The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-25 00:00:00

COURVOISIER.

CONFESSION OF COURVOISIER TO
SHERIFF EVANS.
The following is a verbatim copy of the confession made
by Courvoisier to Sheriff Evans, as it was taken down on
piper by the Sheriff:—

Aker I had warmed his Lordship's bed I went down
stairs and waited about an hour, during which time I
placed the different articles as they were found by the
police. I afterwards went to the dining-room and took
one of the knives from tho sideboard. I then entered his
bedroom and found him asleep; I went to the side of the
bed, and drew the knife across his throat. He appeared
to die instantly.

" FRANCOIS BRNJAMIN COURVOISIRR.
" Prison of Newgate, Jane 23, 1840."
"This doclara• ion was made before me this 23d of June,
1840. " WILLIAM EVANS, Sheriff."

In the conversation which Sheriff Evans had on the day
this declaration was made, and which lasted for an hour,
the murderer assured the Sheriff that there was no truth
in the statement that Lord William Russell had gone
down stairs, and after charging him with dishonesty threat-
ened to discharge him nest day without a character. No-
thing at all of the kind had occurred. His Lordship never
went down stairs at night at all, and never threatened any-
thing of the sort. His Lordship had certainly spoken to
him in a cross tone, and told him to be more attentive to
his business, but that was all. There was no further pro-
vocation.

The Sheriff having expressed some surprise at the vari-
ance between the two accounts, the murderer said that his
uncle had entreated him most solemnly to; tell the facts
exactly as they occurred, and he determined to state no-
thing but what was accurately correct. He therefore ac-
knowledged not only that he had committed the murder
under the circumstances just described, but that be had
contemplated the murder and robbery for a week pre-
viously.
The Sheriff questioned him a good deal upon the ac-
knowledgment that he had so long contemplated the
murder as well as the robbery, and be persisted in stating
that the murder was premeditated, and n►t, as he had pre-
viously stated, the suggestion of despair at losing his cha-
racter. He declared, and he wished the Sherif to let it
be known to the world, that the idea was first suggested to
him by reaarig and seeing the performance of Jack Shep-
pard. The book containing the history of Jack Sheppard
had been lent to him by one of the servants of the Duke of
Bedford, and be lamented that be had ever seen it.

Upon being asked by the Sheriff whether he had com-
mitted any other atrocities, he replied that he had merely
stolen two books belonging to Mr. Fector, when in that
gentleman's service.
" I am most anxious," said the Sheriff, ",to know
whether there is any foundation in the report wlsich has
got abroad that you had something to do with the death
of Eliza Grimwood, who was murdered in the Waterloo-
road. Have you an 3 thing to say upon that subject?"
Courvoisier assured the Sheriff that he knew nothing in
the world about that or any other murder, except the mur-
der of Lord William Russell. He knew, he said, that he
must die, and if he had committed any other dreadful
offence he would not hesitate to mention the fact to the
Sheriff. He expressed much regret that any imputation
should for a moment have been cast upon either of the
roor unoffending female servants who had been so unfor•
tur.ate as to have been in the house with him.

The Sheriff then asked him how Lord William Rus-
sell's finger happened to be cut ? The murderer replied
that when he drew the knife across the throat, his Lord-
ship had started up as if by a convulsion, and must, at the
moment, have come in contact with the knife, and imme-
diately fell back again, for death was instantaneous. His
Lordship never waked.
" How," said the Sheriff, " did you get rid of the
blood, for your hand must have been bloody ?" Cour-
voisier replied that his hand was bloody, but he wiped it on
the towel which he immediately afterwards, placed on his
Lordships face. He then, he said, went up to bed, but
did not sleep.
These were the strongest features of the conversation
between the Sheriff and Courvoitier. The murderer fre-
quently in the course of it stated that Lord William Rus-
sell never walked down stairs, as seemed to be the general
opinion, but was taken off exactly as he (Courvoisier)
described to the Sheriff, and he frequently, too, declared
that be was indebted for the idea of committing the atro-
cious crime to Jack Sheppard.

STATE OF TRADE.

(From the Manchester Guardian )

There was a slight increase in the demand yesterday,
consequent upon the re-opening of the canals, and the re•
establishment of the communication with London, and a
tolerable business was done in some descriptions of cloth
for the borne trade ; but, in other respects, the m• rket
was fl t, and prices continue to droop.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MONDAY, JUNE 22.
There is no improvement in the demand for flannels to-
day, and the quantity of goods sold is about the same as
that of last Monday. In the prices there is no change.
The wool market has been dull, and the sales limited.
The price of fine wools is rather giving way.
HUDDERSFIELD MARKET, JUNE 23.—Our report of this
market last week was gloomy, and there is little change
for the better. However, it is satisfactory to state, that
prices are firm, and buyers are disappointed who expected
to purchase at a lower rate. The fact great caution.is
exercised in production, and prices have been so low for a
long period, that the manufacturer will stop his csorks
rather than submit to greater sacrifices. Even if wools
fall, prices are not likely to recede; and, should a favour-
able turn take place, a rapid rise is anticipated. Salos in
the Hall are not extensive. To judge of the state of
trade, we must look to the warehouses and the shops,
where a pretty extensive and almost prufitless business is
doing. Wools are heavy of sale at last week's prices.

THE Mowts,—We have received intelligence
from several parts of the grousing localities in this country,
and all concur that, in consequence of the mildness of the
weather during the progress of incubation, the young birds are
both plentiful and very forward, and that the approaching sea-
son Kill be the best known for a number of years past. The
rain which fell in April was net at all injurious to the birds ; in
fact, it had a tendency to cause them to hatch their young with
more certainty and less danger. The reports from Scothnd
are, that broods are large and numerous, and the birds particu-
larly strong.—Leeds intelligencer.
We understand that the Mayors of Liverpool
and Manchester have had the honour of knighthood offered to
them by the Queen, and that their Worships will accept the
honour thus graciously tendered.—Mitneheiter Guardian.
RESURRECTION-MEN AND THE AFFRIGHTED
LOVERS.—Last week, as two young persons were returning
home from a neighbouring feast, at a late hour, by the foot
path leading through the very lonely burial ground of Watton
Abbey, near Driffield, the young man supped upon the corner
of chat he thought a low horizontal tombstone, when, to his
utter dismay, it tilted up, and he found himself engulphed and
stretched upon a coffin. His fair companion, confused and
alarmed at his mysterious disappearance, escaped with all
speed she was capable of to the nearest village, and
roused the inhabitants, almost breathless, crying out " Re-
surrection men,° resurrection men, in the church-yard, and
they have barked my companion." By the time she had some
of the instates roused and got admittance, her still more af-
frighted swain made his appearance, sans hat, sans shoes, &c.,
and they were mutually consoled on ascertaining the real cause
of their sad disaster. It appears that an inquest had been held
upon the body of one Francis Southwick, at an advanced hour
of the day, and the interment was appointed to take place at
eight o'clock in the evening., but, owing to some disappoint-
ment or misfortune, the resident incumbent had met with at
Hull, he did not return till some hours later, and though mes-
sengers were sent to ether neighbouring clergymen, no one
could be met with at home, and such was the rapid state of de-
composition going on in the body, that it was thought most de-
sirable to convey the corpse to its appointed place, where it was
deposited that night, and covered loosely over with a deal door,
anti the funeral service was performed at the grave side next
morning. Southwick's accident was caused by himself re-
moving the blinder off a horse while yoked in a cart, in order
to procure the halter wherewith to tie down some bricklayer's
boards he was fetching. The horse took fright and ran away,
the loaded cart passing over the poor man's body, and he sur-
vived only a few hours. A memorial has been signed, headed
by the Coroner, and forwarded to the Archbishop, in reference
to the exposed and unprotected state of the body during the
night.

On the afternoon of Sunday last, Captain John
Stranack, of the General Steam Navigation Company's ship
Britannia, from Havre, coming up the river, saw several per-
sons between Erith and Barking Creek swimming for their
lives. He, with the most praiseworthy alacrity, lowered one
of his boots, jumped into it, and made all haste to save the
parties in distress. He picked up two youths, who had swam
for about fifteen minutes towards and had then nearly reached
the shore. They proved to be the eldest sons of Mr. Page,
of No. 8, Jeffrey's-square, and Mr. Duncan, of No. 5, Leaver
East Smithfield. They had been seeing off to Siotland the
second son of Mr. Page, who sailed in the Sovereign, of
Dundee, on Sunday mornirg. On leaving that vessel about
noon, to return to town in the pilot's boat, conducted by the
pilot himself, a man about sixty years old, and his son, a
boy of about fifteen, the only other persons on board, there
was a stiffish breeze. The pilot hoisted sail, and ordered his
boy to fasten the sheet, which was done by giving it a few turns
round the seat, when a sudden gust of wind filled the sail, which
could not be freed in time, and upset the boat. Fortunately
the pilot's son, who could not swim, got on the edge of,
boat, a few inches of which remained above water. The others
being good swimmers, made for the shore, when the two yoath
were saved by Captain Stranack, and the pilot and his son by
another boat. Much praise is clue to the Captain for his promp-
titude in stopping his ship and lowering his boat, and for his
kindness and judicious attentions to the youths afterwards.
Had the parties not been expert swimmers they must have
perished, and all owing to the want of judgment in a man who
has probably spent his life on the river, and who ought to have
known better than to fasten the sheet of his only sail so as not
to slip when necessary.
A curious table has been printed by Mr. M. L.
Merac, arranged from Mr. Tooke's works, exhibiting at a
glance the average price of wheat from the register kept in the
books of Eton College at Lady-day and Michaelmas-day in
each year, from 1646 to 1826. Ho enumerates 45 half-yearly
periods in which the average was 265. Oid. per Winchester
quarter; 104 in which it was 345. 7;d.; 76 in which it was
455. lid. ; 58 in which it was 555. 34d. ; 22 in which it was
645. Id. ; 16 in which it was 725. 10d. ; 18 in which it was
82s. I Id. ; 6 in which it was 935. sid. ; 16 in which it was
119 s. BAd. ; the average of all these periods being 495. 9d.
These are the averages of wheat consumed at Eton College,
and are higher than the monthly averages likewise printed in
the same sheet, from 1793 to 1837, by Mr. Merac. These
give 17 monthly periods in which the average was 38s. Id. ;
52 in which it was 465. sd. ; 116 in which it was 545. sd. ;
113 in which it was 655. 7d. ; 76 in which it, was 745. 6d. ;
49 in which it was 84s. 7d. ; 27 in which it was 935. 3d. ;
31 in which it was 103 s. Bd.; 13 in which it was 114 s. 7d. ;
11 in which it was 1225. 3d. ; 8 in which it was 1345. 2d. ; 2
in which it was 1455. Id., and three in which it was 1525. 9d.
These tables are printed not for sale, but for distribution
among the Members of both Houses of Parliament.
A HORRID AFFAI R.-Two persons, one named
R. L. Winn and the other Joseph D. Brown, quarrelled in a
stage between Peru and Chicago, Illinois, on the 17th inst.
Beth drew pistols, fired, and killed each other. One was shot
in the head, and his opponent in the heart. They were the only
passens, and had over a thousand dollars with them.-New
York Paper

A 600 D BATCH.—The widow of a baker at
Rouen died a few days since, aged 85. She had twenty-five
children, and left seventy-nine children, grand-children, and
great-grand-children.