The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-10 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

EXECUTION OF DITMOLLARD.

(710 K 041 OWN

PAWS, SUNDAY EVIIIMIG.

The evening papers are full of details of the last
moments of Dumollard. He was informed at four
on Friday afternoon that the Court of Caseation
h►d rejected his appeal, and that he would be
executed on Saturday morning. He answered
quite coolly, "as well to-morrow as later." The
chaplain of the prison and the curd of Bourg came
to visit him a few minutes afterwards, and he pro-
mised them that he would "confess" before he
died. That expression must be understood as re-
ferring to the sacrament of confession according to
the Romish church, and not to any public revels
tion of his crimes ; for all the accounts confirm the
telegraphic statement that he made none. At six
o'clock his irons were struck off, and be seemed
greatly pleased at this relief. He asked to see his
' wife, whom he had hitherto refused to see, took
supper with her in the presence of the chaplain,
and was formally reconciled. He spoke to her very
sensibly, and advised her, if she should obtain a
pardon, not to go back to her old home, because
she would be pointed at. When the time came for
setting out for the place of execution, he was
allowed to change the prison dress for his own
clothes. He picked out the worst for his own wear,
and put aside the others, saying they were fur his
wife. At 11 o'clock he left the Bourg prison iu a
cart, spread with straw, and, accompanied by the
chaplain and two gendarmes, travelled through the
dead of the night, arriving at Montluel at 4 in the
morning. During the journey his conversation
turned upon the most trivial subjects. He cal-
culated distances, spoke a good deal of his furni-
ture, and said that somebody at Dagueux, whose
name he mentioned, owed him several days'
work, which he reckoned up as amounting to 27fr.
On observing the crowd as ho passed through
Chalamont, he said, " They are very curious to
see me die." On arriving at Montluel he was
placed in a room prepared for him at the Hotel de
Ville, the lock-up house being out of order. His
first request was to have some fire to warm his
feet. A cup of coffee and a glue of sherry were
then given him, which he Nipped with much relish,
taking especial care to melt the sugar. On the
cure of Montluel being presented to him he said,
" I know I am very guilty for having followed
bad advice, but I pay for others." After this he
was alone for nearly an hour and a half with the
curd and the chaplain, and whatever confession he
made must have been at this interview. At
G o'clock the justice of the peace who had arrested
him, and who was charged with the direction of
the execution, informed the two priests that the
hour was approaching. He afterwards pressed
Dumollard with many questions, urging him to
make a full confession, but the latter replied that
he had nothing more to say, and that if he had
bad any declaration to make ho should not have
waited for that eclaanu—s mercantile term, signi-
fying the moment at which a bill is due. He re-
peated frequently, " I pay for others." He re-
mained quite firm until the executioners made the
fatal toilette. Then it was observed that his
nerves seemed to fail him a little. He, however,
insisted on walking to the scaffold, although a
carriage was in readiness. His waistcoat was
thrown over his shoulders to keep him warm. He
mounted the steps of the scaffold with assistance,
embraced the chaplain, helped the executioner to
take off hie coat, and—all was over. According to
one account there were shouts resembling hurrahs
among the crowd. Dumollard's head was sent •a
the Medical School of Lyons.

PARIS, SATURDAY STrUNG,

Great curiosity is felt to know the motive for the
insertion iu the Meniteur of yesterday of a Vera
Cruz letter, dated January 81, which represents
the Mexican expedition as being grossly mik-
managed, spoilt by the preteuaiona of General
Prim, and likely to turn out a failure. " unless
the Emperor send, out large reinforcements." I
suppose the latter phrase contains the moral of the
whole—in rands miens.
The Bourse, after being very firm during the
greater part of the day, experienced a violent re-
action in the afternoon, from causes not clearly
known. Bmdhrr'a Correspnulenee attributes the
species of panic which prevailed to rumours of
ministerial modifications, which it oontradicts but
faintly, stigmatizing them simply as " premature."
Another report is that M. Jules Favre has said
some very strong things in the Corps Legialatif,
which set people thinking. Whatever may have
been the cause, the Bente, after rising to 70 and
70.60, closed at 68.80 for cash and 69.96 for se-

count, with a fall of 10c. and 15c. The Four-and-
a-Ralf, contrary to general expectation, now that
the conversion operation is over, were very buoyant,
and rose 40c. both for cash and account, closing at
98.15 and 98.60. I apprehend the reason why stock
is in so much favour is that speculators well know that
the government cannot pay it off at par, and that
holders will continue to enjoy their four-and-a-half
per cent. I have pertinent reasons for doubting
the statement of theindependance, that a forced con-
version of the remainder of the stock is resolved
upon. In all probability an undisguised loan will
be resorted to very soon. Mobilier left off without
change. The Italian Loan fell 20c. Railways
were greatly affected by the panic in the Rents,
and fell considerably from the highest prices of the
day. Orleans left off 25f. lower, and Southern
7f. 50c. The latest quotations of the other lines
were about those of yesterday.
The Pattie thinks the present disturbed state of
Greece a fitting occasion to urge the claims of the
lonian Islands to shake off the yoke of British pro-
tection, and participate in the blessings of King
Otho's government. It is of opinion that the day
must come when Europe will " require " more
" candour" and more " logic" from England on
this subject.
The Courtier du Dimanche, which it was rather
thought would be suppressed, appears this evening,
and announces that its editor, M. Ganesco, is still
in prison, but that the reason for his arrest is
totally unknown at the office of the journal.
M. Auguste Scheurer, a manufacturer of Tbann,
and a brother-in-law of Colonel Charms, has been
arrested. The sub-prefect happening to be on cir-
cuit at Thann at the time, pursuant to a recent de-
cree making the sub-prefects ambulatory, the two
assistant mayors, the majority of the municipal
council, and the officers of the fire brigade, ten-
dered their resignations to him, on the ground of
the sympathy they felt for M. Scheurer, who is
universally esteemed in Alsace.
It is said that a speculator offered a very large
sum of money to Marie Pichon, the servant who
miraculously escaped from Dumollard's clutches, to
make an exhibition of herself, but that she oon-
temptuously rejected the proposal. This girl must
be quite a character. She lately wrote to Dumol-
lard a long religious letter, exhorting him in appro-
priate terms, though not in very good spelling, to
think of his latter end, but, with an eye to the
main chance not at all inconsistent with scorn for
money proffered at the cost of womanly dignity,
she concluded her sermon by the expression of a
hope that he would think it right to send her the
pnce of the gown which was spoilt while he was
trying to murder her.
This has been a soft spring day—the first this
year. At seven in the evening the people sitting
out of doors on the Boulevards were surprised by a
thunderstorm such as is seldom seen in the month
of March. The forked lightning was sinTularly
vivid, and made the gas look pale in the most bril-
liant cads.

Count de Morny's indisposition was less serious
than the Conditutionne/ represented it to be this
the'

morning. He presided in Corps Legislatif to-
day. The sitting was very stormy. M. Picard
continued his speech, developing the amendments
to the address proposed by the five members. He
was continually interrupted by M. de Morny, and
replied to him with extraordinary readiness,
courage, and apropos. While pleading for a public
trial by jury of press offences, instead of a secret
trial by three pollee magistrates, he said that the
government itself was distrustful of the judges. On
the President declaring that that was an improper
expression to use, M. Jules Fevre exclaimed vehe-
mently that the law on the press did in reality
place the judges in a state of suspicion ; and it was
monstrous to pretend that a representative of the
people had not a right to say so. Count de
Morny then ran off that scent, and told M.
Picard that he would not allow him to attack the
fundamental laws of the country as he had done
yesterday. M. Picard replied at once that M. de
Moray was not in the chair yesterday, and had no
right to censure him for anything that took place
there. Instead of admitting the obvious validity
of this plea, M. de Morny, with all the insolence
of a tyrant's minion, told M. Picard that he would
censure him whenever he pleased, with the appro-
bation of the Chamber. (Loud applause followed
this declaration from the deputies appointed by
government, who very naturally felt indisposed to
sanction M. Picard's motion for free elections.) A
great deal of wrangling followed, in the course of
which M. de Morny sought to hold M. Picard and
his friends responsible for the failure of the repub-
lican government of 1848. M. Picard and
Emile 011ivier repeatedly protested that they were
not in power in 1848, and could not be answerable
for what was then done. M. de Morny said at
last that the opposition was not generous to the
Emperor, since the more he disarmed the more tbey
attacked him ; and that instead of using with
moderation the liberty which he had granted, they
acted in a way to deprive him of all temptation to
grant more.
I must observe that as far as the official report
before me goes there was nothing like an attack
upon the Emperor in M. Picard's speech. He
merely argued in favour of thew amendments
which you have seen, which are entirely conform-
able to the ideas expressed by Prince Napoleon,
and which must, I think, be approved of where-
ever constitutional principles are prized. M. de
Morny made it his business to pick a quarrel with
the speaker, and to hold up the old red rag to
excite the house against the amendments.
I am told that Jules Fevre, whose oratorical
ability is so great that Count de Morny will be
slow to interrupt him, has made a great speech to-
day, but the report will not be out before the
Monitcur is published.

In the case of the Queen, at the prosecution of
W. J. Armstrong v. Rev. J. Quin, for libel, which has
=pied Mr. Justice Fitzgerald at Armagh for several days,
the jury, after being locked up all night on Thursday, were
discharged on Friday morning without agreeing to a verdict.
Colonel White publishes in the Dublin papers
an address to the electors of Longford, in which a petition
is spoken of. This document is as follows:—" Gentlemen,
—I have to express my gratitude to those amongst you
who had the courage (in many cases at the risk of
your lives) to record your votes in my favour. I
had hoped that the antecedents of my family in Longford
might have procured me a trial, and my well-known attach-
ment to the principles of civil and religious liberty would
have prevented the contest from assuming a character so
lawless and disgraceful. But every species of violence and
intimidation was put in force to prevent my return, and no
candid mind can accept the result as the fair expression of
freedom of opinion in the county. If such results were
submitted to, there would be an end to freedom of election,
and I therefore feel it my duty to you to endeavour, by
every means in my power, to expose those practices of
which I complain, and to restore to you the opportunity
of selecting, undismayed by violets°e or faction, the repro.
sensitive of your choice."
The Turin correspondent of the Unitd says that
"Deputies Crispi, Mordini, and Bertani had yesterday (2nd
! inst.) a conference with the ex-Fromier, Baron Ricasoli, on
the subject of the read of the great exile Mazaini, and
he informed them he had removed all the difficulties and
arranged all with the French cabinet. The only thing'
wanting now was the King's signature."
A Milan letter of the Gth says :—" Last night
the King attended the performances at the Scala. Hie
Majesty, on preseuting himself at the front of the royal box,
Iwas received with several rounds of applause, and no cry
wee raised except that of 'Viva it Re!' The only circum-
stance capable of bearing • political construction occurred
during the representation of the new and magnificent ballet
of Flik e Kok. Tho appearance of a scene representing the
French upitid, with the accompaniment of a bat/chile exe-
cuted by a portion of the company habited as French sol-
diers, ean,inieres, Ike , gave rise to an attempted expres
don of sympathy on the part of some of the audience ; but
this attempt was met by a counter demonstration from the
rest of the house. On the other hand, the following scene,
representing Venice. with • dance of lovely young err-
eaglerrirti, elicited the most rapturous and prolonged
applause."
The most recent information received from
Toulon by • member of the family of IL Horace Verret is
of • nature to tranquillise his friends. His health hem ma-
terially improved, and there is every reason to believe that
ha will soon be completely re-established.

SALE OR PRE-RAPPAELITE PICTURES,

On Friday and Saturday wax held, ttle.e,re.
' Christie and Manson's, a sale of Prettaffselite and other
pictures, in the possession of the late Mr. Hint, of Leeds.
The collection included some 333 pictures in oil sad water
colours. Among the former were to be found many of the
pictures which have excited fiercest debate and discussion
in recent exhibitions. Here were sold Mr. Millais's "Car.
pouter's Shop" (5251.—M00re), exhibited in 1850; the same
painter's " Proscribed Royalist," exhibited in 1853 (51311.:x.
—Agnew), and his "Black Brunswicker," exhibited in igid
(8191.—Graves); replicas in email of his " Huguenot "
(1361.—D. White), and his "Recaps of the Heretic" (1331.
—Gambert), with unexhibited pictures by him, a small
female head, called " Wedding Cards" (1266—Grindley),
and a pretty figure in a garden of a bridesmaid, prepared
to fling the old shoe after the bridal cortege (1351.—Meore).
Next in interest comas series of Mr. W. H. Hunt's land-
scape studies in the Holy Land ; "The Plain of Rephaim"
(1264—Agnew); "Nazareth" (1516—ditto); "The Dead Sea
from Siloam" (661.35.—M00re); "Jerusalem during Itrunazan"
(1054—Agnew) • "Cairo, with Sunset on the Gebel-
Mokattum" (1051.—ditto); repetitions in small of his
" Scene from the Two Gentlemen of Verona" (2211. 10s.
Avow), and his "Claudio and Isabella" (210i.—Cox);
Noel Paton's " Dead Lady" (1781 10e.) ; Mr. Windex's
" Bard Helen" (367/. 10a—Gernbart) ; and Mr. Luard's
" Crimean Hut" (2101.—Grindlay) ; " Nearing Home"
(4704 10e. —Moore) ; and "Th. Girl I Left Be-
hind Me" (1051.—thunbart). Here were Mr.
" Elaine" (4986 15a—Agnew) ; " Return from
Marston Moor" (1411. 154.--Senith) ; " Marten in
I Chepstow Castle" (2321. la.—Anthony).! and his
" Gondoinnr Watching aleigh's Execution (1904 10s.
—Smart); Madox Brown's "Last of England" (an emigrant
and his wife sitting at the stern of a ship which is carrying
them to their new home) (4304 10s.—G•mbart) ; his "Christ
Washing Peter's Feet" (94!. IN.—Smith); A Head of an
English Boy" (471. GIL —Gomblrt), s finished sketch of his
great subject, designed to illustrate English poetry, a
triptych, with Idealised figures of English poets on the
and in the centre "Chaucer reading the Legend of
Om to Edward 111. and his Court ;" and a large and
mast elaborate water-colour picture of the Virgin, as
"Oar lady of Good Children" (ki/. lls.—Crofts). There
has bees no such good opportunity as this sale af-
forded (oteseves the Times) for testing the public
taste for the pictures of this class by that coarse
British gauge of "market value." Taking the price-list, it
is evident that in water-colour art, where there seems to be
• clans of purchasers willing to give good prices for even the
most eccentric and fantasise medievelisms in the styles of
Mr. Rossetti and Mr. E. Jones, the works of Turner and his
contemporaries, I). Cox, Do Whit, and Copley
still command a decided superiority in the marhi.
Among the oil pictures Mr. Millais's later and less eccentric
works obtained far better prices than his earlier productions.
These productions reached their height in the 81W. paid by
Mr. Chores for the "Black Bras iswicksr," the painter's hat
exhibited picture.
The first day's sale (of drawings) realised 5,2691. 19s. 6d. ;
the wood day's sale (of oil pictures), 13,1216 lie. 6d.