The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-07 00:00:00

HORRIBLE CRIME AT METZ.

A few days ago we gave a short account of a
horrible crime which had been committed at
Metz ; the following Pre the particulars, as COM.
nunicated in a private letter
_

" METz, Mancil 28.—The facts of the dreadful tale of
which I only gave you a few lines in my last, are as follow. The
name of the monster who assassinated three persons is Charles
Maehot, a tradesman residing in this town. About a week since
he left this place for the purpose, lie stated, of purchasing a quan-
tity of oil, and said that lie should be absent three weeks or a
month. He disired his wife to take up her abode at a lodging-
house kept aby a Mr. Grosjean. It appears, however, that the
jotirney was only pretended, in order to watch the conduct of
iris wife. A few days after his apparent departure, he called at
Grosjean's houst, Rue des blurs, at eight o'clock in the even-
ing, and with great agitation demanded to see his wife.
Madame Grosjean, intimidated by his angry looks, and fearing
that he intended to iiltreat his wife, told him that she was un-
well and had retired to bed. She said that if he would sit down
and take sonic refreshment, she would go to his wife and in.
form her of his arrival. To this proposal he seemed to assent.
She turned towards the door, and the monster seizing the op-
porttinity when her back was turned, stabbed her in the side
with a sword he had brought with him :which was concealed
under his great coat. The screams of the unfortunate woman
were heard by several persons in the house, none of whom were
acquainted with the sudden arrival of Machot. Madame
Grosjean's son, an excellent young man, nineteen years of
age, ran down stairs to assist his mother, and the very
instant lie oponed the parlour-door, Machot struck at him
and wounded him slightly in Ole hand; and then, taking a se-
cond aim gave him a violent cut in the abdomen, and made the
entrails protrude from the deep horrible gash. The poor
youth died on the following day. Scarcely three minutes had
elapsed from the time of the arrival of the assassin, and already
he had dreadfully wounded the mother and son, when a
third , person made his appearance. J. .Thirbaut lived in
the same house; he heard the noise in the,parlour, and came
with all haste to afford assistance. He opened the door, and
saw the bodies of the mother and son lying on the floor welter.
ing in blood. The sight frightened him to'kuch a degree, that
he did not at first observe the assassin, who was stand-
ing in a' cornet of . the room, Immediately he saw
him, he attempted to run out of the room, but stumbling
over the bodies of the victims, Machot ran athim and plunged
his sword into his breast. The unfortunate map expired in less
than two hours. The terror and confusion that now took place
among the other inmates of the house were inconceivably
'great; - No person dared approach the murderer of the three
-ttictimi. He held up his sword covered with blood, threaten-
fog to any one who should oppose his' departure from
eie house. lie walked' into the street, and when lie had
' reached the extremity of the Rue dee •Alurs, he began to
advance with more speed. The inhabitants, who were
-now informaed of the horrible eyent, ptiraued him with cries
of murder. The assassin bad already reached the gates of the
town,aVien the sentinel, hearing the shouts pfahe people, and
observing Machot attempting to escape, placed 'himself at the
entrance of the gate to prevent his passing. A dreadful
struggle 'ensued—other soldiers coming to the assistance of their
Comrade, the assassin was with great difficulty disarmed and
sent to prison.' It is much feared that Madame Grosjean, in
consequence of the deep wound she received, and the extreme
terror occasioned by seeing her son killed bY'ker side, will not
sutVive him many days.

Captaln BUCHANAN, R.N.,.has at present
growing in his garden, atGraliamston, neat Falkirk, in the
opetiair, cherries formed, and of the size of a=garden pea.
ATLESSANT ANECDOTE OF AN OLD WOMAN..—
wiri, Archbishop.of Canterbury, in the reigns of Henry 11.
and Richard 1., was, it is said, so very temperate, that he never
tasted a morsel of flesh front the time he commenced monk to
-the day of his death. Being met one day by a lean and skinny
Old woman, she asked him if it was true that he had never tasted
any flesh ; he answered it was. "It is false," replied the old
woman, " for you • have• eaten my flesh to the very bones."
The Archbishop demanding what she meant, she acquainted
him, that some of his officers had taken fidth her a cow, which
was her only support. The Archbishop, not offended at her
freedom, promised to repair her loss with a good cow.•
NARROW ESCAPE.—Yesterday, as a lad named
Browne was exercising -a very young and spirited horse, oppo-
site Walcot-terrace, near Kennington-cross, the animal being
shy; suddenly darted across the' road, and, after several in.
• effectual attempts -to dislodge his rider, he at length threw him
-hi the air, over his head; some yards, and fell to the ground
'flat 'on his hack on AI heap of loose dust.. =The animal instantly
:started off.at full speed, . but was fortunately secured without
doing any mischief;, and the:youth, on being picked up, seemed'
sczionsly•liurt in his loins. Had the lad however fallen half a
yard further, lie ,must have come. in *contact with a stone step
'at-the edge of 'the footpath, and in all probability either broken
his back, or been killed upon the. spot. •