The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-25 00:00:00

CRIME 1N FRANCE.

A Spaniard, named Hey, was tried on Friday last by the
Court of Assizes of the Gironde on two several charges of
attempting to c aaamit a burglary and of stabbing the police
agent who arrested him. The principal witness against the
prisoner was the agent above mentioned, named Fage, who
deposed that on the night of 12th June last, when passing
along the Cours Napoleon at Bordeaux, he saw five persons
lurking about in a suspicious manner. He consequently ob.
tained the assistance of four sergents de \Title, and on return-
ing to the Cours Napoleon they saw the same men, who
separated, and ran off in different directions as they ap-
proached. As the prisoner seemed to have something con-
cealed un ler his coat, witness followed him, the sergents de
villo remaining some distance behind. On coming up with
prisoner, witness collared him, and at the same moment re-
ceived a severe wound with a poniard in the left arm. A
struggle ensued, during which witness was again wounded,
when the sergeants de ville came up and the prisoner
was secured. On the prisoner's person were found centre
bits and other instruments used by housebreakers, evidently
the same which had been used to break into a jeweller's
shop in the Rue St. James during that night. Several
witnesses deposed to having seen the prisoner and four others
near the shop in question. The jury without hesitation
returned a verdict of guilty on both charges, but allowed
the prisoner the benefit of extenuating circumstances, and
he was accordingly condemned to hard labour for life.

The Court of Assizes of the Bas-Rhin, sitting
at Strasburg, was occupied two days last week in trying
three young men, Gigax, Ruff, and Wolff, from 20 to 22
years of age, for two murders and a robbery committed at
Benfeld in October last. In the morning of the 31st of
that month, several persons having noticed that the house
of an old unmarried lady, Mlle. Reibell, remained closed
later than usual, the authorities were informed of the fact,
and the mayor, accompanied by police officers, forced an
entry. It was evident from the disordered state of the
rooms on the ground floor that the house had been entered
by thieves during the nigat ; and on proceeding to the bed-
chamber, Mlle. Reibell was found lying dead on her bed quite
dressed, and she had evidently been strangled, as a hand-
kerchief was drawn tight round her neck. In an out-
house, her servant-maid, named Wissmar, was also found
strangled. Robbery had undoubtedly been the motive of the
twofold crime, for Mlle. Reibell was known to possess con-
siderable property, and the general belief was that she kept
a good sum of ready money in the house. This proved to
be true, for the officers found 33,000 f. in specie, and it was
afterwards proved that the murderers had taken about
10,000 f. Tho police were put upon the track of the mur-
derers by the confession of a prisoner under sentence in
the House of Correction at Schlestadt, who, as soon as he
heard of the crime, informed the gaoler that the prisoner
Gigax, who had recently undergone six months' im-
prisonment, had told him that he (Gigax) had intended
to rob Mlle. Reibell as soon as he obtained his liberty.
In consequence of this information orders were sent to the
police of Strasburg ro arrest Gigax, if ho could be found,
and while seeking for him the officers arrested the two pt.; -
they
wore Buff and Wolff in a house of ill-fame, where
wore spending money profusely. Soon after their arrest
these men confessed they had committed laemurders and
robbery at Benfeld, in conjunction with igax The latter
meanwhile had escaped to London, whence ho afterwards
returned to France, and was arrested. He made no attempt
to deny his guilt, and detailed all the circumstances of the
crime. This confession fully agreed with those of his
accomplices, and all their statements were abundantly
confirmed by collateral evidence. The case, therefore,
presented no difficulty for !h.) jury, who at once
brought
in a
extenuating pri-
soners,verdict of guilty against all the pri-
circumstances. The Court
accordingly condemned them to death,
and ordered their
execution to take place at Benfeld.
without
The Court of Assizes of the Yonne last week tried a vino-
,
i"r*royer nafamedrordriat, aged 48, residing at Yillownivo'