BEAUTY ON TRIAL.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 11, 28 January 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

BEAUTY ON TRIAL.

Triple Charge Against a Young Woman.

A sensational case is now occupying the Court of Auch, in the Gers. Madame Galtie is on trial for the poisoning of her husband, who was a justice of the peace, of her grandmother, and of her brother, each of whom had been insured. The case attracts great attention, and, if all the charges against Rachel Galtie ue proved, she will take her place in the gallery of the most notorious criminals of all time. The woman is beautiful to look upon, but she has cruel eyes and thin lips, which she ..ceps well closed, except when answering questions. In court she seems to be absolutely indifferent to everything, aiM listens to the judge's scathing denunciation of her conduct without flinching, tier past was brought up, but she meveiy smiled as the judge told how, when a girl, she used to sew the ears of cats together, and stick cfochet needles into the eyes of canaries. Once she seemed to flare up for a moment, when the president reminded her that her father had seen her sitting in the lap of a young man qn the day of her brother’s death. “He djU not see us,” she said quickly, and reflated the words when the judge persisted contradicting her. AH that Rachel fialtie will admit is one charge, that of having stolen money and jewellery from <Le of her friends, Madame Larnen, whose uouse she tried to burn down. This extraordinary woman Galtie wanted money for drese, jewellery, and trips to Paris. She lived with her husband, the justice of the peace, in Saint-Clar, a quiet, out of the way little place, but containing some other young married women, who were better off than herself. These even looked down upon her, as she was a butcher’s daughter and the wife of a man who had barelv X9O a year as a minor law official. Rachel Galtie resolved, therefore, to get money by any means, so as to be equal with the richer women, who sneered at her. Arsenic was the stuff used by accused, according to the indictment, but she strenuously affirmed that she only bought the poison for rats. “There were no rats in the house,” said the judge. One of the witnesses states -that accused adhered to her original affirmation, even when reminded that me post-mortem examination of the bodies of her victims established the fact that arsenic had been used. “I assure you,” he insisted, “that the stuff was for rats.” “Oh ! there were rats everywhere you went,” retorted the judge, and Madame Galtie nodded in the affirmative. Among the principal witnesses called was a veterinary surgeon, wno sold some arsenic to accused. Ue stated that he at first gave the stuff to Madame Galtie herself. Thre days later he was surprised to find the servant of accused coming to him for more arsenic. He tola the girl that he had already given her mistress enough arsenic to poison all the rats in the town, 'ine servant replied that the rats were eating up *he stuff like magic. Another important witness was a chemist, who also supplied arsenic to Madame Galtie, and who, when he heard of the deaths of her husband, grandmother and brother, had his suspicions, which he subsequently communicated to the x rocurator of the Republic. Madame Larricn, the woman from whom accused admitted that she stole jewels, deposed that Madame Galtie was quite gay on the day of her brother’s death. A doctor, who attended the brother, Gaston Dupon, said that the young man showed all the symptoms of having been poisoned. Madame Larnen likewise* deposed that Gaston Dupont suffered fearful pains before he died, and that his cries and moans were terrible to hear. His sister, accused, was at the same time attributing his illness to some whipped cream, which he had taken at table. The same witness deposed as to the fire at k 1 residence, during which her jewels other articles were stolen. Prisoner was eventually adjudged guilty, and sentenced to 20 years’ penal servitude. She took her sentence with J he wemost coolness.