HANGED IN ERROR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 274, 5 November 1862, Page 5

HANGED IN ERROR.

A man of considerable property, in or near London, died, leaving an only child, a daughter, aged about eighteen, and by his will ap pointed his brother his sole guardian and sole executor. The will directed that if the daughter should die without having married, or. if married, without children, her fortune should go to the. uncle, whose interest was therefore supposed to be incompatible with that of the niece. Several of the relatives, discontented with the father's ultimate disposition, threw out dark hints that tfey ought not to live together; notwithstanding which the uncle removed the niece to his own residence, near Eppihg Forest. They were both seen one day walking together in the forest, but the young lady suddenly disappeared, and the uncle declared that he had sought her as soon as he had missed her, and knew not whither she had gone, or what had become of her. This account was considered improbible, and appearances being clearly suspicious, he was arrested and brought before a magistrate, where other circumstances, which were hourly coming to light, rendered his position serious. A young gentleman from the neighborhood had been paying his addresses to her, and it was stated, and generally believed, that he had gone a few days before she had been missed on a journey to the north, she having declared that she would marry him on his return. The uncle had repeatedly - expressed „his disapprobation of the match, and she had loudly reproached him with unkindness and abuse of his authority over her as bis ward. A woman was produced, who swore that about ll o'clock in the forenoon ofthe day the neice was missed, as she was passing through the forest she hes/rd a young lady's voice earnestly expostulating with a gentleman, and upon drawing nearer to the spot, distinctly heard the following expressions :~ 4 Don't kill me, uncle—don't kill me P Being greatly terrified, she harried away from the

scene, and immediately afterwards heard th report of fire-arms. On this combination o? circumstantial and positive evidence, coupled with Hie suspicion ot interest, the uncle was tried, convicted eif murder, and immediately after, according to the Draconic code then in force, executed. About ten clays after the execution the young lady reappeared, and, stranger still, all the-evidence given on the trial proved to be strictly true. The nkce then declared that, having resolved to elope with her lover, they had given out that he had gone on a journey to the north, while he had merely waited near' the skirts of the forest until the time appointed for the elopement, which was the very day she disappeared. He had horses ready saddled .for them both, and two servants in attendance on horseback. While walking with her uncle he had reproached her with her resolution to marry a man of whom he-disapproved, and after some remonstrances she passionately exclaimed, "I have set my heart upon it. If Ido not marry him it will be death to me; and don't kill me, uncle, don't kill me!" Just as she had pronounced these words she heard a gun fired, at which she started, and she afterwards saw a man come irom amongst the trees with a woodpigeon in his hand, which he had then shot. On approaching the spot appointed for the meeting with her lover, she formed a pretence to induce her uncle to go on bciote her, and having fled to the arms of her suitor who had been waiting for her, they both mounted their horses, and immediately rode off. .Instead, however, of going to'the north they retired to the neighbourhood of Windsor, where they were married the same, day, and in about a week alter they went on a tour of pleasure to France. There they passed some months so happily, that in those days, when newspapers were scarce, when theie was no very regular postal communication, and no telegraphs^they never heard of the uncle's sad fate until they returned to England.—Dickens's All the Year Round.

Self-flagellation.—The brotherhood ar. San Barnaba used tbe *< discipline," or self-flagellation, four times a week in choir, the lamps being extinguished, and tbe shutters shut during tiie process. This exercise has a very peculiar effect, being performed in perfect darkness, and the infliction of the " discipline*' causing a loud nois*. such as would be made by a number of whips' struck vigorously and continuously against som* object, rendering ifc diffi. cult to distinguish the words of the Miserere or (51at psalm) which is recited dunncr the flagellbtion. The "discipline" is u*e! three times a week in Capuchin convents generally, but here it was administer, d a fourth time " per devozione alia Madonna," from de-. votion to the Madonna, tbe day selected for' this superogatory act of penance being Saturday, regarded, by the Catholic Church as sacred to the Virgin Mary, —Convent Lifein Italy < by Afyernoii ' Taytor*