The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-08 00:00:00

TRIAL FOR MURDER IN FRANCE.

It will !ft remmebered thatweementioned some months ago Ow
assassination of Jl. Paul Conis,Courier, who was shot to a wood
near his own country seat. Ills murder excited a I reatsc.nststion,
as the commission of the eked was first ascribed to political motive&
M. Courier had been long an opponent of the Government, apd
formidable enemy of the Ultras and Fanatics. His satirical *pt.
ings appeared from time to time as subjects of ridkhle occurred.
They twice exposed their author to prosecution and imprisonment,
but his temper could not be subdued, nor his pen restrained,
Latter! they appeared without any printer's name, or purported to
come from the press of Brussels, bit were known to be printed
under his own eye, and circulated Through the medium of him
friends and admirers. They always bore the signature of P. L.
Courier ; but when questioned about this publicatisn, he greeted
to be as angry as the Judge of Instructional the scandalous usurps.
I lion of his name, and exposit, of his character, which their ap-
pearance implied. Latterly his productions only circulated among
those who shared his opinionA, or enjoyed his wit, and could
not be obtained from booksellers. No publication, therefore,
could be proved, nor any. evideace of his authorship ad-
duced against him. His pa.pers were always of a ployfuL
and humorous character, written in a quaint and irouical
style, and pointed witlk surprising effect against arbitrary
power and hypocritical cant. The Jesuits, the old No-
blesse, and the Bourbon Dyeasty, were the constant themes of
his.attack. It is remarkible that a man who thus appeared to dr:
yews his life to writing of political squffis, and to court popularity
by eleposiog himiself to persecution, should have been both one of
tie beat officers in the Fretech service', and the second. if not the
first, Hellonist of his country. Under 'Bonaparte lie had attained
the rank. of Captain of Engineers, and might have exerted rapid
promotion had he continued in the army under the Bourbont.—
But his political principles would cot allow him to retain his com-
mission. Even under Napoleon he showed his independiroce of
mind, and dared to laugh at whit he thought the follies of the
Court. When the French gentry began to resume the deposed dr,
which marked them to be people of family, Al. Courier was asked
how he trould introduce the honorary particle into his na,.ie. To
this he replied, that he did not think of changing his title, but if ho
did,, he could think of nothing better than '• P. L. Courier des
hlal:eg. Known to be thus of What are called Jacobin principles,
and hostile to the ruling party in France, hit death was at first as-
cribed to the effect of fanatical zeal.
The trial of the supposed assassin came on at the Court of
Assizes of Tours, on the 31st ult. following is an outline of
the proceedings of the first day :
At eleven o'clock the proceedings began. The accused was
introduced. His demeanour was erdrh, and his fade evinced glest
simplicity. Ile answered the questidns put to him : that his name
was Louis Frimeni, that he was 3ff years of age, and that be had
been gardener and forest-keeper to 11. Courier. The act of indict.
ment was then read, by which it appeared that Al. Courier left kis
house at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 17th of April; and
that, not having returned in the evening, his long absence exditail
aliani. Search having been made on the following day, his body
was iounsl pierced with three leaden slugs, which had been fired at
him. The prisoner was suspected, and arrested, lie could give
no account of what he was dofag, or where he wr- a
murder.
A leaden pipe was found, Of which a part had
lead found in the body of Al. Courier exactly
pipe had lost. Pftrt of a journal had been used e
had likewise entered the body of the deceased,
was missing from the room of Frimont, where
following numbers were found. The defence wi
made to these circumstances of charge was contradi
The examination of the witnesses for the
commenced.

Sleur Moreau, bailiff', stated that M. Courier .
part of his property, and that he had told the witness
appoint him wootlkeeper, as Frimont was to lam),
month of April. On the 10th Moreau went to sec)
lie found the body on the edge of the wood, and
here is oar master." When Frimont came up, )
him, " Louis, your master is no more." Frimontbody, and replied "It is true.'' lie showed apath)
way :nosed.
Madame Courier, the witlow, was called.— She
was twenty-two years of age.—( Her voice was at
she gradually recovered from her egitation.)--she
at the time of the murder, and returned two days ai
mediately suspected Frimont, though she had before
confidence in him. Frimont, instead of coming to P
I used to do, avoided seeing her. M. Courier bad
satisfied with Frimont's conduct, and wished to die)
prisoner had been kept in his place solely through ,
of the witness in his favour. Ile often got drunk.-wt
violent, and his master at last determined to distill/
moat was aware of Al. Courier's intention, Tile
that it was with great pain she had come to the
man who had been !or six years a faithful servant
of her husband.

A labourer, who had wanted to purchase wood
was next examined. On the morning of the lOt
Friniont, but th'ey could not agree about the prir
out for two francs, and would rot come down.
shin about his master, whom he called a wretL._
and added, •' he will pay for it sooner than he imagines.
The prisoner denied having need this language.
After some other important depositions the Cour

A basin is to be excavated in the field
100-road, for the purpose of receiving ligln
craft entering the wet dock now making
Bridge. The canal leading to the basin wi'
Belvidere-read, and consequently a bridge
over the carriage way. The improvement:
ment of capital in the above quarter, are ui
tensive scale.
We copy the following from a snuMbox,l
of one of the beams of the Glasg,ow Cattle
building that was saved from destruction e
tion :—" Respect me for n hat I have been.
young and hopeful plant of nature; in the
I became tall, the birds of the air were In
shadow, and returned me their sweetest not
tection ; bT the hand of man I was cut down;
of Nature s robes ; afterwards I became
Cathedral of Glasgow, and for upwards a
years have been a cover to the teachers in
I have screened alike the saint and sinner
blast ; but now I am an outcast from the
become a •gazing-stock in the hands of mat
my remains made a anuff-box.-1824."
REMARKABLE ANtstAt..—A gentlemal
Hyde) direct from Oxford, called on us last
informed that two brothers, one about 18, •
12 years of age, went into the woods, about
Oxford, on Thursday the 12th ult. wi
and discovered a strange animal about thirty
from them. The oldest boy tired, and w(
the breast and shoulder. He turned, and
towards the one who shot him. The old(
for his brother's rifle, who was about six
The younger brother started with his ril
but finding the animal would be too qui
levelled his rifle himself, and brought him
with a ball through his head. •He was 1
measured, when he was found tote eight
from the end of the nose to the roof of his
five feet long, making 13 feet in the whole.
4 inches high when standing, his body abou,
man's; .he was of a red dint colour, had a
key, body like a panther. feet like a deer,
wolf. Mr. Hyde saw the animal himself,

I.)ROWNING AND EXTRAORDINARY Pit
On Sunday lasts reapeciable yountr man, named
residing iu King-street, St. Beorge a in the Last,
of pleasure with some friend's, was unfortunatel,
Barking. The presentiments which the deceased he
which has occurred are rather extraordinary ;
quiries into their truth, and find them to be as .
nights of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday precedi
he was haunted by the moat fearful dreams, each
sented appalling pictures of drowning, in every
and wi it all imaginable terrifying acconipani
dream he paid but little attention to, neither did
ticc of the second, but the third, in consequent
making a deep impression on his mind, he mount
stater. She, knowing the engagement be made
and his intention of going on the river, made use
il most sisterly arguments to dissuade him I
All
her entreaties, however, were without effect
somewhat staggered. determined to keep his erg
disappoint his friends; and asked, what would b.
if be were to assign an idle dream as an excuse
Ili. Wind, notwithstanding. was strongly 'odor,
victim that what was medicated as a day of
eventually pears one .of mourning, and fatal
therefore Mail Ms sister that should the catastropl.
cipated take pbee. thst let his body lie ever so ion)
would be recortind by rett.iio math en his dross.
al three letters on eft* of his shoes, which he point
sister, any set forward eo his ill•fited excursion.
ging in all directions fer the Oody, which has
found.

was, the day ofthe y
I been cut off Ti e
r weighed what the
as waMting, which
ed, and this journAt
the preceding and
which the accused
radictury.
e prosecution then
er intended to sal
tness that he would
are hia place in the
eck for M. Courier.
d cried out, " Ah ! ,
1, Moreau said to
wont looked at the
ipathy, and was no
he deposed that she
at first feeble, but
he was from home
aye alter. She int.
before placed touch
g to her as he had
lad long been Ms-
) dismiss him. I'he
.rgh the interference
Link, was extremely •
dismiss hint.
Fri-
Tlle witness added,
he conclusion that a
nt was the murderer
at from M. Courier.
fith, he saw Louisa
ice. Frittiont stood
He got into a pas-
teh and a brigand,
magines."
men adjoOthad.
south of Water-
liters and small
ng at Waterloo
will intersect the
•,e will be thrown
ta, and employ- ( •
upon a most ex-
made from part
hedral, the only
at the Reforms- •
1. Once I was a
le course of yeirs
happy under my
totes for the pro•
ten, and stripped
•
an Arch in the
of seven hundred
that sanctuary ;
from the stormy
e House of Gad ;
an, and a part of
tan (Mr J. C) • •
Ist Saturday, and
, the other only • $
it live mile below
with two rifles,
•ty yards distant •
wounded him in !!
made furiously
:lest then called
: rods distant,,--
ifle towards him,
tick for him, bad
m to the ground
a brought in and
;ht feet in length
t tail which was
He was 3 feet
out the size of a
face like a nun-
and tail likes 4
Af.—Borton
;t: James Williams. tt
t, while on a party
Itely drowned nose
had of the calamity
we have matte in.
t follows :—On tII •
reeding his death.
each of which pre.
variety of shape,
'intents. The lieu
I he take much nos
ice of its rypetition,
municatcd it to hia
le for the nest day,
use of the swoops; .
friar, his purpose.
; lie sill, though
tgagement, and not
be thought ot him
it for his abaenere.
uented by the con. •
uf pleasure would
I to himself. He
'pile which he %mi-
lting in the water it
as. He then punch.
xiinte.l eat to ;Ls
I. Busts are drag.
has not as yst, bows.
•
,
11