Love and Crime.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7704, 5 January 1905, Page 4

Love and Crime.

A HUSBAND PUT OUT OF THE

WAY, PARAMOURS GET TWENTY YEARS' PENAL, As reported by cablegram, a sensational trial concluded in Aix, France, a few days ago. Edouard Hubac and Alice Aiassot were convicted of poisoning the woman's husband, and each was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. The crime for which Hubac and Madame Massot have been sentenced is one of the most sensational that has occurred in the South oi'France for many years. I-lubnc is the son of one of the princinal judges in Marseilles, and Madame Massot was a resident of the same city, her husband being a purser in the service of the Messageries Maritimcs Company. Hubac, who 'is twenty-three years of age, became the lover of Madame Massot before he attained his majority, and eventually thcy-Ttte-cided upon poisonisg the husband on his return from a voyage. Hubac, being a medical student, had little difficulty in obtaining poison, and when Massot came home his wife administered it in small Quantities, and about the middle of 1903| he died. He was buried without any suspicion bring aroused, and it was not until the beginning of December, 1903, that the ipolice were put on the track by the receipt of anonymous letters. The writer of these was traced, and found to be a servant formerly in the employ of Madame Massot, /and statements obtained from this girl led to the body of Massot -being exhumed. Poison was found, and the detectives arrested the widow and her lover. On being questioned separately, they admitted their guilt, and Hubac cried jauntily as he left the judge d'instruction : "I am glad it is all out. Now, when things have passed over, 1 can marry her and live happily,"- The social position of the man and the beauty of the woman led to great interest being taken in the crime. The news of Huljac's arrest was broken to his father by another judge. The venue of the trial ,was apparently changed to Aix owing to the local influences operative at | Marseilles. Massot was at one 'time a deck officer in the Messageries Maritimcs Company, and was on the bridge of the Arniand Behic, when that vessel had a very; narrow escape from being wrecKed some years ago when negotiating Backstairs Passage, at the entrance to the Gulf of St. Vincent, in South Australia. Inquiry showed- that ■ the dangerous position of the vessel was due to the defective eyesight of Massot, and he was made purser.