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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。
‘‘But if you consider her culpable； if you cannot see in her either
debility of spirit or an absence or feebleness of moral sense； you will do
your duty with firmness。 You will remember that for justice to be done
chastisement will not alone suffice； but that punishment must be in
proportion to the offence。''
The President then read over his questions for the jury； and that body
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retired。 After deliberations which occupied an hour and a half the jury
came back with a verdict of guilty on all points。 The Procureur asked for
the penalty of death。
THE PRESIDENT。 Helene Jegado； have you anything to say upon
the application of the penalty？
HELENE。 No； Monsieur le President； I am innocent。 I am resigned
to everything。 I would rather die innocent than live in guilt。 You have
judged me； but God will judge you all。 He will see then 。 。 。 Monsieur
Bidard。 All those false witnesses who have come here to destroy me 。 。 。
they will see。 。 。 。
In a voice charged with emotion the President pronounced the sentence
condemning Helene Jegado to death。
An appeal was put forward on her behalf； but was rejected。
On the scaffold； a few moments before she passed into eternity； having
no witness but the recorder and the executioner； faithful to the habits of
her life； Helene Jegado accused a woman not named in any of the
processes of having urged her to her first crimes and of being her
accomplice。 The two officials took no notice of this indirect confession
of her own guilt； and the sentence was carried out。 The Procureur of
Rennes； hearing of this confession； took the trouble to search out the
woman named in it。 She turned out to be a very old woman of such a
pious and kindly nature that the people about her talked of her as the
‘‘saint。''
It were superfluous to embark on analysis of the character of Helene
Jegado。 Earlier on； in comparing her with Van der Linden and the
Zwanziger woman； I have lessened her caliginosity as compared with that
of the Leyden poisoner； giving her credit for one less death than her Dutch
sister in crime。 Having investigated Helene's activities rather more
closely； however； I find I have made mention of no less than twenty…eight
deaths attributed to Helene； which puts her one up on the Dutchwoman。
The only possible point at which I may have gone astray in my
calculations is in respect of the deaths at Guern。 The accounts I have of
Helene's bag there insist on seven； but enumerate only sixnamely； her
sister Anna； the cure； his father and mother； and two more （unnamed） after
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these。 The accounts； nevertheless； insist more than once that between
1833 and 1841 Helene put away twenty…three persons。 If she managed
only six at Guern； that total should be twenty…two。 From 1849 she
accounted for Albert Rabot； the infant Ozanne； Perrotte Mace； Rose
Tessier； and Rosalie Sarrazinfive。 We need no chartered accountant to
certify our figures if we make the total twenty…eight。 Give her the benefit
of the doubt in the case of Albert Rabot； who was ill anyhow when Helene
joined the household； and she still ties with Van der Linden with twenty…
seven deaths。
There is much concerning Helene Jegado； recorded incidents； that I
might have introduced into my account of her activities； and that might
have emphasized the outstanding feature of her dingy make…upthat is；
her hypocrisy。 When Rosalie Sarrazin was fighting for her life；
bewailing the fact that she was dying at the age of nineteen； Helene Jegado
took a crucifix and made the girl kiss it； saying to her； ‘‘Here is the
Saviour Who died for you！ Commend your soul to Him！'' This； with
the canting piety of the various answers which she gave in court （and
which； let me say； I have transcribed with some reluctance）； puts Helene
Jegado almost on a level with the sanctimonious Dr Pritchardperhaps
quite on a level with that nauseating villain。
With her twenty…three murders all done without motive； and the five
others done for spitewith her twenty…eight murders； only five of which
were calculated to bring advantage； and that of the smallest valueit is
hard to avoid the conclusion that Helene Jegado was mad。 In spite；
however； of evidence called in her defenceas； for example； that of Dr
Pitois； of Rennes； who was Helene's own doctor； and who said that ‘‘the
woman had a bizarre character； frequently complaining of stomach pains
and formications in the head''in spite of this doctor's hints of monomania
in the accused； the jury； with every chance allowed them to find her
irresponsible； still saw nothing in her extenuation。 And very properly；
since the law held the extreme penalty for such as she； Helene went to the
scaffold。 Her judges might have taken the sentimental view that she was
abnormal； though not mad in the common acceptation of the word。
Appalled by the secret menace to human life that she had been scared to
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think of the ease and the safety in which she had been allowed over twenty
odd years to carry agonizing death to so many of her kind； and convinced
from the inhuman nature of her practices that she was a lusus naturae； her
judges； following sentimental Anglo…Saxon example； might have given her
asylum and let her live for years at public expense。 But possibly they
saw no social or Civic advantage in preserving her； so anti…social as she
was。 They are a frugal nation； the French。
％ VI
Having made you sup on horror a la Bretonne； or Continental fashion；
I am now to give you a savoury from England。 This lest you imagine
that France； or the Continent； has a monopoly in wholesale poison。 Let
me introduce you； as promised earlier； to Mary Ann Cotton aged forty…one；
found guilty of and sentenced to death for the murder of a child； Charles
Edward Cotton； by giving him arsenic。
Rainton； in Durham； was the place where； in 1832 Mary Ann found
mortal existence。 At the age of fifteen or sixteen she began to earn her
own living as a nursemaid； an occupation which may appear to have given
her a distaste for infantile society。 At the age of nineteen and at
Newcastle s