OUR PARIS LETTER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1212, 22 May 1885, Page 3

OUR PARIS LETTER.

A shocking tragedy, arising oat of a case of embezzlement, has just happened, A superior official of the Prefecture of Seine absconded about a mouth ago with 25,000fr of the city monies. A letter he imprudently wrote a few days to a friend in Paris enabled the police to trace him to Toulouse. He was quietly at home ivith his mother and sister. The detectives arrested him and brought him to Paris. Immediately after be had left his mother and sister committed suicide by means of charcoal fumes, and a married sister of the defaulter’s, on learning of the disgrace of her brother, cut her throat during the absence of her husband.

A rather amusing duel has jnst taken place between two dandies over a love affair at Lyons. The weapon chosen was the pistol. Two shots were exchanged without effect, and honour was declared satisfied. Unhappily one of the bullets struck a cow that was standing a short distance from the scene of action, and it was killed on the spot. A quarrel then arose between the two adversaries as to who would pay for the cow. The difficulty has not yet been settled. A duel arising oat of an incident in a ball room, has just bean fought in Vienna. At a ball given recently by the Marquis Pallaricini, Countess Marie Sohoehorn, having dropped her boaqnet, it was kiexed under a seat by Landgrave Pursteabnrg, whether accidentally or by design does not appear. Count Zichy, the partner of the Countess, considered the act as a great breach of etiquette. A tew words were exchanged with the result that the adversaries met in mortal combat in the Jesophstadt barrack yard the next day, swords being chosen. The Landgrave Furstenberg received two severe wounds on the head and arm respectively, and Count Zichy was also slightly wounded. Gamahut, Midi, Baillon, Soulier, and Carrey, charged with the murder of Mme. Balleiich cnthe 27th November last, in the Rue de Freuelle, were put for trial on the 9th of March for the Assiz s Comt of the Seine. Gomahut is alleged to be the actual assassin by his companions, who had plunged the knife into the thr at of the victim. With some reservation Gomahut, who is a wrestler at fair booths, acknowledged his participation in the murder. The Other miscreants were also suce ssively questioned, and the Presid-nt elicited the fact that the robbery of Mme. Ballericb, and her murder, if needed, ha 1 been a long premeditated affair. Carrey, beyond being an accessory to the design of robbery, was proved to have hail no hand in the murder. Baidon confessed to have given tire second stab in the breast of Mme. Bal erich, who, notwithstanding her advanced years, appeared to have vigorously defended her life before succumbing to her wounds. After the pleadings of the different counsels, and the summing up of the President, Gamahut was sentenced to death, Midi and Baillon hard labour for life; Soulier ten years’ imprisonment and twenty years’ police surveillance; Carrey six years’ imprisonment and two years’ surveillance. The after consequences of this diabolical crime are already well known by the dramatic incident of the two sous of the murdered woman assiduously hunting down the assassins of their mother themselves, and finally delivering them up to justice. The brothers who were both in the police force of Paris and the suburbs, afterwards feeling aggrieved at some remarks made in a local journal, essayed to obtain satisfaction from the editor, an 1 during an affray in which firearms were employed, one of tne Bailerich sons was shot down and consequently died; the other, Charles Balleiich, was charged with an attempt at murder in the office of the journal (Ori dre Peuple) and arrested. His trial was brought to a close on the 14th of March. The prisoner was acquitted on all the counts of the indictment, and immediately released from custody. He was, however, condemned to pay the one franc damages claimed by the editor of the paper M Duo, and to refund the costs of the suit, which the latter has to pay to the State. This result was generally anticipated, however large was the breach of common law, and the pernicious example set by the defendant as the representative of the guardianship of the peace in intruding himself with lethal weapons into the offices of a journal that had insulted the memory of his mother, A woman has just been tried in Paris for illegally practising medicine and swindling. Among her remedies were a decoction of puppies nine days old, and red worms stewed for three days and three nights; and an ointment of badger’s dung, Had she lived a couple of centuries back she might have been tried as a witch, hut sorcery is not now a penal offence, and it would not have been complimentary to the profession to consider such treatment as the practice of medicine. But as she had extorted 1600fr. from one of her victims for a promise i enre she was condemned to three months’ imprisonment.

POLITICAL REVIEW. Paris, March IBth, 1885. The French forces have obtained a decided success at Keelung, though, true to say, it has been dearly purchased, for nigh upon one-sixth of the colum i so brilliantly commanded by Colonel Duchesne is hors de combat. The following official account has been received at the Ministry of Marine and Colonies from Rear Admiral Lespcs, a few days ago:— Keelung, March 8.

Colonel Dncdesne, at the head of a column of 1300 men, attacked the Chinese positions on the 4th inst. After a series of engagements, lasting no less than four days, in a broken and difficult country, the Chinese were driven out of all the positions they held, and hurled back along the Jamsui road. Their losses are very heavy. Two guns, a large number of rifles, flags, and a considerable quantity of ammunition, were captured. The troops, who behaved with their usual admirable gallantry, suffered serious casualties, 200 being killed and wounded. The health of the troops is good. Although the sanitary condition of the little force of occupation is at present satisfactory, it has been much tried by sickness and diminished even by the successes it has obtained. Since one month only it had had 300 men incapacitated or killed, that is to say one tenth of its effective strength. The Vienne transport is now loading at Toulon for Tonquin. This brings the number of transports actually chartered or loading for the Far East to six. The Vienne will make the seventeenth transport despatched by the French Government to Tonquin since the Ist January. General de Negner had that—Khle occupied on the Bth inst.

In the St. Petersburg Court and Political circles the all-absorbing topic of discussion is the strained character of the relations at present existing between Russia and the Court of St. James. The War Party, who are described as dominant by the English Press, art not at all likely to have their way, judging from the following remarks which was made by the Emperor two days ago, and which are in everybody’s mouth at this moment. In a conversation with a

distinguished General who was advocating a plan of railway extension .In Turkestan, His Majesty is said <o have Uttered the following words, which at the present crisis are vested with the highest importance : “ 1 cannot cone ive that any hut the wildest dreamers can imagine for one instant that 1 have the intention of declaring war, seeing that no success of our arms would repay us for the sacrifice we should be called upon to make;” “The future of Russia in Asia,” continued the Emperor, “is predestined to s glorious accomplishment by means of the irresistible march of civilisation, and not by the employment of force.” The St. Petersburg Gazette (German) or yesterday says : “According to the opinion of one of our collaborators, who is well inn; formed, the danger of a conflict between, England and Russia is diminished by the fact that neither the Cabinet of London, nor that of St. Petersburg attributes the character of a European question to the regularisatiou of the Afghan frontier, but considers it as purely local.

The committee of the National Memorial for General Gordon met the day before yesterday at the Mansion House, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke of Cambridge being present. The proposal to create an English Hospital at Port Said for which the Canal Com-, pany had given a piece of ground, and which would be a useful national institution, was adopted. The Hospital will be called the Gordon Memorial Hospital. Intelligence received as to the movements of the Mahdi is that he has gone up the Blue Nile to Sennaar.