M. BIDARD. Helene, with her usual cleverness, is making the most of
a fact. She had already appeared when she was given the funnel. Her
presence disturbed me. And to get rid of her I said, "Here, Helene, take
this away and wash it."
The accused persisted in denying M. Bidard's version of the incident.
V
M. Malagutti, professor of chemistry to the faculty of sciences in
Rennes, who, with M. Sarzeau, had been asked to make a chemical analysis
of the reserved portions of the bodies of Rosalie, Perrotte Mace,
and Rose Tessier, gave the results of his and his colleague's
investigations. In the case of Rosalie they had also examined the
vomitings. The final test on the portions of Rosalie's body carried out
with hydrochloronitric acid--as best for the small quantities likely to
result in poisoning by small doses--gave a residue which was submitted
to the Marsh test. The tube showed a definite arsenic ring. Tests on the
vomit gave the same result.
The poisoning of Perrotte Mace had also been accomplished by small
doses. Arsenic was found after the strictest tests, which obviated all
possibility that the substance could have come from the ground in which
the body was interred.
In the case of Rose Tessier the tests yielded a huge amount of arsenic.
Rose had died after an illness of only four days. The large amount of
arsenic indicated a brutal and violent poisoning, in which the substance
could not be excreted in the usual way.
The President then addressed the accused on this evidence. She alone
had watched near all three of the victims, and against all three she had
motives of hate. Poisoning was established beyond all doubt. Who was the
poisoner if not she, Helene Jegado?
Helene: "Frankly, I have nothing to reproach myself with. I gave them
only what came from the pharmacies on the orders of the doctors."
After evidence of Helene's physical condition, by a doctor who had
seen her in prison (she had a scirrhous tumour on her left breast), the
speech for the defence was made.
M. Dorange was very eloquent, but he had a hopeless case. The defence
he put up was that Helene was irresponsible, but the major part of
the advocate's speech was taken up with a denouncement of capital
punishment. It was a barbarous anachronism, a survival which disgraced
civilization.
The President summed up and addressed the jury:
"Cast a final scrutiny, gentlemen of the jury," he said, "at the
matter brought out by these debates. Consult yourselves in the calm and
stillness of your souls. If it is not proved to you that Helene Jegado
is responsible for her actions you will acquit her. If you think that,
without being devoid of free will and moral sense, she is not, according
to the evidence, as well gifted as the average in humanity, you will
give her the benefit of extenuating circumstance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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