The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-03-14 00:00:00

CONVICTION FOR ATTEMPTED
MURDER.

A young man named Verdoya, aged 23, a Fiedmontese by
birth, who had for some time worked as a mason at Apprien,
France, has just been tried at Grenoble for an attempt to
murder a whiow named Garin, at St. Maim de Buiss.

The woman, who oe,upied with her son and a ser-
vant an isolated cottage, was alone at home on the
evening of the 19th December last, when the
cased, who had on a former occasion assisted her in
some garden-work, entered and seated himself by the
fire. After some minutes conversation he rose as if
to leave, and then suddenly ordered the widow to give
him what money she had. On her refusing, he said
"You are a dead woman !" and knocking her down he
inflicted on her not less than 39 wounds with a
stiletto in different parts of the head and body. Mame. '
Garin remained motionless to induce the belief that '1
she was dead, but through her half-closed eyes was
able to see the man take a light and go and search all
the cupboards for money, twice returning to see
whether she stirred. Finding nothing, he seized the
widow by her clethes, and although believing her to be
dead, dragged her across the yard and threw her down
well, and then made off. The water was at about 13fee1
from the top, but the woman was able to climls up
the chain, and get over the brink of the well, when she
fell on the ground insensible, and remained in that
state for more than two hours. On recovering she
made her way to a neighbour's house, where her
wounds were dressed, and, information havicg been
given to the police, Verdoya was arrested. The ac-
cused was also proved to have only a few days before
attacked a man on the high road at night, and, by
menacing him with the same poignard, had forced him
to give up what money he had. None of the wounds
received by 'Aldine Garin were very deep, and else has
now recovered and appeared on the trial, in court,
where the impassioned manner in which she gave her
evidence created a great sensaton. "God," she said
in terminating her account of the crime, " has spared
my life that the guilty may not go unpunished," and
then with a gesture of indignation she pointed to the
prisoner, who quailed before her look, although until
then he had manifested a cynical indifference to the
proceedings, simply opposing a denial to the charge
brought against him. The jury returned a verdict of
guilty, without the adtuiseion of extenuating circum-
stances, and the judge passed sentence of death. On
hearing the judgment the prisoner turned pale, and
sank back on his seat, completely paralysed with
terror, and had to be assisted from the court.

MR. DISRAELI AND LORD RUSSELL. 1
-
The following letter has been addressed by Mr.
Disraeli to each of the London papers :
Sir,—Lord Emmett observed last night in the Rouse of
Lords that I boasted at Edinburgh that while daring seven
years I opposed s reduction of the borough franchise, I had
been all that time educating illy party with the view of
bringing about a much greater reduction of the franchise
than that which my opponents had proposed. As a general
rule, I bevel' notice misrepresentation of what I may linen
said ; hut as this charge against me was made in an august
assembly and by a late first minister of the Crown, I will not
refrain from observing that the charge has no foundation.
Nothing of the kind was said by me at Edinburgh. I said
there that the Tory party, after the failure of their bill of
1850. had been educated for seven years on the subject of
parliamentary reform, and during that interval had arrived
at five conclusions, which, with their authority, I had at
various times announced, viz. That the measure should
be complete. 2. That the representation of no place should
be entirely abrogated. 3. That there must he a real boundary
commission. 4. That the county representation should he
considerably increased. S. That the borough franchise
should be established on the principle of rating: and that
these five points were accomplished in the not of 1867. This
Is what I said at Edinburgh, and it is true.—l am, sir, your
obedient servant, B. DISRAELL
Downing-street, March fith.