The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-19 00:00:00

A FRENCH RUBBER.

fn the midst of the wood of Chevance, !awned in the
commune of Palinges (Saone and Loire), one Francis Lean..
vernier bad built himself a hut, where he dwelt with his
family. Thither, like a brigand of the feudal ages, Ito
ronveyed every day the booty which lie had acquired by
his robberies in the neighbouring country, whether of poe-
try, she, clothes, or the plum], rof travellers. A thing
scarceiyk he believed in France, his predatory excursions
were.catritrd-on for two whole years with impunity, and is
is oily by his having attempted to combine the ctaft of the
thief of civilized times with the audacity of the bandit of
a more barbarous age, that Lauvernier has; at last, fallen
into the hands of justice. One evening, in the month 6f
January last, he had secreted himself in a thicket, by the
side of a path, leading to PaUnites, when a neighbouri4
farmer, Jean Ballerin, was passing along it. Lauvern . -
sprang out upost him, armed with a large knife, and forcer.
him to give up twenty-seven francs, which be had abort
him. On quitting him, he threatened him with death if
he ever mentioned what bad just occurred. Ballerin went
home in great trouble! his wife observed it, and managed co
well as to draw his secret from him by repeated entreaties, lint
be knew not who the robber was, and all remained concealed.
This silence encouraged Lauvernier to presume on the timi-
dity of Ballerin. On the night between the 16th and 19th.
of Feliruary, he presented himself it the farmer's titer chi-
! guised as a woman, and, softening his voice, cried out for
" assistance. Ballerin, awakened by the noise, got up and
opened the door, when Lauvernier rushed upon him armed
o with his butcher's knife, looking taller from his dress, and in
a terrible attitude cried out " Your money ! your money ! I
must have your money !" Ballerin's wife threw herself out
of bed, and, running to a cupboard, took from it SO fiance.
which she brought to her husband, who gave it to the tob-.
ber. Lauvernier retired, threatening as before the most
frightful revenge if he was denounced, and, not being yet
satisfied with the terror he had caused, devised a scheme of
the most infernal description. Some misunderstanding
existed between the two brothers Ballerin and Jean Marie
Mantillet, their father-in-law. Lauvernier went to the
latter and told him, in a mysterious manner, that he bad
something to state to him in confidence. Several meetings took
place in consequehee, in which he gave him to understand
that Jean and Antoine Ballerin had promised him WO
francs if he would murder him (Nlautillet), and that in
order to save him he had pretended to close with their pro-
posals; that they had already furnished him with diffeirept
*awns on account, and that there were 50 francs which he
was about to receive from Jean, in the disguise of a wo-
man. To this story Lauvernier added several minute de-
tails, calculated to impose on the father-in-law, who never
went out, but kept himself constantly on his guard. Lan-
vernier had not yet got to the end of his devices, and its
order to extract advantage to himself from the two bro.
Thera, as well as to disculpate himself in case of being
denounced, he went to Jean Ballerin, and confessed to
him that he was the person who hail robbed him, pro.
mising to return the whole of the property, provided be
Would meet him on the bridge of Monceau. Jean Ballerin
consented, but scarcely had he arrived on the spot ate
pointed, when Lauvernier, raising his voice, said to him.
" You have hired me to murder your father-in-law. I
have acquainted him with our bargain; he has offered no
two hundred francs to denounce you; and I must havt
three hundred francs from you for my silence." Two
workmen were posted near by Lauvernier, to overhear the
answer of Ballerin, which they would have interpreter
after their own manner ; but Ballerin, instead of replying,
ran away, and, next day, disclosed the whole of this nefa-
rious history to a judge of the peace. Lauvernier being
arrested, and handed over to the Assizes of Macon, en-
deavoured to turn to account the plan he hail devised
against the brothers Ballerin, but miacarrieilin consequence
of their character for probity and candour. In the ceuree
of the trial, being asked by the President what should ins
duce the brothers Ballerin to apply to him to assassinate
their father-in-law? he answered, " Becalm they believed
me to be a bigger rogue than I am." Lauvernier, who had
exhibited much assurance during the proceedings, fainted
when sentence of hard labour for life was pronounced
against him. On recovering his senses, he exclaimed,
" Good-by, my friends, lam lost for life!" Soon after this
„convict, whom athletic form announces the extraordinary
strength of body which he possesses, rose from his bend),
and got upon tb.e platform, near the seat of M. the Procu.
reur du Roi. Re appeared to wish to return to the Coun-
cil Chamber, where he had been conducted, accordiog to
custom, during the first declaration of the Jury. A gen.
denten telliighim that he could not pass there, Lauvernier
replied, with fury, that he would pats, if he pleased, and
at the same time, notwithstanding his handcuffs, cpposed a
most violent resistance to the gendarmes, who wished to
force him down from the platform,
whither be had probe.
it I
proba-
bly mounted by mistake.
A dreadful storm and tornado
were experienced at North
Aluskham, on the 6th, The clouds were so low, that airy
took up a considerable quantity of water,. and left the bed
of the Trent nearly dry. Trees were scattered in all di•
sections, and nearly 300 are broken down. The (*idles
could not proceed for the obstruction.
On Sunday, about one o'clock at noon, a fire was dis-
leoanvee,redleaidninag ifoi
ms e
tihneaoniarDwjelak ntoe,priaaradllediseC..etnasussowt-phibouseyer:
pooh but which was soon extinguished.