ACTING A CRIME.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9189, 8 September 1908, Page 7

ACTING A CRIME.

The grim French procedure of "the recunstitution of the crime" is repulsive to the Briton, who has not the Frenchman's innate love of the dramatic. The practice is, however, being carried to such lengths that protests against it are being made by French people. Cot-res-pondents of Erglish papera comment on the brutality of the scene enacted in the bed-room of the murdered stock-broker Remy, who was done to death by his valet and an accomplice for the sake of his money. The murder took place after midnight, therefore the "recunstitution" could not take place till after dark —to such a length is jealism carried. The room was arranged to resemble as nearly as possible its condition on the night of the crime. The lights having been turned down, Courtoi?, the younger man, who had confessed, was bidden to tell and act his story. A detective stretched on the bad impersonated the murdered man, and Courlois and another police officer enacted the murder, after Ourtois triad been given a stiff glass of branciy to steady his nerves. Courtois stabbed the recumbent figure again and again harmlessly—and with gusto, according to reportswhile the other pretended to strangle the victim. While this was going on the other accusfid, who had affirmed his innocence;, was standing by. Suddenly the lights were turned on, with, the idea of disclosing the mock tragedy to him, and so breaking down his resolve, but without success. A scene occurred between the two accused, the one reiterating his accusation, and the other repaating the word "liar." To make the affair still more repugnant to transChannel folk, a large crowd gathered outside the house, and while the grim drama was being played, howled for the blood of the accused. On their arrival the men had narrowly escaped lynching at the hands or the infuriated mob, who apparently had little confidence in the law taking its full course. A leading paper, the "Debuts," ioundly cor,dc:r.ns the whole business. The only excuse for this torf of thing is when it is to settle 561 V.6 disputed point, but when employed with a view of extorting roil fession it is on a par with other inquisitorial mettrd 1 } which have long 1 sinca disappeared. Tho"Debats" hopes that this will be the last of * these lugubrious and useless exhibitions. Certainly they are a high price to pay for that ,sense of the theatre, the absence of which in the English some people deplore.