The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-13 00:00:00

SINGULAR SUICIDE IN FRANCE.

A circumstance has just taken place in Rochefort
which, from its fatal termination and the mysterywhich even yet involves the principal actor in it, has
caused no slight sensation in that part of France.
On the Ist of February, at six in the morning, a
stranger alighted from the Bourdeaux coach at the
Ville de Londres, and whose general appearance,
and the embarrassment displayed in his replies to
the usual questions put by the police, excited the
suspicion of one of their agents. The young man,
for such he was, with an exceedingly gentlemanlike
deportment, was narrowly watched, and was seen
to enter the shops of several different watchmakers
in the town, to whom he offered some watches for
sale, giving a different name at each shop, and all
varying from that written in his passport, which was
Pablo de Agulerd. A robbery to some extent hav-
ing taken place at St. Jean d'Angely, an order was
issued for his arrest, which was put into execution
the next morning. On being taken into custody
he was at first very urgent with the officer to
afford him the means of escape, assuring him
that by so doing he would lay a family of the first
consequence under obligation, and might depend on
their gratitude. Of course the proposal was rejected.
When brought before the commissary he refused to
give his real name, quality, or birth-place, merely
declaring he was a native of Old Castile, and that
the name Pablo de Agulerd, which be admitted was
fictitious, had been inserted by a friend who had
furnished him with his passport, which friend was a
Spaniard as well as himself. On following up the
investigation it was soon found that ninety-three
watches had been stolen from a manufacturer of
these articles at Bourdeaux the very day before the
person in custody had arrived from that city. The
prisoner, however, persisted in his innocence of any
concert, in that transaction, only adding to his
former statement that he had studied four years in
Salamanca, of which university he had originally
become a member with a view of practising at the
bar, but had abandoned that profession for the army
in 1820. With respect to the watches in his pos-
session, he stated that he had bought them of a
person named Perm, who assured him they were
part of the effects of a bankrupt, who wished to
dispose of them privately. He admitted that he
had acted wrong in receiving them under the cir-
sumstances, but affirmed strongly that this was the
only affair of the kind that he had ever been en-
gaged in, and that it was done solely with a view to
serve a countryman.
The conversation, manners, language, and every
thing connected with the soi-disant Pablo proved
that he had indeed received a liberal education, and
had moved in an elevated rank in society, while his
firmness never for a moment failed him, even to the
last. Notwithstanding every inquiry nothing could
be found to connect him personally with the robbery
at Bourdeaux beyond presumptive evidence, while
his conduct in prison was such as to prepossess
every one there in his favour. In asserting his
innocence lie occasionally showed all the fierce of
the old Castilian ; but otherwise his manner was
singularly placid and dignified. Towards the end
of February he was informed that one Rodriguez

Bastona, the Scknowledged chief of a gang of Spa-
nish thieve., had been arrested at Bourdeaux. -From.
this moment he appeared absorbed and anxious, and
addressed several letters to the procureur du roi,.
written with much elegance, in all of which he
strongly pretested his innocence. Nothing, in the
mean time transpired to throw any light on his
name or family. On the 21st, having spent the
two preceding days in writing and arranging his pa-
pers, he dined in company with the gaoler and
one of the police agents in the prison, and excited
their attention by the increased reserve and even
melancholy of his manner, which they describe
as that of a man expecting the moment of his
execution. While at dinner, he took up a large
carving knife and felt the point with his thumb, but
with so calm Can air that he excited no suspicion of
his intent. Soon after he retired for a few moments
into the court-yard, filled his pipe, and went into
the kitchen under the pretence of lighting it, but
took the opportunity to lay hold, unobserved, of
another knife, smaller, and of a different description
from the last. With this he retired towards a door
at the extremity of the room opposite to that by
which he had entered s then, turning, said to the
persons present, " Do not be alarmed, I shall injure
no one but myself." At the same moment he struck
himself a blow on the left side, but so slightly as to
prove that he intended it merely to assure himself
that his aim was a correct one. " Courage, Pablo !"
was his next exclamation, and a second blow plunged
the weapon into his breast up to the handle. He
then threw himself on a straw bed near, and begged
that a priest might be sent for. In ten minutes he
was no more. Several letters were left behind him,
one of which contained his will, leaving all his effects
to a Mademoiselle 8., of Rochelle, to whom another
of them was addressed, couched in terms of the most
glowing affection, and signed " M.O.C. de V. P.R."
the initials, as he said, of the real name and designa-
tion of him who was only known to her tinder that
of Patricio de Aguirre. His reason for this rash
act, he again averred in them, was the dread of
bringing disgrace and affliction on a noble family.
—lntelligence.

MAYOR'S COURT OF THE COUNTY OF
THE CITY OF CHESTER, APRIL 10.

Joseph Abraham, William White, John Day,
Henry Painter, all young men, privates of the 67th
regiment of foot, and Margaret Shaw, were put to
the bar, charged with robbing Thomas Griffiths, of
30s. in silver, a silver watch, a steel watch-chain,
and two handkerchiefs.

The prosecutor, a simple countr) man, stated that
a day or two before the robbery he had been living
at the Hare and Hounds in Chester, and had con-
tracted an acquaintance with the prisoner Abraham,
a soldier of the 67th regiment quartered there.
After drinking together at several houses on the
evening of the 16th of March, Abraham and the
prosecutor went together to the Robin Hood, where
the other prisoners were, with the two witnesses
Caroline Johnson arid Diana Buckley, and the pri-
soner Margaret Shaw. While there, the prisoner
Abraham whispered across the table to Diana Buck-
ley, " Scick to me to-night—Griffiths (meaning the
prosecutor), has plenty of money and a good watch."
About ten o'clock the prosecutor went out, being then
forward in liquor, when Abraham made a signal to
her to follow and take hold of the prosecutor's arm,
while the prisoner Margaret Shaw walked on the other
side. The prisoner Abraham followed them. The wo-
men decoyed the prosecutor to a remote path in the
suburbs of Chester, where the other prisoners met
them,—the men in soldiers' undress. The three
first named prisoners then knelt on him, kicked him
in the eyes, neck, and back, and jumped on him.
Some said " Kill him," while others said, " Leave
him alone, but take his things." The prosecutor
struggled hard, crying " Murder." They robbed
him of 30s. in silver, his watch and chain, and two
handkerchiefs.

Other witnesses, confirming the prosecutor's state-
ment, were called.

The Jury, after retiring for an hour, found a
verdict of Guilty against Joseph Abraham, William
White, and hlargaret Shaw, acquitting Day and
Painter.

The .sentence has not been passed, and will pro-
pably be suspended till the opinion of the Judges is
taken on the alleged detect in the indictment.
Three other soldiers of the 67th regiment, at
present quartered here, are also charged with other
serious offences committed within the city jurisdiction.
The Judge for the County Palatine of Chester,
T. JERVIS, Esq., K.C., arrived at Chester about
one o'clock this day, attended by the High Sheriff
of Cheshire, with unusual splendour. After divine
service at the cathedral, be sat to take motions ; the
Court of Session or Asizes of Cheshire being a
court in bane, similar to the Courts at Westminster
in term time. The Che,:hire Grand Jury are
summoned for Monday at ten o'clock, and there
are about 90 prisoners for trial, principally accused
of serious offences.