The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-04 00:00:00

CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO KILL THE
EMPEROR OF FRANCE.

Yesterday, at four o'clock, Edouard Paynaud was
again placed at the bar of the Bow-street police court,
before Mr. Jardine, for re-examination, on the charge
of having attempted to conspire, with divers others, to
murder Louis Napoleon, the Emperor of the French.
Mr. Bodkin, who was accompanied by Ni. Reynolds,
the solicitor to the Treasury, and by Mr. Humphreys,
solicitor, conducted the prosecution.
His Royal Highness the Prince de Joinville occupied
a seat on the bench.

Mr. Bodkin said he appeared by direction of the Home-
office to institute a charge against the prisoner at the
bar, a native of France, who had been apprehended upon
a warrant granted by his worship on Saturday last. The
offence for which he was about to be prosecuted was a
misdemeanour. The prisoner was charged with an at-
tempt to conspire, in this country, to assassinate the
present reigning Emperor of the French. It was not
necessary to quote cases for the purpose of showing that
this was an offence against the laws of England. The
circumstances of the case were very short. The Prince
de Joinville, who is a resident in this country, received
a letter from the prisoner two or three months ago, of
which he took no notice at the time, his Royal High-
ness having regarded it as an idle and impertinent effu-
sion. That letter was destroyed. Shortly afterwards
a second letter was received by the Prince's secretary,
in the same handwriting and of similar purport, but
going somewhat more into detail. It was followed
by a third letter, in which the writer stated that he
had been down to Claremont. His Royal Highness now
considered it his duty to send these letters to the Home-
office, and Lord Palmerston, on seeing them, determined
to take proceedings with a view to the discovery and
apprehension of the prisoner. The purport of the let-
ters addressed to the Prince was that his Royal High-
ness should combine with the writer in an attempt to
assassinate Louis Napoleon, or, by advancing a sum of
201., enable the prisoner to do it himself without assist-
ance. A detective officer having been employed by the
commissioners of police to commence a search for the
prisoner, inquiry was made for him at the house from
which the letters had been addressed to the Prince. It
was ascertained that the prisoner was residing there,
but, on suspecting probably the object of the inquiry, he
decamped from London. He was traced and followed
to Southampton, and apprehended just before his in-
tended departure to Jersey.
Francois, Prince de Joinville, made the following
statement in English :—I have been for some time re-
siding at Claremont, in Surrey. I have no personal
knowledge of the prisoner at the bar. Two or three
months ago I received a letter from a person who signed
himself "Raynaud." The writer requested an inter-
view with me. I handed the letter to my secretary,
with instructions to reply that I did not grant an inter-
view to any one with whom I had no previous acquaint-
ance. Some time after this I received another letter
from the same person, and subsequently a third (on the
23d of June).. These letters were handed to my secre-
tary, and the letters now produced, marked A and B,
are the same, They are in the French language.
Auguste Trognon, the private secretary of his royal
highness, identified the letters as the same which were
handed to him by the prince. The first letter received
from the prisoner was destroyed.
Alexander Seminauve, a tailor, who had resided with
the prisoner in the same house, 4, Sherrard-place, Sher-
rard-street, Soho, proved that the letters produced were
in the handwriting of the prisoner, with which he was
well acquainted.
Here the prisoner requested the interpreter to ask the
witness if lie (prisoner) was not subject to periodical
attacks in the head, which made him at times confused
and deranged.
The witness replied that he had heard him complain
of attacks of this description.
The original letters were handed to the prisoner for
his inspection, and he did not deny having written them.
They were read at length by Mr. Burnaby, the chief
clerk, but the following passages, translated, will suffi-
ciently indicate their character. In the first letter, after
dwelling upon the interest which he took in the welfare
and happiness of the prince's family, and the feeling of
hatred which he entertained, in common with his op-
pressed countrymen, towards "Napoleon the Little,"
who had deprived the prince and his family of their just
right to the throne of France, the writer proceeded to
say :

" I leave for Paris. My journey is for you and for you
alone. I swear it on the grave of my mother and father.
My life is a buithen to me. I cannot support it, my prince.
My wife, who is 17 years of age, I wish to place under your
protection. I have found an excuse for my voyage, and
she consents. But the poor child will be the only victim
of my project. Ido not sleep. I must alone take charge
of the infamous wretch. He and his people must perish.
It is a terrible thing for me to be an assassin, but it must
be, if I sell my last shirt. lam now writing in the ab-
sence of my poor wife. I must hasten to finish. May
you read in my heart the sentiments I have for you and
your dear family. Adieu, my prince. All I desire is that
you may soon be upon the throne—making the people hap-
pier, and all France loving you.
(Signed) " RAYNAUD DE QUETTEVILLE."

In the second letter there is the following passage :
" I again take the liberty of writing to you these few
lines previous to my departure. I have collected the little
money due to me, but it will not suffice in carrying out my
views. I alone undertake to blow up the tyrant and his
accomplices, and all those around him. I will give my best
guarantees for the advances you might make me. I leave
my furniture. I leave my wife, who is possessed of the
value of 12,000 francs, besides her venue in a business. I
employ several workmen. Your royal highness, it is money
I require, but not a heavy sum. I must have 201., and I
give the right to any one to stab me anywhere wherever I
may be, if I do not change the French government."
Serjeant Sanders, of the detective force, repeated the
evidence given by him yesterday. The letters produced
were handed to him by the commissioners of police, with
instructions to apprehend the prisoner. Witness found
that he had been residing at 4, Sherrard-place, carrying
on the business of a tailor, but he left London directly
on ascertaining that inquiries were being made about
him. Witness found that he had gone to Southampton,
and apprehended him there on Sunday night. He ad-
mitted having written the letters, and expressed his
regret at having done so.
Mr. Jardine directed the interpreter to administer the
usual caution required by the English law, and to ask
if he then wished to say anything in answer to the charge.
The prisoner said that he had been for a long time
suffering from ill health, which occasionally affected his
intellects. He had been an inmate of the hospital at
Southampton, where his hair was partly shaved off.
Under these circumstances, and for the sake of his wife,
he implored the mercy and consideration of the court.
Mr. Jardine committed the prisoner to Newgate for
trial, offering to take bail—himself in 1001., and two
sureties in 50/. each—if procurable.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

OXO FIXED LIGHT.-ENTRANCE TO CHRISTI.

ANIA, NORWAY.

Hydrographic-office, Admiralty, July 10.
The following is an extract from a notice issued by this
office on the 25th of February last :
" Name of the light, Oxo.
" Longitude east from Greenwich, 8 deg. 6 min. 35 sec.
" Latitude north, 53 deg. 3 min. 25 sec.
" Eeiding light ; fixed light, with a flash every fourth
minute.

" To bo altered into one fixed light, second order.
" Height above the level of the sea, 135 feet.
" Visible at the distance of sea miles, 18."

Her Majesty's Government has now been officially in-
formed that the above-mentioned alteration has been car-
ried into effect, and that the light of Oxo will re-appear
on the 16th of the present month.