A FRENCH TRAGEDY.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 March 1868, Page 65

A FRENCH TRAGEDY.

: The European Times publishes the > following:— “ Mademoiselle Juliette ■ X has just been tried before the > Court of Assizes at Vassailly. She , was accused of the murder of one Le • roy, described as one of the handsomer est young fellows of Limours, the resi- > deuce likewise of Mademoiselle X t and of her parents. This fine youuj; . fellow paid his addresses to Juliette 1 gained her affections, and, under i i solemn promise of marriage, seducer 3 her. Then, after the manner of fin< - young fellows who are also scoundrels , he refused to redeem his promise. Hi l coolly informed the girl whom he ha< 3 betrayed that he intended to . marr t another woman, and advised her ti - console herself with another man. Ii ;, vain Juliette attempted to. move hi e heart. The fellow laughed at he i grief, and told ,her that “ things wer i always managed thus.” If hereupoi Juliette had snatched up ; a knife or ; f pistol and slain the false Leroy wher • he stood, something in the way of e;s o tenuation of the crime might have bee: q urged. It was slated in her defenc t- that she meditated the commission c e suicide j but the thought occurring t it her that Leroy, being the guiltier ,c y the two, also deserved condign punish

elected to kill him first and \loi6fr afterwards. She endeavoured l to procure a pistol; but failing in thisshe purchased a dagger-knife. Makingone last appeal to Leroy, which wasrepulsed, she dealt him three “ resolute ” blows with the dagger, of which he presently died. Juliettee next attempted to herself, but the wounds she not mortal. When they were healed, she was arraigned for the murder. She denied nothing ; the evidence was ■ simple and conclusive ; 'and the president, we are told, summed up against her “ virulently,” and the jury found her not guilty of either murder or manslaughter 1 They acquitted her, and she is now a free woman.