The trial of M. Paul Hoppo, an officer of the Forestry Corps and a nephew of a former French Minister in Peking, on a charge of attempting to murder his wife, gives us a glimpse into the strong family feeling which prevails among the French bourgeoisie. It appeared from ths evidence that during the war Hoppo made the acquaintance of an officer's widow Labouret and conceived so violent @ passion for her that nothing would satisfy him but to get rid of his wife and marry Mme. Labourot. Even the thought of his two children did not restrain kim. His wife's conduct being irreproachable, he had no_ means of obtaining a divorce. On the night of June 7, 1920, he shot his wife with a revolver while she was lying asleep in bed. The bullet went through her cheek and ste woke with her mouth full of bloo: t She did not realize what had har-pened, and Hoppo, expressing great surprise, asked her "What's the matter, dear?' Then, as no one in the house seemed to have heard the report, he fired at her again, about five minutes after the first shot. This time the bullet glanced off her temple, and, realizing that her husband was trying to kui her, she gave the alarm and two of her relatives, including a sister-inlaw, came to the rescue Their first thought was, not w punish the offender but to prevent a scandal. The doctor who was called in apparently took the same view, and, instead of notifying the police, he telegraphed to the wife's uncle, M. Maurice Barrés the Academician, as the head of the family.
To save appearances, it was suggested to Mme, Hoppo that she should say that her injuries were caused by a fall, and she agreed. M. Barrés hurried from Paris Nancy, where the drama had taken place, and a family council, was held. It was agreed that nothing should be said if Hoppo promised to mend his ways and niake provision for his two children; but as soon as he was sure that his relatives would do anything to avoid a scandal, he disregarded his pledges, resumed his liaison with Mme. Labourot and defied his family. It was only by accident that the affair became known, a document connected with the family compact having attracted the attention of someone who had no interest in silence. The police were informed, and eventually Hoppo was arrested. When tried at the Nancy Assizes, and confronted with his wife, he shed tears and protested that he was crazy when he tried to kill her. The jury gave him the benefit of extenuating circumstances, and he was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, to be followed by exclusion from France.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.