The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-10 00:00:00

THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

MEETING OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE FARMERS.
AYLESBURY, Wednesday Evening.
Tho anxiety of the agriculturists of this county appears
to be very greatly intensified in reference to the imminent
spread of the cattle plague throughout the country; if the
large meeting of farmers, graziers, and others held this
afternoon at the Crown Hotel in this town, and the ear-
nestness with which they addressed themselves to the sub-
ject, are to be taken as criteria. The large market-room
of the hotel was so densely crowded that there was scarcely
space sufficient for all who attended. As on the occasion
of the preliminary meeting on Saturday, Mr. W. Rose, of
Eythorpo, again presided, and was supported by many of
the principal owners of stock in the district.

The business was opened by Mr. G. A. larmniveterinary
surgeon to the Vale of Aylesbury Cattle Assurance Associa-
tion,who read an elaboratelyprepared report on the history,
symptoms, &c., of the now disease, together with some very
interesting results of post-mortem examinations which ho
had made of animals who had fallen victims to the distemper,
and ho concluded by making a variety of practical sugges-
tions with a view to preventing the spread of the disease
in this part of the country.

Mr. H. LEPPER gave a short history of assurance of cattle,
with the view of showing that the ordinary means of re-
lieving farmers from loss of stock would utterly fail in the
present case were the plague to become wide-spread, and
urging the need of a special organisation to meet the pre-
sent special emergency. He suggested that one requirement
to be inserted in the rules of the new society for protection
against the plague should be, that every member observing
the slightest deviation in the state of health of any of their
cattle should report the same to the committee, that steps
might be taken to isolate them, and other means adopted
to prevent the spread of the disease.

Mr. J. T. Smolt dwelt on the importance of stopping, if
possible, the importation of cattle from the London markets
into the country. Last Monday about 18 to 20 beasts were
brought thence to Aylesbury, and, as proximity to infected
cattle to tho extent of 100 yards wouldspread the contagion,
it was evident that tho Aylesbury farmers were by no means
safe. Ile expressed his sense of the importance of killing
the beasts as soon as ever an infected condition was dis-
covered.

Mr. Q. M. ArammEn, blamed the Government with hav-
ing been tardy in the matter. Any local efforts would be
inadequate to grapple with it, and the greatest good the
present meeting could do would be to memorialise thePrivry
Council to stir themselves a little more than they had done
by the mere issuing of a !Ater to the Royal Agricultural
Society of England and the Veterinary College. He thought
the letter was a disgrace to the Government, who appeared
to want to throw the whole of the care of the matter on indi-
viduals. What would bo the use of the Vale of Aylesbury
taking action if the Government would not assist at the
ports? For nearly every case was traceable to the importa-
tion of foreign cattle, and the plague would not have been
in England at all if these cattle had not been brought over.
The Government admitted in theirletter that out of 160,000
cattle attacked in Russia last year 105,000 died, and they
said that their powers as vested in them were limited; and
moreover—and this was the disgraceful part of the letter
—that "it did not appear that in any country where the
Government possessed the amplest power of dealing with
such cases, and had used it, any very signal success had
resulted." But England was not in a similar set of circum-
stances. Tho countries referred to already had the disease,
but it did not exist in England, but was brought hither,
and therefore he contended the Government of this coun-
try had the power to prevent its introduction. (Applause.)
Ho moved that a petition be at once drawn up, memorial-
ising the Government to immediately enforce a quarantine
of seven or ten days. That would stop the foreign impor-
tation, infected animals already in England would be iso-
lated, and thus tho disease be speedily arrested. The
memorial should also adopt Mr. Senior's view, that the
beasts should at once bo killed as soon as infection was dis-
covered.

Mr. T. C. HOWLAND seconded the motion, giving the
Government credit for issuing circulars to the railway
companies and ports. But railway companies did not give
much heed to such advice ; and, as an instance, he men-
tioned that at the Aylesbury station of the London and
North Western Railway sometimes the cattle trucks used
by the Bucks farmers wore not cleaned out for six weeks
together, and only a few days ago three boasts died from
the plague during transmission from London to Birmingham.
Mr. FREEMAN and 36veral other farmers supported the
motion, and it was unaOlmously carried, the memorial be-
ing signed in the room by owners of stock representing an
aggregate of 5,000 head of cattle.

The meeting then went into matters of detail regarding
the constitution of the society for mutual assurance against
loss of cattle by the now disease. They decided by a very
large majority to allow two-thirds of the valuo of smitten
beasts to such members as might lose them from that cause,
the proposal to allow only one half finding but little favour.
The following were also appointed a committee to draw up
the rules, and submit them to the body of members :—Mr.
W. Rose, Eythorpe, chairman; Mr. Geo. Fell, secretary ;
Messrs. J. Kersley, Fowler, E. Stone, W. H. Rose, T. W.
Morris, 11. Lepper, G. A. Lepper, llumphrey Bull, E. Ben-
nett, Walter Crook, J. P. Parrott, I'. C. Howland, T. '
Woodman (Tring), J. Biggs, J. Denchfiolcl, M. Bliss, J.
Kingham, W. Mayson, G. French, and J. Trevor, sen.
The meeting then adjourned.

CANTERBURY, WEDNESDAY.
There is no longer any doubt that the disease which has
made its appearance among cattle in the vicinity of this
city is the murrain. Mr. Wm. Dombrain, who has a farm
at Broad Oak, about a mile and a half from the city, has
already lost ten cows, and the disease, in a less virulent
form, has attacked the stock of other dairymen. It is also
reported that it has appeased in various parts of the Isle of
Sheppey and the Isle of Thanet. In the case of Mr. Dom-
brain the infection was communicated to his stock by four
Dutch calves, purchased in the Canterbury market, which
had been sent from London. As soon as there was reason
to apprehend the fearful visitation had broken out here,
the Mayor of Canterbury wrote to the authorities in Lon-
don, and the result was the sending down of an inspector
to institute inquiries into the matter. For this purpose
Mr. George T. Brown visited Canterbury yesterday, and
the result of his inspection may be gathered from the fol-
lowing letter addressed to the mayor of the city :

" Canterbury, Aug. 8.
" Sir,—Having made an inspection of Mr. Dombrain's
farm, and satisfied myself of the existence of the cattle
plague in the neighbourhood, I have the honour to submit
to you the following suggestions for the prevention of the
spread of the disease :

" Ist. On the appearance of any symptoms of ill-health
among cattle, the affected animals should be separated from
the rest, and ii the plague is found to be developed, the
animals should be at once destroyed and buried.

" 2nd. No infected animal, dead or alive, should be
taken along public ways, nor any animals that have been
near infected stock, or that have been attended by men
who have been in contact with animals having the disease.
" 3d. No communication, direct or indirect, should be
permitted to occur between diseased and healthy stock
under any circumstances.

" 4th. The extensive use of some disinfectant, as chlo-
ride of lime, is to be advised in sheds and farm-yards,
even where no disease has appeared.

" sth. It is very desirable, as a matter of expediency,
that no fresh cattle should bo purchased except for the
purpose of immediate slaughter, or otherwise with the in-
tention to keep them in an isolated position for not less
than 14 days before allowinglthem to mix with other stook.
" The alarming spread of the disease through the coun-
try renders the adoption of the most stringent sanatory
regulations absolutely necessary.—l am, air, your very
obedient servant, " GEORGE T. BROWN.
" The Mayor of Canterbury."

The mayor has appointed an inspector of stock for the
Oanterbury market, and meetings of the town council and
also of the farmers of East Kent have been convened to
adopt other precautionary measures to prevent the spread
of the disease.

Messrs. Durant and Co., reviewing the course of
business in the silk trade during the last month,
say :—" We have had a month of extreme quiet in
silk. At the time of the departure of the 10th
July mail, a check had already been established by
a telegram announcing good prospects as to crop
in China, and probably very low opening prices.
Within a few days other telegrams were received
announcing large settlements, and fully confirming
the expectation as to the comparative abundance of
the crop. This effectually put a stop to all busi-
ness, for although they reported a material rise in
prices, this was looked upon as the result of the
greatly improved accounts from this side, rather
.than any doubt as to the probable amount of ex-
port. The letters delivered this morning hold out the
hope of a larger quantity than had been previously
contemplated, but there is again a telegram in
town, of later date, giving decidedly unfavourable
accounts of the prospects of the second crop, and
limiting the estimate of total quantity from China
to the original statement of 50,000 bales. This
will no doubt have more or less effect upon the
minds and feelings of the importers of the large
quantity of about 7,000 bales to be landed next
week. For the moment our quotations are merely
nominal—the few transactions that have taken
place in old silk have been at a reduction of about
10 per cent. Bengal silk has fully shared in the
general quiet, and the little business done has been
at the same reduction.

GUST 10, 1865,

The Scotch Pig Iron Trade.

(From the Mining Journal of Aug. 5.)
SCOTCH PIG IRON, FROM AN ENGLISH POINT OF
VIEW.—An elaborate report, which has just been
issued by Messrs. Lockhart and Co., the well-
known metal brokers, in Liverpool, shows the
wonderful progress of the Scotch iron trade in the
last quarter of a century. It exhibits a reduction
"of 56,000 tons in the stock of pig iron in Scotland
in the last six months, that the present stock bears
about the same proportion to the wants of the trade
as the stock in 1852 bore to the wants of
that period—about 7i months' consumption,
and the price in that year rose more than
100 per cent., and the average price for five
years, 1853-57, was 70s. 6d. a ton." It also shows
that, whilst the " demand from America can hardly
be worse than during the first half of this year, other
important outlets are opening up to the iron trade
of this country ;" and " the only reserve stock any-
where of consequence to draw from is Scotch pig-
iron." It reveals the remarkable fact that the
largest deliveries of pig-iron on record were in 1864,
when the highest price was 675. 3d., and the
average 575. 3d. per ton, with the value of money
averaging 7i per cent. Notwithstanding the stop-
page for some time of the consumption of
pig-iron by the late strike among the puddlers
in England and Scotland, and the forslacking of
exports to the United States, the stocks of pig-iron
have already this year decreased in the North of
England 11,000 tons, and in Scotland upwards of
60,000 tons. According to official returns, the total
shipments last week were 17,179 tons, against
13,138 tons in the same period of last year, thus
showing an increase of 4,041 tons. Such is the
enlarging demand for iron, both at home and
abroad, that it is now fairly in excess of the supply ;
and we are again enabled to congratulate the coun-
try upon the beginning of another period of pros-
perity in this important trade.

Trial for Murder in France•

Tho Assize Court for Douai was occupied on Saturday
with the trial of a murderer named Manesse, who killed five
persons with a hatchet, and left a sixth for dead, in so in-
credibly short a space of time that, until he made a full con-
fession, the public refused to believe in the possibility of
the crimes of which he was accused. About a year ago, in
the case of Bastide Besplas, it was seriously argued by the
counsel for the defence that no man was ever known to
kill so many as four persons immediately one after the other,
and that the thing was impossible. But in the present in-
stance it is beyond a doubt that Maness° actually felled,
like oxen, no less than six people, without a moment's
pause, breaking the skulls of two of them with a single
blow each, killing three others with many wounds, and
grievously injuring the remaining one of the party. Tho
indictment stated that on the 17th March last, at about 7
in-the evening, a bloody drama appalled the inhabitants of
the commune of Favril. Six persons fell under the blows
of an assassin. Five died the same night, without for an
instant, recovering consciousness or being able to utter a
word, and the sixth only recovered after a long period of
the utmost danger. The first victim was Isidore Largil-
liere, a farmer, of Favril, aged 48. He was found in a
stable with his face smashed and one eye knocked out. The
second was his son, a lad of 18, whose body was found by
the side of that of his father ; his skull was split up, and
a part of the brain had escaped from it. The third was
Albino Largilliere, sister of the last, a young girl of 19. She
appears to have been struck down as she was running away
from the house ; there were eight wounds on her head, two
of which had fractured her skull. The fourth was Desiree
Largilliere, aged 42, the sister of Isidore, who lived next
door to him ; she had five wounds on the head, by two of
which the skull was broken. The fifth was Leopoldine
Largilliere, aged 16, a natural daughter of Desiree ; she was
wounded in the head in two places, and from ono of them
the brain protruded. Desiree and Leopoldine were knocked
down on the threshold of Isidore's house, to which they were
probably hastening when they heard the cries of the other
victims. Mdme. Largilliere, aged 38, the only one of the
family destined to survive the massacre, had four wends in
the head, and afifthunder the chin, which occasioned afrao-
ture of the left part of the lower jaw. She was found senseless

lying on the ground, with her head against the open door of
the house from which the murderer had fled. The numerous
wounds received by the victims were all evidently inflicted
by the same instrument, wielded with extraordinary force
by one and the same hand. Tho neighbours had heard the
blows and the cries of anguish, but not one had had the
courage to interfere. Tho boldest only ventured to approach
the scene when the carnage, which occupied but a very few
minutes, was entirely over. Madame Largilliore, when re-
stored to consciousness, related that on the evening in ques-
tion she was at supper with her son and daughter, when she
heard her husband coming home with a waggon and six

torsos. She sent her son out to the stables to meet his

father. Her daughter shortly followed, taking the lamp
with her, and a few minutes later she (Madame Largilliere)
being all alone, felt herself struck, but without seeing the
assassin, and she remembered nothing more. The supper
table bore indentations from the instrument used by the
murderer, and it seems probable that she in rushing•after
the aggressor must have fallen outside the door, where she
was found. Nothing was stolen either from the persons
of the victims or from either of the two houses. The mur-
derer surprised Isidoro Largilliere in the stable, which he
entered by a back door, without passing through the village
of Favril. The acte d'a.ccusation then enters into long argu-
mentative details, unnecessary to be repeated, after the
confession, to show that no stranger to the premises could
have committed the crime, and that nobody but the prisoner
had a motive for doing it. The motive assigned was that
Manosse, a small farmer, whose property was mortgaged, and
who was over head and ears in debt, was ono of the heirs of
the Largilliere family by virtue of his marriage with one of
Largilliere's sisters, and that he was anxious to hasten the
succession. He made various confessions, telling lies in all
of them, as confessing murderers are wont to do. In one
of his confessions he sought to implicate as an accomplice a
brother-in-law named Fresse, who was a co-heir of the Lar-
gillieres, but at the trial he withdrew this accusation, and
admitted that he alone was concerned in the murder. The
presiding judge endeavoured to make him confess that he
deliberately planned from the first the murder of the whole
family, in order to get his share of the property of all of
them. But ho persisted, and in this he probably spoke the
truth, that he only meant to kill the head of the family,
Isidoro, and that after striking him down in the stable ho
killed all the others to prevent them from giving evidence
against him. He also represented, and this seems, onread-
ing the report, not improbable--that it was not with a view
to inherit from Isidoro Largilliere that ho killed him, but
because he had a dispute with him about the distribution of
a relation's property, which had been so managed as to
give Largilliere two horses more than he was entitled to.
Ho alleged that he had been drinking a great deal, and ad-
mitted, in answer to the leading question of the judge, that
ho was also drunk with blood, and that one murder led him
on to another. It is a most extraordinary thing that this
unparalleled series of murders should have been perpetrated
at an early hour of the evening, in a hamlet whore there
wore several houses, and yet that the murderer should have
got clear away, walked to a distant village with a view to
establish an alibi, come back to his wife and daughter at his
house on the scene of his crimes, attended the funeral of his
victims, and not been arrested till several days after the
deed. It was only at last public suspicion that pointed at
him on account of his violent character. Everybody said
there was nobody in Favril but Manesse who could have
done it. At length the police collected a number of small
proofs which thoy thought justified his arrest, and his
confession soon supplied the links wanting. Maness() is 52
years of age, a man of Herculean strength, and with an
impediment in his speech. He stuttered so much during
his examination as to be often unintelligible. The telegraph
which brings the result of the trial says that he seemed
totally unmoved when sentenced to death.

THE DEAD HAND. The celebrated Lord Ches-
terfield's wilD contains this prelude :—" Satiated
with the pompous follies of this life, of which I have had
an uncommon share, I would have no posthumous ones
displayed at my funeral, and therefore desire to be buried
in the next burying-place to the place where I shall die,
and limit the whole expense of my funeral to £100." Shortly
after comes the following clause :—" Tho several devises
and bequests hereinbofore and hereinafter given by me to
and in favour of my said godson, Philip Stanhope, shall be
-subject to the condition and restriction hereinafter men-

tioned—that is to say, that in case my said godson, Philip
Stanhope, shall at any time hereafter keep or bo concerned
in the keeping of any racehorse or racehorses, or pack or
packs of hounds, or reside one night at Newmarket, that
infamous seminary of iniquity and ill manners, during the
course of the races there, or shall resort to the said races,
or shall lose in any one day at any game or bet whatsoever
the sum of £5OO, then, and in any of the cases aforesaid, it
is my express will that ho, my said god-son, shall forfeit
and pay out of my estate the sum of £5,000 to and for the
use of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, for every
such offence or misdemeanour as is above specified, to be
recovered by action for debt in any of his Majesty's courts
of record at Westminster." The will entails a similar pe-
nalty on the lotting of Chesterfield-house. The present Lord
Chesterfield, who is son of the man on whom these Habi-

lilies were imposed, has certainly let Chesterfield-house,
and has, we will venture to say, passed some nights at the
"iniquitous seminary of iniquity and ill manners." His
ancestor vested the infliction of the penalty in the reverend
hands of the Dean and Chapter, to mark, by a sort. of
Parthian dart, his sense of the grasping spirit he considered
they had evinced in their dealings with him respecting the
land on which his house was built, and to show what a rigid
enaction of the penalty imposed he anticipated from such
sharp practitiouers.—Fraser's Magazine.