A SINGULARTRIAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2007, 4 June 1885, Page 2

A SINGULARTRIAL.

The trial of a Paris ex-Commissary of Police, 0. Ballerich, for having, with a brother, since deceased, entered by violence, in November last, the offices of the " Cri du Peuple" with the intent to murder tho. editor of that journal, was concluded in Paris on March 18th, says the correspontent of the "Standard." ut: M. Bernard, the Advocate-General, opened the sitting with his speech for tho prosecution. Until, however,' the very last sentence was reached it might have been suppossed that the speech was being delivered by the counsel for the prisoner instead of that for the Government. M. Bernard, addressing the jury, said that he never witnessed a Badder and more, heartrending spectacle. The unfortunate prisoner had lost everything, a mother ' whom he adored, a brother botween whom and him there existed something of that warm affection which was usually only, to be found between loving sisters. He then stigmatised in no measured ternu the " Cii de Peuple," whose abominable article had occasioned the crime, and after reading, amid expressions of indignation, passages therefrom, remarked that" au.cji articles were the customary polemical Weapons of that journal Remembering, ~ npw his official pqsitjun, M. Bemud / said that he must try and express himself' with that cold impartiality which oomported with the f mictions incumbent upon him, The crime was no doubt one of those passionate crimes that were becoming so frequent, Society could not tolerate them from anyone, but least .of all from its servants, from the soldiers and chiefs of the army of duty. He could quite enter into the sympathy that the jury must feel for the unfortunate man in the dock, but their compassion must not go so far as pardon. M. Laguerre the Radical deputy, followed as the representative of Due, the assailed member of the " Cri du Peuple" staff. He claimed exemplary damages. M. Laguerre's speech to nothing but a bitter attack upon the prefecture of the polico, who, he insinuated, had sent the brothers on their illomened errand to tho "Cri du peuple." He was repeatedly called to order by the president, who declared that he would not allow him to attack in that place one of the institutions of the country. The jury came into court after a short deliberation *-" with a verdict of not guilty on all counts. By a decree of tho Court, Ballerich, however, was directed to pay civil damages to Due, the outraged ndactmr, and to indemnify that indivjclual for his costs, in taking proceedings,