The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-12 00:00:00

THE FEENCH PREFECT SYSTEM.

The Minister of the Interior has addromod the
following circular to the Prefects :
Paris, June 27.
M. le Prflet,—Many of your colleagues have called my at-
tention to the advantages that would erase from persomd and
oral communications amongst the prefects of the different
departments that are connected with one another by Simi-
Laity of interests and customs. Them conferences, which
would be periodical And of a purely administrative character,
would have a twofold object ; they would permit the pre.
feats to study in common, mid to prepare in accordance with
their collective view. the measures of public) utility whose
execution equally concerns their respective departments.
Again, they would constitute a 'wit of examina-
tion, which would serve to make the govern-
ment acquainted with the milectivo needs of every
region, and would so aid in the realisation of the great ideas
of the Emperor with regard to everything relating to
the national wealth and activity. These matters have
seemed to me worth taking into cousideration, and I have
decided that several thrice every year, and especially before
the sitting of the general councils, the prefects of the neigh-
Louring department* should be summoned to meet. I have
also ordered that the observations exchanged among theni
shall be recorded in reports, a copy of which will have to be
addressed to the Minister of the Interior. You will bu
hereafter informed of the epoch of these conferences, and
of the towns in which they will take place.
F. DE PERSICA Y.

The town of Loja, in Spain, which has just at-
tracted public attention in such an unexpected manner, is
situated on the Xenil, about 27 miles to the west of Granada.
It stands on the stomata of a hill at the foot of very high
mountains. It contains from 13,000 to 13,000 inhabitants,
and has important manufactories of woollen goods, printed
callous, and paper.

- -
ST. PETEIt'fl PENCE.—The Monde publinhen the
following observations on a decision lately come to in Bel-
gium relative to the legality of collecting offerinp for the
Pope :—" The Belgian Court of Cessation has just pro.
nouuced *memorable judgment relative to the collection of
Peter's pence. The Belgian kw officeni had disputed the
legality of such an act, on the ground that every collection
for charitable objects required to be authorised. The judg.
meet is perfectly juatitied by the reasons which are set
forth. What determined the court was the consideration
that Peter's pence are not merely alma, but an act of faith in
the mind of those who contribute. More or lees serious mo-
tives may Imre rendered it necemery to ovulate onlinary col.
lections from house to house, but Peter's pence belongs to
another category, being intended to aid the universal
church. It is the moat voluntary sod moat imperious
tribute of the catholic conscience, and it was ludicrous to
think of applyiug the laws against meodicity to the supremo
bead of the church, the vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In France there are plenty of peopk who would like to see
the collection of Peter's peace interdicted ; but the autho-
rities, with greeter wisdom, and also is conformity with
right, leave the collection free amending to the very just
remark in the judgment alluded to : the preliminary autho-
rization, if required for St. Peter's pence, would attribute to
the state the right of pronouncing for or against such or such
a religion, which evidently is not included in its constitu-
tional attributes.*

New YORK THUNDLII. —The Neto York !Prat('
of dune 27 ways :—" What occurs to us is the folly of North
and South making war upon each other while the cummou
enemies of both sections are preparing to join in the fr.iy.
Instead of shedding the blood of our fellow-men, let us,
North and South, unite to resent this threatened
interference on the part of England, and to withdraw
Mt. IMrningo from the greedy grasp of Spain. Let half of
the northern auil half of the southern army join handl, in
• common cause, and proceed' directly to &Pre the British
power out of Canada, and after that to drive the
Nsanish power out of Ht. Domingo. Wo have
the strength to do it, and why should we not
have the will What would ...nee promote
the reconciliation of North and South, and make loyal the
rebellious reeks? Let us, iu view of foreign war and pres•
taro, settle our differences and vindicate our national
honour. We admit that, if we invade Canada, we shall
have to fight the British fleet, but as that seems to he inc.
vitable iu any ease, we might as well he ou the ag4retaive
as the ash:mire aide. Why should we waste oar
strength and imperil our greatness by domestic strife, which
septet.' us to all the dangers that now menace us! Let us
combine against the common enemy and dispute the
supremacy of the Mistress of the Seas. We have had enough
of British treachery, and we arc, indeed, a suicidal
people if we remain so divided among ourselves as to
become the prey of a power that would gladly hail ,
our utter dismemberment and ruin." In the /*raid
of the following day we read.:—The speeches of Secretary
of State Howard, previous to the election to the Presidency
of Mr. Lincoln, showed clearly that the plan had long been
entertained, not only of addiir, to the United States the
Ili lush poeseesions in America, but also the north-western
portion of the hemisphere owned b Russia. With
Hayti. Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, ayti. Central America, and the
northern part of South America in our possession on the
south, either republic would be stronger than any foreign
power. The effect upon Europe of such • change in the
direction of American arms would be tremendous. AU the
previous revolutions combined of the last five centuries
would scarcely compare with the one terrible convul-
sion, which a war with England and Spain would
wow produce. It would react everywhere. The
suspension of commerce alone would excite the English to
revolt, and, before the lapse of three years Greet Britain
would be liberated; Austria would be destroyed, and Ger-
many would rise united upon her ruins • Italy would he
settled ; and the example of freedom and enterprise dia.
plated to the world would demonstrate what men can do
under the influence of a sound and sublime inspiration."
_ _

Tim FALL OF A RAILWAY TIIIINIIIL IA DER CY-
/MOM—The ad' inquest on the bodies of the five
men who were led by the falling in of a railway tunnel
DOW in course of formation, near to Haddon-hall, Derby-
shire, on Tuesday week, was resumed yesterday, at Bake-
well, before Mr. Cormier Bennett Mr. Barlow, consultiog-
engineer, London, gave evidence, after which the jury re-
turned the following open verdict :—" That the demand
tunic to their deaths hy the falling of the arab, but from
what cause there was no evidence to show."

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT MURDER
BY d FORME NOBLEMAN.
•

The public mind ham hardly recovered from the
excitement occasioned by the great fire in the metropolis
when it is likely to be agitated by the promulgation of one
of the moat fearful incidents that have occurred in this
country for many years past—au attempt not merely at
murder, but the murder of • son by a father, • man of rank,
of distinguished manners and position, moving in the beat
society. Nor is this crime one of darkness or of secrecy ; it
VMS perpetrated, if accounts be true, and, unfortunately,
there in no reason to doubt them—in broad daylight, within
a few paces of a frequented high road, in a populous neigh-
bourhood, and not many yards away from a palace which
the perpetrator of the crime watt apparently on his way to
visit, after calling and being received as a welcome guest at
another residence of the same royal family.
The story about to be told is unparalleled in the annals
of crime, in the romance of private life, or in them stories
of domestic tragedy familiar to every English fire-side.
For some years past there has moved in London
society an individual commonly known as the Baron
de Vidil. In manners polished, in address insinuating;
tall, graceful, elegant, and accomplished ; of brown
complexion, in ripened manhood, with hair still
black and cut short, as of one who remembered
his campaign in Algeria, and bow very much that hair had
been in the way when an Arab seized it in close contest;
with whiskers just powdered by time ; reputed wealthy ;
coming into society under the respectable name of the Or-
leans family, with the romantic reputation of fidelity to a
fallen dynasty, no wonder that the Baron Alfred Louis Pons
de Vidil readily found his way, under such auspices, into the
heart and centre of London society. Such a man came, saw,
and conquered.
In 1833 be married Hiss Susannah Jackma, co-heiress to
• wealthy Hertfordshire gentleman, sod found his associa-
tions with English society strengthened by his "family"
ties with the brother of his wife, a gentleman of ancient
family and property. Hence he aeon became • member of
the Travellers' Club. When the premature death of his
wife had freed him from the constaiiut of domestic tie!, he
lived • bachelor at the Clarendon, and when the attractions
of the London season were over, he was lost eight of by the
gay world for • time. This foreign nobleman of pleasant
manner*, reputed wealth, and matured experience, had •
mu, the heir of a large portion of his mother's fortune
(to descend to his father if he died without
heirs). This son, having graduated at Cambridge,
was now 'Ai years of age, and was in a position to
claim his fortune. The father had not permitted the
pieties of fashionable life to make him forget the plea-
sures of • parent, anal thus it happened that on Friday,
June 28—that is just a fortnight ago—the baron sent to
his eon's chambers in Jermyn-street, inviting him to come
to breakfast with him at the Clarendon, and go with
him to make • all on the ex-Queer of France, at Clare-
mont. They left the Clarendon together at 12 o'clock,
and proceeded to Waterloo Station, where they took the
12.4 train to Twickenham, and there alighted. It will
be remembered that there is an inn close by the Twicken-
ham station, and thither, at the Baron de Vidil's suggestion,
his son Alfred John de Vidil went with bins, and the
baron having selected two horses, it was settled they
should ride on to Claremont, about six or seven miles
distant. The barite handed his sou a light lady's riding-
whip, and asked for one for himself, but started without it.
On nearing Claremont the baron at first wished to put op
at an inn and take some refreshment, but afterwards went
forward • short distance to see whether any of the Orleans
family wens at the palace. Hering ascertained the presence
of the Ducd'Orleans, they returned to the inn, put up their
horses, and walked to Claremont Horne. The Due d'Orleana
received the Baron de 1. idil as an honoured guest, and
chatted with him in a friendly manner on various subjects
for nearly an hour. The father and son then returned to-
gether to the inn, remounted their horses, and proceeded
gently at • walking pace homewards. It was at this time
his son became impressed with • strangeness in his father's
manner, a singular absorption on his part, which led
him, from some unknown impulse, to pay particular
attention to his father's every action. He noticed
that his father, who was a fine horseman, made his
horse passage and curvet, and occasionally rear, but this
had not the effect of making his son's home even fidgety,
for it was a dull beast. They kept on at a walk until
they had reached Hampton, where the baron proposed
they should rest and take refreshment ; but his eon
declined, being anxious to get rid of his horse
and finish the journey, during the whole of which lie
bad felt depressed as if by the consciousness of some
coming misfortune. He therefore rode on, but his father
soon overtook him, and on coming up asked bim to dine
at Hampton, which, fern a similar feeling, the young
Alfred again declined. • As they passed out through the
gates of Bushey Park the baron gave his aon's horse • sly
cut with the whip ho had taken from him ; but the
horse was so tame is epirit,or so used to such touching up—
the usual portion of hired hacks—that it took no notice of
it, and the baron returned his son the whip. Trivial as
these matters may appear, the enumeration and character
of them tends to deductions of impel tance to relation to
subsequent events. It must be observed that the Baron de
Vidil carried no whip, stick, or MOILIIO.I with him, and that
if he had any about him they must lave been concealed.
They now weut along at a slightly bendier pace by the high
read towards Twickenham, and when they had reached a
public-house on the roadside, just where a lane branches
off, that baron checked his horse and inquired of his son
which way was best. The young gentleman made answer
that the road they were on was the way they had come,
and that they had better keep to it. The father made no
reply ; but at the same moment turned his horse simile and
wont up a lane to the left, leading off the road. The lane
was a lonely one ; there was no one about, nor impute
visible wheu they entered it, and the sun, who hail all along
felt a peculiar dread, said to his father that he could
not understand why they had gone up into that lane.
The barest made some reply about feeling unwell, and
asked his sou to hold Isis horse while he got off. The son
did so, end inquired whether he should ride on and fetch
some brandy, but the baron declined this with some haste,
and said Its would go and pay a visit to the Dun d'Aumale,
and thou hal the way down a lane to the right
of Orleans House. litre they met • woman,
who informed theta they were going in a wrong
direction. They retraced their steps, and again his father
led the wily down another lane and then another, which
brought them to the tack of °deem+ House by the stables.
The eon wondered, but expected tilers must be some reason
for this. They did not cuter the house, but again turned
on one bide, which led the young gentleman to suppose his
father was going up to the entrance. They got up this lane,
to where it turned almost ut a right angle facing a shady
nook. The lane weut on for a short distance, and then
made another turn at a similar short angle. When the
harm reached this spot he halted his horse at the corner,
and gave • scrutinising look both ways. No one was
to be seen. The young Alfred had ridden oat, but his
father's voice soon brought him back, as he toll him
they were all wrong, and must come back. The youth was
then on his father's left hand, and had only returned a few
paces when he felt a violent blow, RO.l on looking round to
see whence it had proceeded, saw the baron advancing upon
him with his hand uplifted, Mid somethiog in it, preparing
to strike him. The blow fella second time on the alarmed
youth ; nod the father was about to complete his disholiml
purpose by anothesr and a finishing blow. The youth's hat
had fallen off. There was nothing to save him. The tour-
derer's blood was up. The pour boy's forehead, cut and
battered, was streaming with gore. Impale, made him
pre= on his horse, and as the horse rose to the spur, it
caught the blow on is head. That moment saved the
youth's life, for he saw coating round the corner a man and
a woman. Without en instant's delay ho slipped or fell
from Ids horse, rushed towards the woman, sod, in an
agony of terror, poor youth! eluug to her knees, saying,
" Olt ! protect me—save me !"
The man was John Riven., a labourer, and as he was
coming from Sion.row, down Orleausquad, he had seen Si.
twogentlemen riding up from the Thames towards him. To
his great bewilderment he saw the elder gentleman strike
suddenly at the younger one, hit him on the forehead with
a whip (as he thought), the handle of which was bright at
the end that struck the poor youth's face. He saw the
yaws fellow's hat &Mug off, and heard him cry out, "Oh !
dean, pray don't ;" but the eldest advanced upon the
yotes;er, sad when the young man slipped off his hone
mid ran forward, the alder gentleman ma forward too,
coding out, " Hoy, boy ! here is your hat," and ho had
itan sbut the latter ran, and fell at the
almostwoi ' aught
(felt, theyouth,
imploring aid, his forehead streaming with
bleed.
At this moment they had reached • spot where was stand-
ing another man, John Evans, a bargeman. He saw the
Jollug Alfred's face covered with blood, and that he crone
crouching like some hunted and terrified beast all abed-

dering for its life, cowering down as he cried out "Help
me ; protect me ; save me !" He saw, too, the Baron de
Vidil (who wore a white hat, ►nd had a riding•whip in his
hand) come, or rather run up, and ask in an agitated man-
ner—" What is it?—what has happened? and the baron
made a rush at a gate by the roadside leading to a field
down to the Thamce, and tried to get over it, though John
Evans told him there was nothing on the other sale ; but,
though he shook very much, he still persisted, arid in
his haste and tremulousness slipped as he got over and
tore his bands with the hook sails that were on the top
of the gate, and went on two or three paces to behind some
shrubs. The young de Vidil was bleeding profusely, and
John Evans supporting him. " Oh, I em so glad you are
here," said the poor young mau, "do not, du not leave
me." "No, I'll not leave you," replied John Evans;
" but how did it happen r The youth opened his mouth
to speak, but his eyes fixed with a terrified stare as he saw
his father's eye steadily gazing on him, and he heard him
murmur something about a wall and a fall. And so they
proceeded, supporting him bleeding, to the nearest public-
house on the road " Why did you get over the gate?"
inquired John Evans of the baron. "To fetch assistance,"
was the ready reply. "How did it happen?' inquired
John Everett, another labourer, who came up as he saw the
group and the bleeding man. "How did it happen? Oh,
the young gentleman stood up in his saddle to look over
the wall," was the father's reply, '•and his bone reared,
and so he fell ;" but to John Evans he said the horse shied
and threw the boy against the wall.
They washed and bathed young Alfred's wounds, and, to
his terror, his father wished to assist in the operation, but
he became alarmed and clung to Job n Evans sad begged not
to bo left. Then a surgeon came, awl to him he communi-
cated his desire that that gentleman's assistant should
accompany him to town, for he dreaded a lonely journey
and a solitary night with that fearful man. The surgeon,
Dr. Clarke, of Twickenham, who imagined something was
not as it should be, consented to the proposal and saw it
carried out. He examined the wounds, which he con.
eiders to have been produced by some weapon like a life-
preserver, and dechres that no fall from a horse or other-
wise could have produced the soma wounds sea are on the
bead and forehead of the young Alfred John de
The two hones meantime had been caught, and blood
was seen on the mane of one horse and on the saddle. The
baron accompanied his son to town, and stayed with him,
greatly to his terror, until 12 o'clock at night ; but the
young man would not part with the assistant, nor could
any cleverness on the part of the baron induce that trusty
assistant to quit the side of his charge. Early next morn-
ing, convinced that his father's intention had been to mur-
der him, and conscious that his life stood in dangerous
interposition between his father and the eujoyment
by that person of his mother's fortune, the youth with-
drew in alarm from so dangerous a vicinity, and went,
almost with the morniug's light, to his uucle's house in one
of the home counties. But even there his father seemed
to follow him, for a letter came to Lis uncle informing him
of thu accident, and how young Alfred bad fallen from his
horse. But the young man told his own story, and inquiry
began to be made. The baron, meanwhile, lived at the
Clarendon, and last Friday dined at the Travellers' Club in
company with several members of the Foreign-office. On
Monday afternoon he was au outcast, branded with the
accusation of murder, flying for his life, the detectives on
his track.

Inspector Thornton, of the detective force, has had the
case in hand, and has ably picked up the chain of evidence
and supplied the missing links. A party of detectives are
now in Paris, but up to the present time no tidings have
been received of the capture of the delinquent baron. It
would appear that there is a flaw somewhere in the law for
the extradition of criminals between the two countries. A
Frenchman committing a crime in England, and escaping
to France cannot, it is said, be claimed by the country in
which the crime was committed ; but an Englishman com-
mitting any crime is given up, b- cause the laws he has
offended are times of his own country. It remains, how-
ever, to be seen whether this difficulty will prevent M. de
Vidil from being placed at the bar of a criminal court in
this country.—lforning Put.

Our Paris correspondent, writing last evening, mentions
the following rumour:—"A member of the Jockey Club was
arrested this morning on a charge of having committed a
murderous smith upon Lis wife's son by a former marriage,
with the object of securing his fortune. The young man,
only 20, was found in the envisous of Paris mortally
wounded, but with sufficient strength loft to denounce his
murderer. This horrible affair is not yet generally known."

ATTEMPTED DOUBLE 3111IIDER AND SUICIDE IN
Fiume. —A fearful tragedy has just thrown into conator.
nation the village of Charmes-eu-l'Aigle (Haute-Marne).
Two days back,about 6 o'clock, M. Lebnima clerk in a mann.
factory there belonging to M. Suarlon, went to his office,
accompanied by a young Man named Detbarres, also em-
ployed in the establishment Some minutes afterwards
Dmharres struck M. Lebrun a violent blow on the head
with au iron bar, and then ran off into the neighbouring
fields. M. Lebrun was found lileediug and insensible, and
as, when he came to himself, he coukt give no account of
what hail happen.!, his injurywas thought to be accidental.
After a while Desbarres returned and conversed with the
persons whom the occurrence had collected. Among thee,
was 11. Legend, the land steward of M. Bourlon. While
M. Legrand was talking with llesbarree' the former was
told that M. Boutlon wished to see him. He started
at once, hastily followed by Dei.barres, who caught np •
heavy wood cleaver lying near the gate, and before M. Le-
grand hail advanced tea steps into the park felled him to the
ground, and by a second blow almost severed his head into
two parte. Liesbstives then returued to the establishment ;
and there met Madame I.ehrun, who, seeing him greatly
agitated, offered him a glass ot sugar and water. While he
was drinking this, the dead body of M. Legrand was dis-
covered, and everybody battened to the spot, leaving him
in the room with Madame Lebrun and her husband, who
was lying un the bed llesberres took advantage to repeat
his attack on M. Lebrun, and aimed a blow at him with •
meat-chopper. Re was preparing to repeat it when Madame
Lebrun seized his arm, and by her energetic efforts forced
him todrup the weapon. He then rushed out of the room
and jumped into a mill-dam, but was rescued end taken to
the lock-up at Waspy. The Er/u. de 1' Ed, which relates
this fearful story, gives no explanation as to the murderer's
motives for committing this double crime.
THREE CHILDREN MURDERED or THEII: MOTHER.
—A dreadful murder was perpetrated at Westwoodside, •
village in the Isle of Arbolt.e. sear Epworth, Lincolnshire,
on Tuesday, a woman named 'Wilson having killed her tines
children inn very shocking manner. The woman, it appeals,
had got up in the night, and taking the three sleeping little
ones from their bed, had forced them through the mambo's
into the cistern. She then calmly looked on. with their
death cries ringing in her ears, until life in each case wee
extinct. The husband was away from home on beanie's
when the tad occurrence took place, and hie wife seas the
first to communicate the distressing intelligence to him.
She had, it seems, before the commi.sion of the deed had
become known, left the hoie.e nut made her way to Wheat,.
ley, iu Nottinghamshire, where her husband was, and in
reply to a question from him us sisal as she made her ap-
pearance, as to how she hard got thee and what she had
dune with the children, she add "they were safe in
heaven." Alarmed at her language and manner, he asked
her what she meant, and, after 3 little hesitition, she am-
teased that with her own hands Inel put them to death.
The husband, heart-broker, hs.teued home only to find his
wife's tragic tale too true. The uidortunme woman is now
iu custody. It is believed she has for tome time past gives
evidence of insanity.
THE ACCIDENT NEAR THE AIARBLE
Moore, the unfoetnnate man who won so dreadfully wounded
by falling upon the spikes.. the tailing of General Sir de
Lacy Evans s house, elks" yestenhiy. Ilia two anus still our.
vive, but small hope is entertidued of the ultimate recovery
of either. An inquest is to ho held on the body of the de-
ceased this evening at St. Georgu'e Iliepitah
FIRE AT CAMDEN-ToWN.—Y....%terdmy afternoon
the inhabitants of Casid..u-town were alarm.' by the out-
break of a fire ou the minim* occupied jointly by Mr.
Stubbs, a pianoforte inseufacturer, and Mr. Dune., a green-
grocer. The workshops of the first-named ran into
Gloucesteretreet, awl partially under those of Mr. 'man's,
in Stanhope-street. The tire be,-au in the workshops, a long
range of building., aid owing to the inflammable nature of
the stock on the premises, aud that standing in the open
yani, the flames spre.il with great vigour and quickie pear
tested the house of Mr. Dunn. With such rapidity did the
fire progress that in leis than a quarter of an boar
the two per-ens premises were enveloped in a sheet of
flame, and at one time the adjoining houses, especially that
belonging to Mr. Harwood, No. 27, Stanhopu.street, were
Linemen.' with destrnetion. The engine of the perish and
six belonging to the London 111 igndo woo in attendance
after tonic time, but not a inn, of tenter could be procured
from the plugs in the distrietc wing to no turncock being in
attendance. one of the Greiner, however, managed to draw
the plug. and turn on the water from the main, cod then
the firemen set their engines to work under the direction of
Mr, staples. superintendent of the C district, but in spite
of their esertioas the flames could not be got under until
the premises of both persons were entirely destroyed, and
the stock of pianos, the furnitiire, with nth, effect.,
0011/1110W11. 1110 loss is very coeddemble, and falls ripen the
Sun end Guardian Fire-offices. Mr. C. White, of the
County, and Mr. Langliata of the Royal Fire-office, were
early at the WC" tut it is feared they will have very little
salvage to take charge of. The origin of the fire yr un-
known.

ANtoTHER GREAT FlRE.—Letters from Trebizond
tendert the occurrence of R great bre at Ordon, near the
former port, on the Itetle ult. One hundred and four houses
and shops, seven bakere,, one school, masa khan, the
governor's house, and the c.,,tann.Lowee, were destroyed by
the flames.