The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-15 00:00:00

(Stamped, ld. Additional.) (TWOPENCE.

A FRENCH STORY.

(nom ma OW

PARIS, SATURDAY ETZWENO.

I send you a very condensed and yet somewhat
long report of one of the most romantic and extraordiaary
cases of murder and attempted suicide that I ever remem-
ber to have reed. It is after all simply an affair of two
lovers agreeing to die together—a catastrophe so common in
France as to be in itself scarcely worth reoordicg. But the
circumstances of this case are so remarkable, so "thoroughly
French," and afford so much food for the moralist, the
stndent of comparative jurisprudence, and above ell for the
student of the problem of death and its terrors, as to stand
forth distinguished from other camas ralores in the like
category. The lover who killed hie mistress, and beyond
all doubt intended to kill himself, is Corporal Bollard, of the
6th Regiment of the line. He warns well-conducted and intel-
ligent soldier, and his education was so far above the common
level, that he had filled the office of librarian to his regi-
ment. His age is 27. At the end of last year, his seven
years' berm of service baying expired, he voluntarily deter.
missed to serve for another term, and received the menlit-
meet of 1,000 f., which in his CY% as in that of many
others, has been in point of fact (1 express no opinion as to
.the policy of granting it) a curse instead of a benefit to the
recipient. Suffice it to my that Roused, like too many
others., Bodin; hisneelf in poimiefon of-a ma of esereey esse
as be never saw before, and could inmate see agate,
determined, as an English soldier in like case wield be apt
to do, to "knock out life" with it as long sa it laded, and
to enjoy a SIIMMUM bosom of sensuality beyond hi wildest
dreams. The story of his saturnalia is told by the following
summary of the report of the advocate-general to the Paris
court-martial, before which he was brought on April 11,
and of which Colonel Pittard, of the 24th Regiment, was
president. The statement of t►is report was in every eases-
tial particular borne out by itowied's statement ea hiseuur
urination, and by the dying decleralion of his mistress,
Denise Harbin.

Os Dec. 2 last Corporal Ronald made the acquaintance of
Demise Herbio, an artificial flower maker, of the Rue St.
Demis—a pretty girl, only seventeen years old—at the
daneing rooms called the " Grand Salon," in the Faubourg
Poimonnitre. They took • fancy to each other. Regard
had • lodging in Paris, in which he installed Deities,
and be gave up to her every moment that he could spare
from his military duties. As long as his re-enlistment money
lasted, which was only a few weeks, they led a joyous
life, and troubled their heads little about the future ; but
when the parse was nearly exhausted the soldier perceived
that he was seriously in love with the girl whom he had
only thought to make his temporary mistress. He had
bees guilty of deceiving her se to his position in life ; for,
Instead of admitting that all the wealth he had in the world
somisted of his re-enlistment money, be had represented
himself as having some private income, and had promised
to allow her permutes* 501. a month—a large supplemen-
tary revenue to an oworitre of the Rue St. Denis. This min.
representetion made it the more painful for him to break
with Denise, which he felt it Atiolutely necessary to do.
It was not till the very last day of • leave of absence
which he had spent in her company, that he summoned
commie to broach the subject. He began by asking her the
question, " In what way do you love me r She gave • tens
woman's UMW : " I love you became Ido love you ; if
you abandon me I shall be found at the Morgue " (missing
that she would commit suicide). The idea of suicide then
roe in his mind. He afterwards repeatedly told her that
she must leave him ; but her unvarying answer
wee. " When you go, I will go ; sad if you die,
I will die with you." The lovers at lowish
Weed to die together. They made up their clothes into
separate bundles, which they ticketed with the names ef the
relations whom they intended to have Mims mut them
Round wrote three kitten ; one to his father, another to
his sergesed-amier, sad a third to • toter el Denim, an-
nommemg their intestacies. While the above preparations
wows going on Denise asked Roused what sort el death they
should die? "We will die," he replied, "as we began.
We will die is • moment of happiness. We were first in-
timate at the Outran Bleu, there let us finish our weer.
la seder that death may be prompt, and that no one may
MOM to mew us, I will plunge the posited into your
bosom, and I will this draw it out all bloody sad stab
myself." Renard says that by drawing this bloody picture
of death be hoped to frighten her and divert her from ber
purpose, but that she, far from being daunted by his
words, flung herself into his arms in 'whey, eaclsimiog,
"I could never have hoped for such an honour." At six
in the evening of Jao. 9 Renard accompanied Denise to the
shop where she worked, that, of Madame Valle, artificial
flower manufacturer, Rue St. Denis, and there she distributed
her working tools among the shop girls, kilned them all
round, took • solemn Laved them, and, raising her hand in
the way which Fremeh people do when they take an oath, said,
" I swear before God, and by the ashes of my mother, that I
em going to kill myself." The people in the shop, who had
always looked upon Denise as father flighty and eccentric,
did not for a moment suppose that there was anything
serious in this oath. On leaving the flower shop Renard and
Denise went to the Bal Robert, where they danced till
9 o'clock, and than went to the Cadran Bleu ; but finding
that establishment closed, they proceeded to Michel's
Restaurant, nearly opposite, and asked for a private room,
peas, ink and paper, and supper. On the threshold of the
house Roused said to Denise, " Let me die alone ; I will tear
up the letter." She firmly persisted in the resolution to
die with him, ran to • post-oleos near. and threw the
three letters into the box, and then said, "Now you can
make no more objections ; the pence's to whom we have
written will know that I wished to die with you." On
entering the private room in the restaurant the poniard was
placed on the table, and Roused said to Denise, " The
truth must be known after as ; I should sot like to be
thought an assassin." Thereupon Denim wrote, " I die
struck by the hand of my lover ; I have ordered him to do
it because I wish to die with him ;" and she signed her
name. Renard wrote underneath the following words
" I stab my mistress because she wishes it. I die with her
because such is my will." After nipper, sad when the
minute-hand of the clock pointed to eight minutes to 11,
which was tho exact hour they had fixed upon for the
comp/160n of the dram, Roused mid, " The hour has
come." Dailies then laid down upon a sofa, undid the
upper part of her deem, and bared her bosom. Routed
took the poniard, advanced towards her, and said, " It Is
yet time"—meaning to ask if she would change her
mind. She replied, "Goon ; and, above all things, don't
make me suffer." He then placed one knee between
her legs, pushed up with his left hand her left breast, so as
to leave clear the region in which he supposed the heart
was beating, sad plunged the weapon into her body up to
the hilt. She heaved one sigh, closed her eyes, and re-
mained motionless. Roused drew out the poniard, and,
while warm and bloody, as he hod said, inserted the point
into his own bosom ; he then placed the handle against
the body of Denise, and, folding his arms around her,
preened her against it with all his strength. It is deposed
by witnesses (for Denise did not die on the spot) that she
subsequently affirmed, when In the hospital, that, " feeling
her lover tremble, she pressed herself against the handle of
the waited as hard as she could, in order to help to drive it
home. After this Round fainted and fell off the sofa.
When be came to bitumen, and sought to collect his ideas,
be felt an acute pain in his breast, and found the poniard
sticking in it. He drew it out, laid it on the table, and
thee sat down on the sofa where Denise was lying. It being
sow late, the waiter knocked at the door of the room, and
Denise had etnmgth enough to stretch out her hand from
the sofa and draw the bolt. Both Roused and Denise,
severely wounded in the lungs, were removed to the Hos-
pital Saint Louis, where Denise lingered for 20 days, and
died on Jan. 28. Rowed has sufficiently recovered to take
his trial, but he is still very weak, and speaks with difficulty.
The following are two of the bitten read at the trial :
LISTII MOM XOOAID TO His PATHIM AND NOTINI.

" Paris, Jatt. 9, 1861.

" Dear Parente.—lt is vela that I bare but too much
endeavoured to cherish illusions about life. I sometimes
form good resolutions, but I ever find it impossible to act
upon them. A calm life is moulted to my tam meet.
What I have always required is that eccentric life which
elevates a human beiag above his fellows. When I left you
the other day you thought me metastable and steady bemuse
I affected to be so, but, oh, what a volcano, what a tempest
was raging within me. Judge fcr yourselves whether ram
in a sound stated mind at this moment. I ain in my room
by the side of my good Denies, who im dictating to me a
pact al this letter. There is no excitement in our minds,

unless it be that arising from joy at the thought that we arc
to die together. This is what will take place. We shall Co
and fetch her work-fellow to accompany us to a ball, where
we shall stay till ten o'clock. Thews we go to the
Caches Blau, amd there, &millet the tumults of • het em-
brace, and Wet our heads are • little heated by wine, I
shall swallow a decoction of copper, and when I feel the last
peace of the poison mama me I shall plunge a poniard into
the bosom or my leaved, right to the heart. She will not
utter a ay, 811 e is hippy at the thought, and presses me
to finish this letter. The only anxiety I feel at this moment
Wiese from the fear that our two bodies may be separated.
In the room which I occupy here there are a number of
=4,3,which I wish you to have :—A civilian's suit of
quite new ; my mathematics/ box, of which I spoke
to you ; a portrait of myself and my dear little Demise,
which I wish Imam to keep in remembreees of me ; some
Lean ; swami shirts, pairs of drawers, and woollen waist-
coats. Here is my address—Rue de Flandre, No. 6. Hy
landlord is a coffee-house-keeper. I owe him for the cur.
mat month, but it is not there that you will find me.
Adieu 1 I embrace you from the bottom of my heart. I
thank yea for all your goodness to me. It is better that
thap 'WWI he as they are, for I know that I should
never bare been able to make you happy. You have still
my dear Issas, Jules, and Adolphe ; kiss them all for me,
and my dear guard too.
fee Your sou, who has never ceased to love you. and who •
halsPyi R. Rouen.
tarry nom Drlfien BEMIS TO NU 7AWLT.
Paris, Jan. 9, 1861.
dirt eider and Brother,—When you receive this
later give way to no lamentation. I to you in the
trankeet wet possible in order to prove to you that I am in
fall of my preat.nce of mind at this moment.
When you receive this letter I shall have aimed to exist. I
accomplish my suicide with all the joy imaginable ; I
die happy Ind contented. You must not he left in ipso-
mace that Ido not die alone. Another person accompanies
me : and it is in the arms of ono another that we shall
achieve the celestial journey, delighted at quitting a life
whisk effete es no prospect of true happiness. I embasee
you with all my heart, and most sincerely hops that the
salaam which you are leading together . . . [This •
mateoes is unfinished.] At the moment of separating my-
self from you for ever, I wish to leave you a asitymur. I
have had my portrait Wm expressly for you. Ido not
send it aow,heosase &gate and I have not too much time
to arrange ail our little atfain, so as to leave es no regrets
and nothing to reproach ourselves with. I leave you besides
my cloak, which will fit my dear sister. Think of me some-
times. The portaityou will find at my lodgings, No. 8, Rue
de lflandre. You have only to auk for H. Eugene. Any.
I body in the house will show you our room. tThe word used
in this phrase for "Venesignera " b "Vensaignera," which.
as all the rest of the letter is well spelt, was probably •
meant fora dire pun.] I have no time to get thsportrait
framed—l think a frame will not cost you very much.
Adieu, dear eider sad brother. 1 embrace you from the
bottom of my heart. I wish you a life exempt from all
trouble, but at least believe that I am happy in dying, for I
die by the hand of the man that I love.—Your sister who •
loves you, Dimon lizaimm.
A use of the above kind invariably results in a tri•
umphast acquittal before a French jury. A court martial.
however, might be euppoeeil to be made of " sterner stuff."
In this ease, however, the majority of the military tribunal
showed Half susceptible of those feelings which, though
admitted by no civilised code, generally give impunity to
crimes of this &Awe in Frazee. Rouard was acquitted by
live votes widest two. His mother, who war in court,
loudly thanked the judge, and there was a genial shout
of applause.

THE STRIKE IN THE BUILDING TRADE.

A very important step has been taken towards
the entiensent of the disputes in the bandage buds. The
taw win' of Quo emir& halt holiday was commenced
at Mews. Imeses es tLtmdiy, and there is every memo to
eVMot the scenario thus set by the men la Me employ
Imes bewory geweelly followed by the workmen
la wait Wades, Under the new armagemect the
men week 10 loam for Ave days, and 6i hours as Saturday,
lee the week, at 1 o'clock, andfor this amount of work
they en paid Ws., or precisely the aim me they have hitherto
received for working until boll-put 4 on Satuzdey. They
heeethes obtained a diminution of the total hours of labour
is the weeks equal to about eitObelf of that WWI' they
skimd ender the sine tans' wawa Instead el having
week sa hoer earlier in each day, the men are paid off
at owe 'Week on Saturday, and have the rest of the day to
thamistrea The teem of labour for each of the other Ave
days of the week win still be ten hours. The resolution to
adopt this somproouse was agreed to almost unanimously
at • suselleg of the mesons held on Friday. We stated
last week that a large number of the workmen present
at a meeting of union men had left the room,
aid refused to rapport a resolution to continue the
Wiles for the aim hours. The secomeion which wee than
weani&sted has keressol rapidly, and among the men
by Messrs. Laces sad Co., Mews. lEelk, and
1374:740rt0u Pete, rooletimie have been pawed by cos-
sidereide majorities, frespting &dee* half-holiday
and the system of payment by the hour. The strike
committee declare they have perfect faith in the honour-
able ferrying out of the declaration of MOWS. Lew as
far satin& Arm is communed, but they have distrust of the
ray in which their old privdeges may be invaded by others.
They argue that the nesters insist on a nine hours' day and
payment la wider, sad many mestere often give se little as
• sena sad • half bouts' day and payment, and that the
bear payment would affofd facilities for shortening their
day an the part ed way of the masters, sad they state that
they are compelled to fight the contest against Messrs. Lucas
because they not only threw down the gauntlet, but are
known to be the representatives of the other
employees. They further goateed that the preload
for hour payment, is distasteful to the great
body of the workmen, and as evidence of this say
that et least wii-helf of the operatives who have turned
out are now society mos. It is difikult to reconcile them
latter statement, with the fact that the number of men in

the employ of Messrs. Lams is within 25 of their fall com-
plement of hands. 11 is perfectly clear that there does net
exist perfect unanimity on the subject, and that the I:repo-
sition to give the Saturday hathholiday, without any died-
nution of wages to the roan, has disarmed the hostility of •
very imp somber cof the workmee. At one o'clock the pay
books of lffeseis. Lacer were opened, and in 20 minutes
after the whole of the men were paid. When this opera.
Liao we esenpleted, the men, MO or 400 in number,
ce three hearty cheers for Maurer. Lucas. As they were
vine the yard, Mr. Lucas, addressing the men, said
that Ihe homed they would make good use of their holi-
day, and profit by the new arrangement which had been
made. He stated that no advantage should be taken
of them ; that he would act fairly and honourably towards
them ; and that all the regulations of the trade would he
strictly adhered to. The new arrangement of working ten
hours on the five days, and leaving at one o'clock on Satur-
day would, be hoped, prove satisfactory to all parties ; he
pledged himself that no unfair advantage should be taken
of the workmen in carrying out the plan ; and stated that
so long as the firm had work to do, all good work-
men should have it cheerfully. The men pre three
more cheers and left the yard. Two or three handrail of
the society's men and their pickets, who were congregated
opposite the wharf in the lielvidere-med, comformeed lioot- •
ing and yelling as the men left work. 8013111 policemen
11/0111 stationed on the spot, but no occasion mom for their
interference.

Between forty and fifty workmen belonging to the differ-
ent building trades of Paris arrived in Laudon on Saturday
lest via Dover having defrayed their own expenses of
transit, in the full persuasion that they would be readily
engaged by the master builders to replace the operatives
who had withdrawn from their employment.
The new arrivals appeared greatly to regret the impru-
dent step they had taken when informed that their ser-
vices would probably be dispensed with on account of the
anticipated speedy termination of the existing dispute be-
tween the masters and workn.en. They stated that* consi-
derable number of their fellow-countrymen were fully pre-
pared to leave France with the same view on an advance of
money being made for travelling charges, and protection
guaranteed by the authorities against the conseqoences of
any jealousy which might poseibly be manifested towards
them by the trades unions.

SLIM= RAILWAYS FOR istEltroToN.—At the ye*.
WY the pariah st Islington. on Saturday, a proposition
leading thoroughfares of tlo. parish, was taking into cousi-
from Mr. Train, to be allowed to lay down tramway,:
the
audebraiteciont,..naMthuech istereswt:pcjii,olaredwdedhwii bat,
motion was, ,That 4r. Train be allowed to lay down hie
er:teciteapayeurer: The
railway from the end of Kingetrert, Lowerroad, south-
ward tothe bridge in New North-road." An amendment
upon the recent decision of the police magistrate, or until
no steps sohfoutblit bee.takurtenauQntudiellr.BeTral.c:
the Tramway Bill. The amendment was negatived, and the
original motion was agreed to by a large majority with the
thadwbme sit!aLePftedtioninedolthaitthhee legislature should have been obtained to
additional perminsioo to Mr. Train to lay awn a deabi, Nee
if he should think it desirable.
fAdvertisement.]—lioLLOWAY'll 0111TIIIIT AM)
Nue Cyan ath.—No season tests buxom etrangiii loteMet els
ems more than the Spring; beam the many eldkeleeenggessalag
whole families at thh time. Every one, wuterw the eonditi.
of the body, should always at the nprbog take some moths meet.
Moe serf all suffering from skim diseases will end this the meet
farouraMe time for their cure. For external ailments nothing
equals Holloway's Otalassna The rough uneven skis and the
deepest malignant looking ulcer yieig alike to its power of always
suietatutlog wholesome for deprave% blood. Holloway's purity-
uwlsa.ll
over irvng and
ery tn stimulating,o evrclaiom tihtehe 11111....ebdeun.e.
eclat
of °Wane& sod Pills the body regain* tone and rigour.