The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-01-18 00:00:00

AN APPEAL FOR THE FENIANS.

Mr. Dion Boacicoult the well-known actor has addressed
a long letter to Mr. Disraeli in behalf of the Fenian
prisoners, He says for five months himself and company
have been playing in London • piece he has written
entitled "the Shaughraun," founded upon the Fenian
rising of 1806, the substance of which is the restoration to
freedom of a young Irish gentleman under a general
pardon granted to the Fenian prisoners by H.M. during
Mr. Disraeli's administration. In the 100 nights during
which it has been given he says over 200,000 of the citizens
of London have witnessed it. He urges that there is no
attempt throughout the play to deceive the spectators as
to the nature of the sympathy they extend; they are
plainly invited to sympathise with one who is endeavour-
ing to elude the penalty of a great offence. Why do they
watch his progress with interest? and when an announce-
ment is made that her Majesty's pardon has been granted
to all the political prisoners, why are those words greeted
with hearty applause? May we answer : it is because the
English people have berm to forgive the offence and
heartily desire to Uirget it? SO I believed when I wrote
this work with the deliberate intention to ask that ques-
tion in plain language. And I have done so. The question
has been asked nightly one hundred times to two thousand
people of all classes, from the Prince and Princesa of Wales
to the humblest mechanic in this city, and there has been
no dissentient voice upon it—no, not one!

EXTRAORDINAY DETECTION OF CRIME.
The following remarkable story of a crime and its
detection appears in Galigoasi :—" A very extraordinary
incident occurred at the Court of Assizes of the Seine on
Monday. A woman of about forty, named Laporte, was
being tried on an accusation of stealing a quantity of
' jewellery, worth 250.00 e. from Mrs. Stevens, an American
lady, who had been last year temporarily residing in fur-
; lashed apartments in London. In May last, the prisoner,
who had resided a considerable time in England, and
speaks the language, entered the service of the prose-
' cutrix as lady's maid, and soon obtained the confidence of
her mistress, who entrusted her with her keys. On the
28th of June, Mrs. Stevens and her daughter were going
j out to dinner and told the prisoner that she need not sit
up for them. In fact, they returned home late, and went
I at once to bed. The next naoring, the mistress was in-
formed that Laporte hail gone out soon after herself, and
had not returned. She hastened to her jewel-box, and
found that the principal part of her diamonds were gone.
' She at once gave information to the police, and a reward
of 5,000 f. was offered for information, but none WU
obtained until, in July, the French police arrested her in
Paris, but could not find any trace of the missing valu-
ables, and the prisoner persistently smarted her innocence.
At the trial, she maintained the same attitude, and, as no
material proof was forthcoming, she was apparently about
to be acquitted, when • sudden movement in the court
excited the attention of the audience. M. Eournier, ad-
vocate, entered, carrying a lady's bonnet-box, and followed
by two young women. Re addressed the judite. and re'
eounted the following circutustancee Cazat who
Is the governess of my children, was sent this morning by
my wiN to Antueil, to ask for the character of a cook about
to be eegaged by us. There, she called on • dressmaker
named Hairnet', and, in the course of conversation, spoke
I of the resent trial and mentioned the name of the pris-
oner. The other exclaimed, "Laporte I why I know her;
she lefts box with use some tinseago, and! have not seen ,
her since ; suppose Itshouldcontainthejewelsr After a
little consultation, they decided on at once taking • cab
and driving off to inform me of the circumstance. This
they did, and now I introduce them to the court.' The
judge ordered the box to be opened, and one of the ushers
of the court, having forced the lock, drew out the jewel.
case with its contents complete. Naturally great commo-
tion followed. The prisoner cast One agitated glance at
the proof of her crime, but remained otherwise iminov.
able. The court complimented the two women on the in-
telligence and proptitude wh:cla they had displayed, and
told them that they would not go quite unrewarded, as
theY were entitled between them to the 5,000 f. offered for
the discovery. The case then proceeded_ ind the Ary
fqund the prisqner guilty without extenuating dream-
„mom. she was sentenced to tee year's imprisonment,
and afterwards for a strudar period to the surveillance of
the polka."