MAIL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1915, 3 August 1888, Page 14

MAIL NEWS.

A remarkable case has been tried at the Assize Court of the Seine Infe'rieure. The accused'were a woman named Hardel and her daughter, who murdered an old man in his cottage and then robbed him. Hardel kept a place which was called in the locality " La Maison dv Diable." The victim, a farm labourer, was strangled by the women, and his body was then suspended by the neck from a hook in the wall, so as to make the neighbours believe that the deceased had committed suicide. The women said they wanted something to eat, as they were starving, and on that account they resolved to murder the old man and steal his money. It was proved, however, that the younger woman had money in her possession at the time of the murder. The mother was condemned to penal servitude for life, and the daughter to imprisonment for 20 years.

The Bradford police have arrested a man named Neale on a charge of murdering his wife. The parties conducted a large etaymakrag and ladies', underclothing business in the principal business street in the town, and had lived a ' very unhappy life, both being addicted to habits of intemperance. Late at night the police had their attention directed to the house, and in a back room of an upper storey they discovered the woman lying dead, -<vith scarcely any clothing upon her, the body being covered with bruises. The windows of the room were smashed, the furniture was disarranged, and there were other marks of a violent struggle. The woman's clothes were found in the yard below. The prisoner denies using any violence to the deceased, and alleges that he found her undressed in the room, about 7 o'clock, with a tradesman of the town. He had a struggle with the man, during which the room was upset, and afterwards he went out drinking. On returning several hours later, he alleged, he found his wife dead.

A good story is told of Dean Burgon, who, on a certain occasion not long ago, was expatiating on the nature of man. He pointed out that one great distinction between human beings and the lower animals consisted in the capacity for progress. " Man," exclaimed the dean, warming to his theme, "is a progressive being ; other creatures are stationary. Think, for example, of the ass ! Always and everywhere it is the same creature, and you never saw a more perfect ass than you see at the present moment."

A Polish officer named Lubicz Kurkovski has ■just died at Makoff at the age of 116 years. This is a case of centenarianism authenticated beyond doubt. Born in 1772, Kurkovski fought as a private soldier under Kosciuszko, was an officer in the Polish Legion which went with Napoleon to Moscow, and greatly distinguished himself in the Polish insurrection of 1831, when he was already accounted a veteran. As the last survivor of the period when Poland was an independent kingdom, Kurkovski's death has attracted great attention, and his funeral was attended by Polish gentlemen from all parts of Galicia. The walls of Cracow and Lemberg have been placarded with large, black bordered 'notices announcing the venerable patriot's death and recounting his exploits.

At the Kilrush quarter sessions on June 13, the County Court judge told a farmer named O'Donnell, who was being examined, that at first he thought him an honest man, but owing to his evasive evidence he considered him a rogue. The witness strongly resented the remark, and told the judge that he was as capable of telling the truth as he or any judge that ever sat on the bench. The judge here threatened to commit him for contempt. O'Donnell declared that his' Honor had no right to call him a rogue, and point blank refused to give any further evidence before him, and jumped off the witness table. Amid great excitement the judge ordered the police to bring him back to the table. Four policemen tried to carry out this order, and a struggle ensued, but O'Donnell was the victor. His solicitor then induced him to answer several questions put by himself, but he would not answer any questions put by the judge, and his refusals and attitude of contempt for his honor caused great amusement to the solicitors and visitors in court.