Causes Célèbres.
497
sonings, and three attempts at poisoning. executioner and the officers of the law, faith Twenty-three poisonings, five attempts, sev ful to the habits of her whole life, she ac eral robberies, which dated back more than cused of having counselled the crimes, and ten years, were disregarded, they being of being an accomplice in them, a woman whose name had not even been mentioned covered by legal limitation. On the 6th of December, 1851, the trial in the trial. No attention was paid to these began. The facts already known to the last words, and human justice was meted out reader were fully established, but Helene to the condemned. When the ProcureurJegado, from beginning to end, still persisted general was informed of this revelation, he was indignant that it had not been made in her denials and her assertions of inno known to him at the time; but when he in cence. In response to a question she ex vestigated the matter, he found that the claimed : — "This is how my kindness is recompensed. person designated by Helene was a poor old I lost my health in nursing them. Oh! if paralytic woman, whose whole life had been exemplary, and who was revered as a saint the good God permits me again to find my self beside a sick person, I will give him by all who knew her. The great question underlying this trial of nothing, even if he were about to die! This is how all my kindness is recompensed!" Helene Jegado is that of the punishment of Helene was skilfully defended by M. Do- death. This punishment, absolute and irre range, the defence of course being " mono mediable, is an instrument disproportionate mania." The medical testimony in the case to our human weakness. It exceeds the as to her mental condition was exceedingly right of man, and man who applies it is conflicting, and he failed to convince the crushed by the slightest doubt which arises jury, who after a short deliberation brought as to the real responsibility of him whom he in a verdict of guilty, and Helene Jegado kills. That which constitutes the terrible was sentenced to death. doubt, in a case like the present, that which We will pass rapidly over the details of divides men of science and men of law in the expiation. The interest is not in the their opinions, is not so much the responsi material act of legal vengeance; we must bility of the monster as the barbarism of the scaffold. Do away with the punishment of seek it in the monstrous subject, in this psy death, and all doubt will disappear. The chological and physiological enigma. He lene Jegado remained to the end that which right which society has to drive from its she had been to her defenders and her ranks a dangerous being will no longer be judges, a mystery of perversity. Upon the contested when it becomes a question of the scaffold, a few moments before appearing social suppression in place of the capital before her God, having for auditors only the punishment of the condemned.
