red only when boiled, called the lobster “ the cardinal of the sea. The coevisse is the vicar-general of the river ; it is the stock of the famous red soup bisque which cannot be omitted from a supper, even were the latter a Noah’s ark, having all animals on the table. Bisque is said to cure headaches just like cheese and sour-krout, brandy and sodawater—a point worthy of rioting by guests who arrive on foot, but who return on their heads.