A DELIBERATE MURDERER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 619, 11 December 1863, Page 10 (Supplement)

A DELIBERATE MURDERER.

The Court of Assizes of the Saoue-et-Loire lately tried a man named Vernct, aged 32, a tailor by trade on a charge of murdering his wife and infant daughter atSimard 011 the sth of June last. The prisoner a short, thick-set man, with a bilious complexion, sunken eyes, and a most forbidding countenance, was well known for his sullen temper and sordid avarice He had quarrelled with all his relatives, and lived alone until April, 1802, when he married a respectable young woman from a neighboring village. He soon began to ill-treat his wife, and when she afterwards became encienle, his conduct towards her became still worse. He was irritated beyond measure at the idea of having to hear the expense of a family, and when the child was born he used every means 'in his power to induce his wife to starve it to death, and even threatened that he would hang himself if she did not make away with it. The poor woman at last became so alarmed for the safety of her child that she made arrangements for putting it out to nurse, when the prisoner murdered his wife by boating her about the head with the iron goose used in his trade. He then struck the child on the head several times, and left the i l.oll^-.,'/n the morning some neighbors, who heard the child crying, entered the house, and found the mother dead and the child so injured that it died soon atier Ihe prisoner was traced to a corn-field close by, where he was discovered with his face lying downwards, and bleeding froni two deep gashes in the neck from which, however, he recovered under proper treatment He made no attempt to deny his guilt, but freely confessed all the circumstances of Ins crime adding that he killed the child that it might not be left to the charity of strangers after he had killed himself. 1 lie jury round the prisoner guilty without extenuatincr circumstances, and the court condemned him to death. He heard the sentence unmoved, and ate a hearty dinner on his return to \mson.~Gatignani

Balloon- Accident at Halifax—Exciting Scene-A Man Killed.-0h Saturday night an accident happened at Halifax to the large balloon Volunteer, by its coming in contact with a mill chimney, and getting-fast; and this was followed by another on Sunday, when a man named Charles Rawson, a plasterer and whitewasher, lost his life while assisting in disentangling the balloon. . The circumstances are these:—Mr VVinsland had announced a gala, a balloon ascent, and performances by a " Fire Kmg/ m the Halifax Manufacturers' Piece Hall on baturday night Large numbers of people were thereby attracted to the hall, and immense numbers assembled in the streets in the vicinity. The inflation ottlie balloon was announced- to commence at two 0 clock and at six o'clock it would make an ascent with Mr Young and a lady in the car attached. Some delay occurred, but shortly before seven o'clock Mr. \oungtook his seat (without the lady), the balloon was freed from its mooring, and slowly began to ascend Unfortunately it came in contact with a batch or telegraphic wires, which cross over the hall from the railway station to an office in the town. This caused the balloon to become somewhat unsteady It however, continued to ascend slowly until it got out of the walls of the hall, when the wind, which was blowing gently from the west, acted upon it more freely, and quickly it rose and was carried against the chminey top of Messrs L. Firth and Son, Square Road Mill, which is situated only a few yards beyond the wails of the hall. The balloon hung by the chimney top, probably the " net" in which the balloon was enclosed holding by the projection of the lightning con- . ductor. However, there it was; and the aeronaut and the car m which he was placed swung backward and forward in front of the chimney, which is about 35 yards high. A thrill of horror ran through the crowds gathered to witness the ascent of the balloon .livery instant he was expected to fall to the around" and be dashed to death. The balloon collapsed, and the net fell over the mouth of the chimney. The dampers" of the engine fire communicating with the chimney were very wisely put down, to prevent sparks or the heat from the furnace burning the balloon. The car swung to and fro in the wind, but the aeronaut appeared to retain full presence of mind and once or twice while occupying that horrifying position took off his hat and waved it. The immense mass ot people pitied his position, but admitted his courage and applauded it. The balloon continued to hold by the chimney, and the aeronaut lowered a rope from Ins car, and, after some time, Mr. Foster Calvert plumber, Westgate, brought a rope and pully and these were drawn up to the car and attached to it, and by this means Mr Young was enabled to escape from Ins perilous position, which he had occupied at least an hour. It was impossible to disengage the balloon from the chimney top that night, as darkness had set in. Next morning, between six and seven 0 clock, efforts were commenced for recovering it Amongst those thus employed were several workmen' masons, &c, well known .in the district for their daring:—Samuel Finder, Daniel Mullan, Charles Rawson, Foster Calvert. One of the number managed to raise himself to the top of the chimney with ropes. A rope, we understand, was then fastened across the top of the chimney, and at one side of it was attached the pulley. Mullan and an assistant of Pindar, who is a professional fixer of lightning conductors, ascended to the top, and Rawson essayed to reach them. He had managed to draw himself up to the cornice of the chimney, and appeared to be in conversation with one of the men on the top, when the rope fixed across the mouth of the chimney snapped in two, and he fell to the ground, and the next minute his body was taken up fearfully mangled. He breathed once or twice, but never spoke His le»-s and arms appeared to be all broken, and his head cut His body was removed to his own house in Crossstreet, Horton-street, a short distance from the scene of the lamentable catastrophe, Rawson was thirtyseven years of age, and has left a wife and family He was a man well known throughout the district ' He was active, daring, and kind. As a member" of the Leeds and Yorkshire Fire Brigade, lie was conspicuous tor las activity and daring in cases of emergency An inquest was held on the body at the Old °Town Hall, Halifax, before Dr. Dyson, on Monday. A number 01 witnesses were examined, from whose testimony it seems that the rope was tested before bein"- used While, however, Rawscai was being drawn up and when he was almost at the top, that part of the rope which vras stretched across the top of the chimney suddenly broke, and deceased fell to the ground and was killed at once. A subsequent examination of the rone showed that though it- stood the severe test applied to it before being, used, it was, nevertheless, in an imper feet state. The inquiry lasted several hours, at the close of which.the jury found that the deceased's death was caused by the breaking of a rope which was in an unsound state. The jmy added a recommendation to the committee ot the Piece Hall and the borough authorities, that in consequence of the tele"-raph wires, chimneys, and spires which are outside the°hall the place be not let for any more balloon ascents. ' Social Blots -The following answers, which are selected from the evidence concerning the heifer m, a. t 1 c 1 h manufacture appended to the Report of the (. mldren s Employment Commission, prove the exist ence of a sad blot in our social system. A girl' an parenily about fourteen, employed in a factory at Betlmal Green, « does not know how old she is • never was at school in her life • does not know a letter; never went to church or chapel; never heard of England or London, or the sea: or ships j never heard of God' does not know what he does ■ does not know whether it is better to be goorl or bad." Anather a-irl a«-cd sixteen, employed at Camberwell, "has not been"to" school more than once or twice on a week-day in her life, and three or four times on a Sunday; has been once to church and once to chapel in her life Has never heard any preacher, or any one praying- anywhere else Does not know what the Bible is; lias never heard of it; does not know that it is a book, she's sure ; never was taught any prayers." A boy, aged twelve, at work in Norwich, A went to an infant school but has never been to any other. Never heard anyone reach or pray in his life; has never heard of a Umstinn; doesnot know whether he is one or not, or what being christened or baptized is. Never heard of the Gospel, or Jesus Christ, or knew whether he was a man; is sure he can't toll." Another boy at Norwich, aged 13, "Has only been in a church or chapel once m Ins life. Might have heard the name of Jesus Chnst, but forgets." A third boy at Norwich, aged 1 ten, Wont to church a good while ago, and hearli a preucher Does not know anything of the Bible, or the Gospel or lesus Christ, or Christians. Thinks' he ft,Si C™Stl£V Wle- U Pe°? le die ttey'come to dust;"' then- 'sould' sometimes 'comes to angles' but 'lie aiu't heard of nobody! Them what don't pray don't "' Abojra Newcastle, aged seven: «When people 'die they'gang to Jesus: if they are bad, they do the PolY SamG tohG SooA^hnd.'"-AorJng 11Um? ei' °f emi STants from Liverpool Orders have been received at Chatham, directing the new armour-plated frigate Lord Warden, which g being constructed from the designs of Mr Reed the new^-appointed chief constructor of the nav|, to be HIpTSLII 1 ln:T etin£ Prow, shaped 'like a cleaver, and armed with steel plates, to be used in running down and sinking A hostile sliip. President Lincoln has not drawn his salary for the SKJT ? T the t™l"^. When reminded by friends that by putting the same upon interest he would receive an income of at least 1200 dollars, he lephed that he thought the United States needed the use ot the money quite as much as any person, and he would let it remain.—" New York Tribune." An actor, who was extremely ugly, was playing a part m which a lady had to say to him—'All! sire,