The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-07 00:00:00

THE teXP :11 PATUBDAT

(PRUE MEDAL AWARDED.
Aunrs PATENT PORTMANTEAUS and
YILLING BAGS srlth
LADIEST W RAARDROBE TRUHIB:raIIITMES, etik
liver fittings.
DESPATCH BOXER, WRITING and DRESSING QUER, sod
SOO other smog« Lon home or continental travdEng. Mustrated
'Bastogne' pod twin.
Also Barrack Furniture Catalogue of Portable Bed
ROWS, Drawers, Keay Chairs, Waskhandatandh Osassan.
.eat free.

..._._ _ ._.
J. W. ALVIN, Illanetactarer sad Patentee, 37. Wed Woad.
Lauda'. W.C.

THE DEPOTS AIITHENTIQIIRB for SALE
.1. of tbe faUleffS, Tobaccos sad aims, isassfsetszed or bo-
rlg.lfal GOVZIIIOI2NT TOBANO AOXINIST&ATION,
are

02. PICCADILLY. W.: M. raja YILLLIAY-lITSEZT, CITY.

gfte •xlre6L

TO 001tIJISPONDINTS.

ktvertlaments Intended for ^ TieitTijo;" Londow Imes(
Paper. most be at the eines, 10, Bouvetteatteet. b Two
tick on the da

HAYMARYII,

Tars ReMGR% AN UNNEKT IiORTAL. Berea.—
DAVID GARRICK. Messrs. Bothern. Bei:Woos
Mesdames Chippendale,
ektaes Moose. Snowdon. lltrellliam.—ViLNllll
mrA MesdamesDONLY. Kim Keeler—And A KISS IN THE DARK.

If 2,11tC111131L

Tata Emma, DRAW INO-ROOM SzcoND ►LOOR. AND
ATI ICS. Mr. D. Fteber sad Mrs N. Itorsrd.—Aod ROMEO
♦ND JULIET. Messrs. Mason sad Vining: 11411 e. Stalls
Colas sag Mrs. H. Manton.

THIS Emile°, TOW LITNIZIDID lUMILtOE. Wee. R.
Lane and all the Oangany.-11111 GLUT GHOST IFFECr.
....DHBO.LEAR. Neater ?my &nen* and When C. St. Caw
and Scott.—And • grand SHAZISPILILiN TABLUCIL

MDR WAITS AT LONDON DJUDNI.
TI DAT Morphia IL NIL ....Allanises. A. 0•1
rasoasow— Dards& Sim .Akerafro4 A. 40a.

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 7.

Tax experience of a fortnight has sufficed to
scatter the hopes which had been built on the
meeting of the Conference. Until the actual
dissolution of that body we must, of course, con-
sider it possible that it may fulfil its original
work, and restore peace between Germany and
Denmark. But we look in every direction with-
out finding a single circumstance to encourage that
expectation. Events are taking place which must
soon bring this possibility to a critical test. The
Danish Government has rejected the terms pro-
posed by Prussia and Austria as conditions of
their acceptance of an armistice : it has refused
to raise the blockade of the German
ports. So that unless the German Powers
should resolve to modify their terms, the con-
clusion of an armistice would be impracticable.
The Danish Government could not be expected to
act otherwise than it has done. It cannot main-
tain its present war expenditure for an indefinite
period ; and were it to recall its blockading
squadron it would have no means left for pressing
the business to a conclusion, and Austria and
Prussia, in quiet occupation of Holstein, Lauen-
burg, Sleswig, and Jutland, would only have to
wait until the Danes, thoroughly exhausted, should
surrender everything that might be demanded by
their enemy. It remains to be seen now what course
the two German Powers will take. Although the
Austrian Government has made a communication
to our own respecting the reasons for sending its
ships of war to the North Sea, it is not understood
to have made any pledge of a nature to limit their
employment ; nor, after what we have seen since
the opening of the year, would such a pledge
inspire much confidence. For reasons d its own,
the Austrian Government has conformed its policy
so closely to that of Prussia that its traditional
character has ceased to be a guarantee of modera-
tion and independence, and we may expect to find
it joining in any adventure of which M. DE
BISMARCK may take the lead. Still,
even M. DE BIBMARCL, it may be supposed, re-
members Sinope, and what subsequently became
of the fleet that gained that bloody victory. The
German Powers have hitherto shown themselves
nice calculators of their chances of impunity, and
perhaps they have a better knowledge of the in-
fluences which are shaping the policy of our
government than is vouchsafed to the British public.
Certainly they seem to have had some things to
encourage them which Englishmen find it hard to
understand. The exchange of tokens of fr'end-
ship between the Courts of England and Prussia at
a moment when the statesmen of the two countries
are in flagrant opposition may be accidental and
unmeaning, but it is singularly ill-timed. It is
not just new that the Qcr.zN's second son should
be the chief guest at a royal banquet at Berlin, or
receiving from the King of Parssis such decora-
tions as fitly reward the executionersof Duppel. Nor
is Baron BErsv, the soul of the war party in Ger-
many, and the statesman who has most distinguished
himself by the insolent treatment of our govern-
ment, the Plenipotentiary whom the public could
have expected to see singled out for the hospi-
talities of our own Court. In themselves these
are small matters, harmless as long as their true
value is understood. The policy of this
country at great crises will be de-
termined by considerations into which the
whole nation can enter. Austria and Prussia
have laboured effectually to destroy the old bonds
which united us to them, and absolved us from all
regard for their political welfare. They have
tried our forbearance to the utmost, and if they
now drive us to meet their violence with equal
force they will make us the friends and allies of
their enemies wherever we may find them.

IS any novelist in search of an interesting story?
Let him betake himself to Paris and attend the
trial of Count Dr LA Possmmum for the murder
of his mistress, Madame PArw, which begins next
Monday. An English indictment furnishes very
meagre indications of the facts which are about to
be laid before the jury: those who desire to
understand the whole story must piece it out from
the fragmentary evidence contained in the depo-
sitions. But a French acte et' acc action is a work of lite-
rary art. The facts are grouped together in artistic
fashion, and read like a little " Woman in White,"
or a Vitoriette. of DE BAuse. The story of LA
PommtitAls' alleged crime has seldom been sur-
passed for interest. The circumstances of the case
are so singular, that at first sight they appear
almost incredible, but yet they are so strangely
consistent with each other that it is difficult to
help believing them.

At the beginning of last November there lived
in a small lodging on • second floor in the Rue
Bonaparte a widow, Madame PAVW, with three
children. Her husband, an artist, bad died in
1858, and it was only by hard work and frugality
that she managed to maintain herself. Her husband
had been attended on his death-bed by • physician
named LA Pov,IERAIS. Following the instincts of
his countrymen, this man made love to the widow,
and she became his mistress. The intimacy conti-
nued until 18d1, when La POMMERAIS married
Mdlle. Drain-, and until last summer he saw
nothing of Madame Perw. During this period be
even refused to visit her sick children. But in June
last he reappeared in the second floor of the Roe
Bonaparte. Madame PArw was surprised, and
perhaps gratified, because LA POMMERAIR came to
announce that he had hit upon • plan for
providing for herself and her children.

But how 1 His proposal was that ohs si
insure her life for 22,0001., that as the

poor ha would pay the premiums, and that the
policies should be assigned to him. So far it is
obvious that neither Madame PAnw nor her chil-
dren would derive any benefit under such an
arrangement, whereas her object was to secure to
herself and her children some immediate relief from
poverty. His plan for overcoming this difficulty was
ingenious to a degree. It was that after the proposed
_ _

insurance should be effected Madame Pan;r should
pretend to be seriously ill, and make the in-
surance offices believe that she was on the point of
death. Having excited their alarm LA Points-
axis promised to go to those offices with the
proposal that they should cancel the policies on
the terms of paying her a life annuity of 24W., to
run from January 1, 1864 ; and this annuity
Madame Pica- was to share with Ls POhimitAis.

Madame PAuw, we are told, "had not the courage
" to reject this strange proposaL" The gallant
and courteous pleader adds, " She was incapable
"of suspecting the real designs of LA Poicersms,
" overwhelmed as she was by her passion for him—
" • passion now revived and stronger than ever."
Accordingly a broker was employed to effect those
insurances with eight companies—the story being
that a rich Frenchman, the Count Di LA Pow-
seams, was desirous of providing for his children
by Madame Piuw by insuring her life, which was
an excellent one. The insurance was effected.
The eight policies were signed last July, and trans-
ferred to Li POIDLZILATS, who also paid the first
premium.
But there was a weak point which LA Pow luaus
was obliged to meet. Why should Madame Ptuw
transfer more than 20,000/. to LA Pommsems—
why should she deprive her children of all possible
benefit in so large a sum of money f It was neces-
sary for LA POIMEILAIB to stand in the position of •
creditor. Besides, therefore, taking the precaution
of having the policies transferred, LA Positaakui
obtained • written admission that he had advanced
money to the widow to an amount equal to that
secured by the policies. This admission he got
her to make in various forms, and even induced
her to make a will in which she bequeathed all
her interest in the policies to him. Thus, if the
22,000/. ever was paid, it would probably find its
way into the doctor's pocket.
But the premiums were large. They were due in
January, and it was obviously of importance that
Pomxisats should relieve himself from his
liability by inducing the Companies to buy up the
policies, or rather to exchange them for an an-
nuity. Besides, it was the obvious interest of
Madame PAuw that the annuity should begin as
soon as possible. But in order to get the policies
bought up on the most advantageous terms it was
necessary that Madame PAuw should feign illness.
The poor woman seems to have entered into the
spirit of the transaction. She pretended to have
had • fall ; she complained of pains in her
stomach ; she consulted several physicians, ac-
cepted their prescriptions, but instead of following
them handed them over to her paramour. Not-
withstanding all this hypocrisy Madame Pm: w
went about her usual occupationi ; but in Novem-
ber LA POMMEB.AIB desired her to keep her bed.
Madame PAuw was daily expecting that the doc-
tors from the companies would visit her ; and it
was absolutely necessary that when they did she
should allow signs of illness. LA POIMERATS had
promised that he would administer some drugs to
her that would produce signs of agitation. At
the same time she showed that she was doing
all this because, as she told her friends, "if I
" succeed, my fortune and that of my children is
"made. All I have to do is to keep my bed for
" about • fortnight"
After Thursday, the 12th of November, Madame
Plow never seems to have left the house, and
the visits of LA Poeticisms became very fre-
quent. On the evening of Monday, the 16th, he
remained a long time with her ; and when the
servant came in onT uesday morning she found the wo-
man extremely ill, and the floor stained by vomiting.
Her daughter proposed to send for a doctor, but
her mother refused. LA P031317.8.A18 came, and
remained a long time in the bedroom alone, but
he did nothing to relieve her, nor did he express
any alarm. About the middle of the day another
doctor came, but he went away in a rage without
examining her, because he discovered that his
prescription had been neglected. LA Pox-
imams returned again. He was again
alone with her. But as before, he did nothing to
relieve her. About half-past six o'clock the same
evening Madame PAuw died. LA POMMERAIS
arrived at eight o'clock. He was told that the
poor woman was dead. But " the news caused
"him no emotion. He went up stairs, coolly •p-
-" proached the corpse of her who had been his
" mistress, assured himself that she was really
" dead, and then withdrew, leaving it to be sup-
" posed that her death had really been caused by
" a fall on the staircase." "That is all nonsense,"
exclaimed Mdlle. HCRLMO3D, "Madame PArw
" never fell down stairs."

Undoubtedly the circumstances were inch
as to exlite grave suspicion. Within a few
days the sister of the deceased made a
charge against LA Pommr.nsui. The corpse was
examined , the man himself was interrogated. If
the evidence of the doctors can be relied upon,
traces of the poison digitalis have been discovered
in the intestines and in the matter upon the door
of the room which the woman inhabited; whilst
the effects produced by this particular poison on
animals are identical with those which it
appears were produced upon the poor woman.
Add to this that Ls PONIMERAIS was a man
well informed as to the nature of poisons, and
that he was in possession of a considerable quantity
of digitalis. Of course if it be proved that
the woman died of poison, there was no one who
had greater interest in procuring her death than
LA POMMERAIS ; and in any event it is extremely
difficult to explain why he should have insured her
life for 22,0001. Perhaps, however, the most
singular part of the case is, that when La Pun-
MERAIS was arrested he produced no fewer than
23 letters written by Madame PAUW to him-
self between June 18 and November 16.
From these it would appear that the mode
of insurance adopted by the deceased was chosen
by herself after mature consideration. The letters
are certainly genuine, but they bear no post-mark,
and no one knows how they reached the hands of
LA POMMERAI4. Can it be that they were
written by the poor woman under duress, and as
part of a scheme to defraud the insurance offices,
in which she herself was an accomplice ? These
are matters which must receive an explanation.
And that explanation is likely to form part of ono
of the most interesting trials which ever occupied
even a Parisian court of justice.

BISHOP OF BOWDON'S FrxD.--Tbe Drapers' Com-
pany hays voted 1,0001. to this had, and Mr. Taber, the
master. Ors 5001., in all 1,5001.
THZ MIDNIGHT MEMING MOVEMILNT.—Another
of thee* roestiop was held on Thursday evening at Myd-
dleton-ball, Islington. 94 poor girls ware induced to attend.
Refreshment+, haring been served, the meeting was addressed
by the Vicar of Islington, and the Rev. rriah Davies, of
Sr. Matthew's. A pplkmtinns are being used, daily at the
odice by girls to be sent to "homes."

ZaltuAmi
"'HOU= OP

Y
AP— •
MOWN% May 6.

.

INTOXICATING LIQUORS (SALE ON BIINDAYB).'i
Notice lade, sad quid= put, "That leave be gives to
bring in a bill for recta:4oos on the sale of intoxicating
liquors between the hogs cd 11 of the clock ea Batarday
night and 6 of the cloak on Moodey morning :"—(Mr.
Somas :)—The house divided; Ayes, 87, Noes, 123.

Athltrtey. C. B.
Agnew, Kr A.
Ayrtoa, A. 8.

11°"13!'
Brady, Dr.
BDrZzi, Mr B.
J.
Brown, J.
Bruce, Mr H.
Buckley. Gen.
Buller, Ste A.
Cave, S.
Ca.wkee J.
Cb•eley, Sir AL

AYZA.
Grogan. Mr K.
grousnor, Lrl
Grosvasor, lord R.
=Le.
Hamilton, Lord C.
Hamilton. I T.
Hasesrd. IL
Hennessy, J. P.
Hilbert. J. T.
Hodgson, IL
Hood, 91r A. A.
T.
Hot em. Lord
linnilmnion, P. g.
Hune, W.V.

IroitTaim.
Joas Blr J.
lead]; N.
Kamm R. W.
Canard, A. F.
Logien, W.
Lawson. W.
Leske, Sir H.

MIII4r. T. J.

Moor L
NemNods, C. N.
Figia•-**—

iiip4ije H. 0.
P.O.
Powell. J. J.
loriteard. J.

P.
'armload. J. Z.
Robsztet T. J.
=Abel
1181111. J. A.
Btoszt. eel.
Taylor. Cot
Thempicia, H. 8.
Taloomitt, J.
Torrena,

G.
Mack e• J.

Magnin,- :T.
3lawaring, T.
NOW.
ranter. C.
Portages,. Y. D.
°away. Mid.
Oar& IL &
Madigan., W.
Dore W. IL.
Gaechea, O. 1.
Greaves,Z.

Drama, J
Oranfell. IL B.
Grey. 81r G.
Han:Moat Ilia.
Harvey, 8.. B.
Henley, Lord
Herbert, H. A.
Henke*, Sir
Hanby, W. H.
Jervoise. Blr J. C.
Jean D.
Kim J. L.
ILleglake, A. W.
ILlnglake, J. A.

Tronepe. flir J.
Verner. Mr W.
Verner, L W.
Vttleq Sir Y.
Weiland. J. P.
Wynne. W. W.

Romeo. J.

Peale, L

Parke, C. W.
Peek Lord C.
Parker. Jailor
Pankmatoneke. Blr,
J.
P G.
Peel, tar Z. IL
Peveniay, VW!.
Phalli*. G. L
Podard.UrenharkW
Portman, W. IL
Ramadan, Far J. W.
Iteytcm, O. W.
Reebeek, J. A.
Batherhild, Hamm
• A.

Bcciareeld, J. H.
Bersour, A.
Shaft°, B. A.
Marldaik H. B.
&AMMO.. P. B
2zore, W.

P. A.
.lersdes, F. J.
Trisha's. C. H.
Treherne, M.
Vane, Lord H.
Vaaidttart, W.
Vernon. H. F.
C. P.
Admi.
Watkins. Col.
Wine* T. W.
White, L

Klerewote, Col.
Ithatchball-Huges.
seta IL
Leon, SS E.
Lemma Lord H. 0.
Ladle, C. P. •
Lever, J. 0.
Lewis H.
Locke, J.
Lopes, Mr M.
Marlin, J.
Matheson. SS J.
Merry, J.
Moffatt, 0.
MorPa,
Mandy, W.
Naas, Lord TULIPS.
Noel, 0. J. Janie, Mr W.
North. Col. Malley, Sir J.
Crloghlert, Mr C. M.

Yorke, J. R.

ebt Court.

OSBORNE, XV( 6.