The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENII4Gr, AUGUST 13, 1849,

and favour, and it will cement more closely the bonds
by which the MONARCH of the United Kingdom is
united to her loyal an d devoted people of Ireland.

Two cases of more than ordinary atrocity have been
tried on the Western Circuit during the past week,
Two further illustrations have been afforded of the
horrible crime that has recently become so prevalent
in this country, in addition to those to which we have
already directed the public attention. Two new con-
victions have been obtained, the victim in one instance
being the husband, and in the other the child of the
wretched murderer—the instrument of death in both
cases being poison. It is indeed difficult to conceive
the deep depravity of those who, influenced by some
trivial and paltry motive, could be induced to destroy
the persons whom they were bound to guard with the
utmost vigilance from every danger, and thus to add
the basest treachery to the most shocking murder.
We are told that " fact is stranger than fiction," and
the criminal records of the present Assizes afford the
strongest proof of the adage. What novelist would
dare to depict guilt like that of the woman who
poisoned her husband and children, against whom
she entertained no hatred or dislike, who had
never injured, or given her cause of com-
plaint, but on the contrary were supporting her,
and the remaining members of her family, by the
wages of their industry,
merely to obtain the trifling
sums payable by a burial club, on the death of its
members? Who could suppose the possibility of a
woman's sacrificing her young and affectionate hus•
band, with whom she had lived in the greatest har-
mony and comfort, on the speculation of managing a
septuagenarian more than forty years older than `her
former partner; or how could the most vivid ima-
gination conceive a case like that of the unnatural
parent who habitually destroyed her innocent off-
spring, not for the sake of pecuniary gain, or to
avoid the shame and disgrace that falls upon the
unwedded [mother ; but .to save herself the trouble
of attending to their little wants? Yet such crimes
have been committed in Merry England during the
present year, and the wretched criminals are at this
moment awaiting the execution of the last dread
sentence of the law, that quate
atepe expiation
oi
af t
in o
deatho f
upon the scaffold; as the only deciu
the enormous guilt of which they respectively have
been convicted by juries of their countrymer.
The case Of CHARLOTTE HARRIS, otherwise MAR.
CHANT, is perhaps the most inexplicable of any that
has as yet been brought to light. Her deceived
husband, HENRY MARCHANT, was in the very prime
of life, 28 years of age, a faithful and affectionate
partner, who earned comfortable wages, and made her
a liberal allowance for household expenditure. She
herself added to the general fund by selling oranges
in the market-place of Bath, by which she realised
fair profits. They had lived together very happily
and respectably for seven or eight years, and were

respected and esteemed by all their neighbours. There
had been two children of the marriage, one of whom
is still living. Such was the position of the parties.
No words or disputes had occurred between them ;
no cloud had arisen to disturb their domestic felicity.
when, in an evil hour, she met a man, named
HARMS, a pensioner, more than 70 years of age, but
supposed to be possessed of some property, who paid her
some attention. On the 22d of March she took tea with
HARRIS at his house, where she remained a consider-
able time. The result of this visit, and of subsequent
interviews, appears to have been that she conceived
that HARRIS would marry her if at liberty, and she I
resolved to make away with her unfortunatehusband,
who was the only bar to her union with her anti-
quated admirer. She did not long postpone her fatal
determination. On the following Saturday (March
31st), HENRY MARCHANT returned from his work in
excellent health and spirits, anticipating a day of rest
and enjoyment. But how vain were these expecta•
tions. The deadly cup was already drugged for his
life. He partook of tea with his apparently loving
spouse, and his death warrant was sealed. In a few
hours he became exceedingly ill, exhibiting the
symptoms attendant upon having taken arsenic, and
continued so during the entire of the following day.
On Monday he endeavoured to continue his labour, but
was almost immediately obliged to relinquish the
effort and return home. The parish surgeon was
called in, but the wife gave a false account of her
husband's illness, stating that he had strained himself
by lilting heavy stones, auu Llail LA.,.... .., L., A-4.e., ~_ -
for some weeks. The doctor was easily satisfied, no
suspicion was excited. ..'.ome medicines were sent.
but even these were withheld by the prisoner, who
looked without remorse or concern on the fearful

sufferings of the father of her children. On the
fourth day of his illness she left the room, where her
suffering husband lay dyir,g, to inspect a house whieF
her aged inamorato thought of taking, when she in-
formed his servant " that she was about to be married
to HARRIS, that she was a single woman, but could
not be married for a short time, as her sister was vex.)
ill." The story of her sister's illness proved to be an
absolute fiction, as well as that which she told to the
parish doctor respecting her husband. This visit
strengthened her determination, and the unfortunate
husband lingering in his agony longer than she ex-
pected, an additional and larger dose of the fatal
mineral was administered, which completed the

deadly work. HENRY MARCHANT died on Saturday.
the 7th of April, and the priioner spent the greater
portion of her time during the interval that elapsed
previous to his burial in company with HARRIS. 01
the very day of the funeral she obtained the rearriag(
licence, which was not long permitted to remain
unused. In three days the wedding was celebrated,
and

" The funeral baked meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage table."
These extraordinary proceedings necessarily at-
tracted attention. The body was exhumed, but the
surgeons, not having any suspicion of poison, did not
investigate for the purpose of finding any. An in-
quest was, however, held; the coroner was not quite
so easily satisfied. The contents of the stomach
were analysed, and two grains and a half of solid
arsenic and one grain in solution were found in it. The
solid arsenic could not have been taker,
more than twenty-fours before death, repeated doses
must, therefore, have been administered at interval•
during the illness, the last of which proved effectual.
to
The wife was committed for trial, and, as we have
already stated, was convicted.
REBECCA SMITH (whose case was tully reported
in our impression of Saturday), was tried at Devizes
the preceding day, for the murder of her infant
child, RICHARD SMITH, aged only twenty-six days.
Evidence of the usual character was adduced to
allow the purchase of a pennyworth of arsenic by
the prisoner on false pretences, of the subsequent
sickness and death of the unfortunate infant, and of
its exhumation, when suspicion was at length excited,
and the discovery of arsenic in its remains. She had
previously had eleven children, all of whom, except
the eldest, had died when between three and four-
weeks old, exhibiting similar symptoms to those
of the last victim—and, although no proof
was given of the fact, it not being
legally admissible, traces of arsenic were discovered
in the remains of several of those children, so that no
moral doubt could exist that it had been her custom
to administer poison to her children, one only, the
eldest, being spared. This wretched woman was also
convicted on the dearest and most satisfactory
testimony, and MART ANNE GEEEING, CHAR-
LOTTE HARRIS, and REBECCA SMITH, now re-
main under sentence of death in the gaols of
Lewes, Bridgwater, and Devizes, to expiate their
awful crimes, and afford examples of the fearful
punishment that awaits the wilful and deliberate
murderer.
These cases show the fearful extent to which this
specks of criu,e has been carried in consequence of
the great laxity exhibited in the sale of arsenic and
other deadly poisons in small quantities, on the most
frivolous pretexts, and also the carelessness and
apathy of medical men, a ho behold persons dying
under all the symptoms of poison without calling for
any investigation, or interposing any difficulty as to
certifying a cause of death to the registrar of
buriels. It is manifest that stringent regulations
must be introduced as to the sale of poisons, if we
desire to check the growing evil. Pennyworths of
arsenic must no longer be sold across the counter to
any applicant. It is not sufficient that "poison"
should be legibly marked on the article, or that the
purchaser should be cautioned as to its deadly pro-
perties. Such precautions may possibly guard in
ime degree against the poison being administered by
‘ake, but it can afford no protection against the

wilful and deliberate poisoner, nor in a case like that
of MART BALL, whom the Learned Judge believed
" to have purchased the arsenic innocently, and then
suffered her mind to become familiarized with the
idea of using the deadly instrument." Arsenic should
only be sold in large quantities, to persons duly
authorised to purchase it, and known to the vendors ;
and returns should be made every month to the office
of the registrar of deaths in the district, who should
closely look to any sudden or unexplained deaths in
families in which it had been procured. Medical
practitioners should also bestow greater care in
ascertaining the cause of death befdre they authorize
the burial, and in any suspicious case a stringent
investigation should take place. Rfery means should,
in fact, be adopted to check a crime of which so many
melancholy instances have recently been brought, and
which we fear has been even more extensively prac-
tised than can ever possibly be ascertained.

On Saturday morning the PRESIDENT of the Re-
public, accompanied by the Vice-President and four
of his Ministers, left Paris at nine o'clock for Rouen.
On startitg from the railway station he was greeted
with shouts of " Vive NAPOLEON ! Vive le PRE-
SIDENT I" several persons also crying out " Vive
I'EMPEREUR !" He arrived at Rouen at one o'clock.
His first act was to proceed to the cathedral, where
he was received by the Archbi,bop and clergy. He
then reviewed the National Guards and troops, had
repaired at four o'clock to the Mairie, where he re-
ceived the authorities, and afterwards visited the
iron manufactory of M. BARBET. At seven o'clock
he was entertained at a magnificent banquet given
him by the city.
General CUANGARNIER, who accompanies the PRE-
SIDENT, is everywhere warmly received.
Yesterday the PRESIDENT was to visit Havre, and
on his way back to Paris purposed stopping awhile at
Elbt uf and at Louviers.
The following communication appears in the Pa-
trie and the Itioniteur du Soir :
"The absence of the Governor of the.lnvalides during
the funeral ceremony of Marshal Molitor, has been
sharply criticised by several journals. It can, neverthe-
less, be explained. On the day of the funeral ceremony
of Marshal Begeaud, a IR rsoual engagement—un unfor
seen circumstance—prevented the governor from at-
tending the luvalides. On Wednesday, the Bth, he
would have joined with the greatest ph-asure the nu-
merous functionaries who paid funeral honours to Mar-
shal Molitor, as the Marshal was his old friend ; but a
scruple—perhaps it was an excessine feeling of delicacy
—prevented him: he learei that he would have been
rov a e,
rigorous that at no period was the pre-
sence
accused of making a d fference between the two Mar-
shals. No doubt the numerous prods verbaux of these
obligation; but that
would be an excuse which it never entered the mind of
the nresent Governor to urge."
sole m n
ofceremonies
Governpor
The Assemblie Nationale notices as follows the
recall of General OUDINOT :-.
"The report of the return of General Oudinot is colt-
firmed. We had refused to credit it, IN cause that return
was represented as a censure. If it is true, however,
that the conqueror of Rome returns as a marshal of
France. we shall rejoice at his recall. To have recalled
General Oudinot in any other way would have been
madness."

The Five per Cents. were quoted this day in the
Passage de I'Opera at 88f. 90c.
BUSINESS DONE IN kOREIUN RAILWAYS AT TUE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, AUGUST 11.

Dutch Rhenish, N—Great Indian Peninsular, 514—Lux
embourar, 2 ex in.—Northern of France, 3) dis. ex in.

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 6th have been received.
General NARVAEX'S arrival was being anxiously
expected in the capital.
Mori had not yet fallen, but the crisis still con•
tinued.

In the province of Valence many individuals of
that lawless population, seeing themselves ruined by
the prevailing drought, have taken to the road.
Several assassinations have taken place.
The Andalusian papers complained of the public
roads being infested with robbers, and the necessity
of every farmer going armed when out.
The Ministerial crisis had produced a depression
in the money market. The Three per Cents. were
done at 251 for Paper; the Five per Cents. at 11 for
cash ; the Debt, without Interest, at 4 for paper ;
and the Coupons at 71.

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES.

AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY
The splendid and successive victories gained by the
Hungarian patriots under BEM, GUYON, GEORGEY,
DEMBINSKI, AULICH, and KLArica, have fallen like
thunder upon Vienna. The accounts are confirmed
which stated that the personal interference of the
EMPEROR was required to induce the German
recruits to leave the capital for Presburg.
In the Austrian Cabinet there are two parties—the
young EMPEROR and Kuauss being on the bide of
peace—SCIIWARTZENBURG, BACH, and SCHMERLING,
on the part of war. The people generally are with
the former, and the intelligence of the sympathy
evinced fur the Hungarians in England has produced
a profound impression.
On the sth instant Prince SCHWARTZENBURG left
the capital on his road to 'Warsaw, and on learning
at Cosel that General LAMORICIERE had started just
before from that place to Cracow, the Austrian
Minister is said to have exclaimed, " What the devil
does he want at Cracow ?
Another great and decisive victory has been gained
by the Hungarians, perhaps the greatest and the
most decisive that has yet been achieved in this
glorious and extraordinary campaign. It occurred on
the 3d instant. On that day General CZARICH, the
commander of the besieging corps before Comorn was
suddenly fallen upon by the garrison, hew-led by
KLAPKA. It appears that that garrison, originally
numbering only 10,000, had been latterly augmented
- - - I -r • ---,•
„
• re t-) nnn disnatebed
thither by GEORGEY through aitzen as a reiniorce-
ment. CZORICH'S corps was utterly routed—so utterly
routed that it lost its position, its guns, and its stores,
together with the bridge across the Danube con-
necting them with Scliiitt. Their outposts were driven
back twenty-five miles on the Vienna side of
Raab, namely to Wiesselburg, so that not
only is Raab now in the possession of the
Hungarians, not only is KLAPKA. twenty-five miles
nearer the mperial city of Austria, not only is the
siege of Comorn raised, but Acs and Garga have
fallen into the hands of the Magyars. So tremen-
dous are the calamities-that have befallen the Austrian
armies, and so perillous is the position of the Austrian
capital, that the people of Vienna are uttering their
execrations both loud and deep at HAYNAU, while the
Government is employing every effort to pour down
by railway towards the Hungarian frontiers every
possible reinforcement. The position of HAYNAU,
indeed, is positively terrific at this moment. He has
marched down into the heart of Hungary, and now all
his lines of communication with the capital of Austria
are effectually cut off, provisions are every day be-
coming more and more scarce, the bad season is
rapidly approaching, disease and discouragement are
together spreading through the ranks of his men, and
his name is held in equal abhorrence, as that of a
gootuht
throughoute
oTt h eli2sso attphieeTcoelta s
perfect mjnster of cruelty, both by his own country-
of
anmruteGminnEbeaoerißryl deGdhbEeyr; thehBs a,fodo
orHungarians.
loste,noienonnp,
yaasnstand out
whole
of his movements.

The Russians under PASKIEWITCH are described
as dying off like flies; and it is counted upon as
inevitable that, unless a change occurs before
August, his whole force will be little short of being
annihilated.

The following paragraph will be perused with
peculiar interest :
_ _

" ALiclame Paskiewitch had received a letter from her
husband, dated the 2d, which said that he had been de-
feated by Georgey, or which, at least, led her to that
conclusion. Georgey was spoken of in the highest terms
of admiration by the Emperor, and hence, of course, by
everybody else. He had won the heart of a Russian
offic r, whom he had taken prisoner, by his generous
treatment. This officer, whom hr had set at liberty, was
never tired of praisirg his benefactor, of whom he sent
a personal description, which would suit a hero of
romance, and of which the most striking feature was his
quietness of marine,."

URTEIIIII Uit G.
IVe learn from Stuttgardt that the Ministerial
crisis was over by the Bi.h instant, the SOVEREIGN
having declined to accept the resignatik,n of his
advisers.

of francs, while the amount demandedhy Autria
was eighty millions. In the definitive treaty which
was signed on toe 6rh, the Austrian Government has
agreed to accept of the seventy-five millions. The other
material difference in the treaty is, that Parma and
Modena are treated with separately, instead of being
included in the Austrian tre:ity, which would have
placed them in a sort of vassalage to Austria. With
respect to the conmercial portion of the treaty, the
only change is that it is put in such a shape that it
does not appear to be forced on Sardinia, as it was by
the Austrian version.

The Journal des Dibats states that the indemnity
of 75,000,000 f due by Piedmont to Austria, has
already been paid by the house of ROTHSCHILD, ON
account of the former power.
As to the amnesty it is hampered by Austria with
certain conditions, The leaders of the Lombard in-
surrection► are placed in an exceptional position, and
must await the pleasure of Austria; while, before
they return to Lombardy, all persons implicated must
address petitions to the EMPEROR.