The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-26 00:00:00

A DANGEROUS CHARACTER.

The Court of Assizes of Nforbihan, in its last
sitting, tried a man named Nanhant for robberies and pro-
tons:ions in churches and other effected'. Ile, it upp, ared,
some time ago entered the churches of Gourin and Phouay,
and committed extensive depredations. He was arrested and
lodged in the gaol of Lorient. He contrived, however, to
escape, and entered the churches of Inzinue aid Loudeac,
where he broke open the sacred vessels, tore down the cru-
cifixes, defaced the relics, cast the holy vas..s into the mud,
and carrying off the priests' vestment/ scattered the no about
toe road. A lew nights after he entered the church of
Moncontour, but was arrested in the act of committing
depredations. The accused, who swaggered into the
duck, with the broad brims of his hat turned in such
a way as to caricature the three-cornered live of
the priests, said in answer to the president's ques-
tions, that he was a native of Paris, but bad
gone into Brittany to avenge himself. "And what was the
vengeance you load to exercise? said the Presoak:lit "A
priest," anowered the accused " once made me lost 6,000 fr.
by corrupting justice. I came into this province where the
people are must disposed to idolatry, to show them that
what they worship is only plaster and b.ts of silver !"
"Talk not in that strain!" cried tho president, "or I will
have you sent to prison, and the trial shad proceed in your
absence. How did you get into the church of Gourin i"
".I broke open the great door. I then took the cross and broke
it. The poor people believe that it was the cross of Christ.,
but I proved the contrary, for I was not stricken dead !"
]Murmurs of indignation here arose, and the president cried,
" Wretch ! Be silent ! Until God shall deuronal of you au
account of your conduct, which he will do at his own time,
act becomingly in presence of the justice of man ! What
did you in the church of Plousy ?" I took four of eke ves-
Ws on the altar, and broke a good many things. I toe k all
the money I could find, together with a l air of
slippers and a pair of shoes. I also wrote these
lines which were picked up in the r.ad. " Toe
clduch is to be sold, the cute is to be hanged,
Napoleon is to be turned into grease to make oil for
lamps to light Beetles ! Yes, long lice Buttes 1 Hurrah
tot the Republic:" and those :—' the Repuldie slumbers
hut it does not sleep ! I hate priests, and all who wear the
bleak cap—bishops, priests all give me loom/ ! Yee, I
would take if I had no cord, the entrails of a infest to
strangle kings! The church is to be sold, the cute to be
hanged, and Napoleon to be turned into get we, to make
oil for lamps to light Harlots ! Yes, long live Barbel
Slanged, and Rupail ! My intention was," ccutinued the
accused, " to have stark the papers on the doors of the
churches, but I was afraid, and 1.0 I threw them into the
road !" The accused, in answer to other interrogatorie
admitted that his real name was not Nanhant, but refused
to say what it was. He also admitted that on being
arrested he had said to toe gendarme, " Bread is too offer ;
the g-overnment is not stable ; when we. shall have BlaLqlll
load Barbee, things will go better!" The cues of sacri-
leges at Insittue, Louden, and Moncontour were not gone
into, the evid.nceb dog reserved fur another occasion. Tho
jury declared the accused guilty, and the court condemned
'him to twenty years' hard Labour, the maximum of the
punishment allowed by law. There is some reoaon to believe
that the accused was one of the insurgents of June.

LEEDS, BRADFORD, AND HALIFAX JUNCTION
linthwelt.—LEZoB, SATURDAY.— A special general meet-
ing of the shareholders or this company was held yesterday
afternoon, at the Courthouse, Bradford, to consider end
determine on the expediency, or otherwise, of authorising
the execution of the powers of the act to b.irrow money. Wxn.
Welker, Esq., of Billing hall, presided. The Chairman
observed that they were all aware when the com:sray's
powers to borrow came into operation. If any other 'mitten
should be brought before them, they would be glad to cuter
upon them. Be then moved a resolution to the effect Ova
the whole capital they were authorised to raise fur the pur-
poses of their work was 200,0001., that tote-half of this sum
had been actually paid up, and that, therefore, the
sum of .50,0001., authorised by the act, could be
borrowed accordingly, and that the directors take
the necessary steps for borrowing the money.
Mr. S. Waterhouse seconded the motion, and it was teamed
unanimously. In answer to a question, the chairman said
that the directors int, tided the bee to be opened as early as
possible. He hoped tiny might be fortunate enough to be
able to open in May. Mr. F,rth said that, haviug a right
to borrow money at any rate of interest not exceeding tare
p.r cent , the directors lt.d already to gotiated a loan for
the term of five years at four and a half per
cent which thy de, nerd satisfactory The chairtm.n
was liappy to say that arrangements were made with tee
Lancashire and Yorkshire Coinireoy. ilo might observe
also that the directors were ens ious, as soon :is the line was
e,niplcted to Bradhwd, to hasten the eornpleth n of the lino
t • Ciildersomo, in order to a: en the cost field in that a-
trict to the inhabitants of Brad( rd and Halifax He eddi d
that a line was pup cted from Wukekeld to Wonky Lodge,
called the Bradford, Wakefield, .ond Leeds line, and If
pager were obtained to carry our that line, it via intendtd
to olvain parliarnewary sanction tor an entension of a
branch from Gilderstone to Ari.sley. Thanks were voted ID
the chairman, aid the meeting separated.

Taint CONTEST IN WIIITECIIAPEL—A struggle cm
tl.c ',eject of tithes is now going ,he parish of bite-
eLspel. In April last a bill to., fit. d m Cimneery by the
Rev. \V. \V. Champneys Spit t BUOV.ti and offsets, and is
expi cti d soon to be pet a1,..%n tot trial. Pintas a eirenisr
isautd by the del", misfits it ii;•penia th,tt although the
mewl 's name appear. a. plaintiff, the C .llege of BTU...
nose, the patron, is the teal tit it Ai the revor
pledged his word to the vestry the a aril! rather res:c7l
his living than plunge the har.s4 into litigati,:n, 1
p4rlshinhers resisting the lithit,lr sea fortified by the
opinion of counsel, and are reisiorp.fulßeolo-earty on the
contest.

4: 4