The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-19 00:00:00

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

A packing-case maker in the the quarter St. Martin,
Paris, on commencing work on Tuesday morning, per-
ceived a well-dressed man of forty years of age pass fre-
quently before him and look at him attentively. At
length the stranger asked him what o'clock it was. The
man answered " Seven ;" whereupon the stranger said,
" You begin work early—you must earn a good deal ?"
" I just earn enough," was the reply, " to maintain my
family ;" and seeing the stranger was anxious to get into
conversation, be continued, " I have a young wife and
three children. I work for myself, but I only began
business with my savings as a workman, and my wife
brought me nothing. But Ido not repent having mar-
ried her, for we are attached to each other !" " Could
you not extend your business ?" "To do that I must
have money." A good deal ? Would 10,000 E, for
example, be enough ?" "Oh ! that would be more than
is necessary ! But if I had that sum, I would with my
activity, soon rival the best of my trade !" " Well,"
said the stranger, " give me your name exactly, and I
will endeavour to do something for you I" The trades-
man banded him one of his cards, and the stranger went
away. In the afternoon, when the man had almost for-
gotten the visit of the morning, he was surprised to see
the stranger come in, and present him with a carefully
sealed parcel. " I confide this to you," said he, " and
I require that you shall not open it until twenty-four
hours shall have elapsed ! You will find it contains
something that concerns you, but I repeat that you
must not open it until to-morrow at this time, unless
you see me in the meantime 1" The stranger did not
again appear, and yesterday, at two o'clock, the trades-
man, pressed by his wife, broke the seals of the parcel.
He then found a paper containing these lines :—" Im-
perative reasons oblige me to quit life. I shall go far
from Paris to accomplish my design. At the moment
at which you read these lines, I shall be no longer in
existence. But before dying, lam anxious to promote
the happiness of an honest family. The information
which I have obtained respecting you, convinces me
that my money will be well placed. You will find en-
closed a sum of 10,000 fr., with a donation of it to you
in due legal form." Enclosed were ten notes of I,ooofr.
each.

THE OUTRAGE AT BARNET.—On Friday evening a third
fellow, implicated in the horrible case of rape and mur-
der which was perpetrated some time ago on a poor
woman at Chipping Barnet, was arrested by Inspector
Handley, at Rotherham. He gave his name as James
McDonnell, and said he was a native of Whitehaven.
The fellow admits his participation in the crime. He
even describes the precise manner in which it was per
petrated, and chuckles over the circumstance that he
had hitherto evaded detection, stating that he has walked
side by side with the police in London, Leeds, Bir-
mingham, and other towns, unnoticed and unsus-
pected. He says that two of the men held the woman
whilst he effected his purpose. He further adds that
he shall not be hung for the offence, and he cares no-
thing about transportation for ten years, as he con-
siders that term the limit of his punishment. He
was taken before Mr. G. W. Chambers, a West Riding
magistrate, at the Town-hall, on Saturday, and re-
manded until Mr. Bland, the superintendent of police,
had communicated with the authorities at Barnet. The
prisoner was wretchedly dressed, and stated that he had
been obtaining a livelihood by begging.
ELOPEMENT.—An elopement took place from the
! banks of the Tay on Monday, the 3rd curt.--a subaltern
of a Highland regiment having carried off a young lady
of fortune from her father's mansion. He was accom-
panied by a clergyman, and it is understood they fled
to Edinburgh, where the knot was tied.—Edinburgl6
. Witness.