Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 14.pdf/62

 How Torture Was Abolished in France.

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HOW TORTURE WAS 1 BOLISHED IN FRANCE. Bv George H. Westlev. Francoise being examined denied every UP to near the qlose of the eighteenth century the laws of France were bar barously severe. When the celebrated jurist Le Page was appointed president of one of the highest courts, he endeavored to have the rigor of these laws mitigated, and especially he, sought to have abolished the statute per mitting torture to be applied to suspected or accused persons. His colleagues, however, were for re taining the torture and employing it as often as occasion required. This stirred up bad feeling between M. le President and his associates, who did not hesitate to accuse him of seeking popularity at the expense of duty. The result of this quarrel was that the laws were enforced even more rigorously than before, and as it was M. le President's duty to pronounce the harsh decrees formed by his colleagues, he found himself in a position racking both to his pride and his sympathies. But he was resolved that torture should be abolished, and at length he hit upon a plan to save France from a continuance of this disgrace. M. le Page had a foster-sister, Francoise, a beautiful young girl, who about this time had come to Paris and been installed in his house. One day after she had been there a few weeks, M. le Page missed a gold snuff box ornamented with diamonds, an article he set much stbre upon as a family heirloom. A great stir was made over the loss, and at length the public prosecutor was called in to make a thorough search. He did not have to go far. the missing snuff-box was found concealed in the bottom of the foster-sis ter's trunk. Her guilt was plain. She was arrested and haled before the judges for trial. M. le Page's colleagues, relying as they said on his absolute impartiality, caused him to preside, as though the case were any other.

thing. With pale, tearful face she told them of her innocence, declaring that she had had not even the thought of such a crime, and calling upon her foster-brother to save her from the disgraceful imputation. But M. le Page remained apparently unmoved by her pleading, and coldly commanded that the torture be used to extract the truth from her. This was immediately done. The girl's arm was bared and the terrible instrument ap plied to her hand. As the screws were tight ened, crushing her poor fingers, she shrieked with agony. Still M. le Page let the fearful ordeal go on, though great drops of sweat upon his face showed how he was suffering. At length the unfortunate girl could stand no more. She cried out that she was guilty and then sank upon the floor unconscious. That evening there was a ball given at court. M. le Page appeared there and sought an interview with his Majesty Louis XVf. "Sire," said he, kneeling before the king. "Sire, this day my foster-sister has been ac cused of theft, and being put to the torture has confessed the crime." "But, "Verysire, well,this shetheft mustwas suffer an for invention it." of my own." "Sire, "How! The king I wished What recoiled means to prove withthis?" horror. to France he exclaimed. that the

torture is a source of the most frightful in justice—the destroyer of truth and inno cence. To this cause I have sacrificed the being whom I love best on earth. Oh, let her trials, sire, be not in vain!" The king placed his hand on his forehead; his great officers stood by. Turning to them, he said: "From tin's hour let torture no more dis grace the laws of France."