The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-07 00:00:00

PRETENDED MAGIC.

(From the Gazette des Tuibunaux.)
Paul Lasserre, born in the commune of St. Rade-
gonde, of a labourer, is himself a labourer ; but ambi-
tion and that thirst for fame which are the great evils of
the present times, assailed him in the midst of his honest
labour. A thousand chimeras arose in his imagination,
and in the excited state of his mind he arrogated to him-
self the power of curing diseases, and, in case of need, of
preserving fields from the destructive visitations of
Heaven. A great sensation was immediately created
in the village, which soon spread like wildfire throughout
the whole commune. The story mentions not what
impression was made on M. le Maire, but this it does
testify--namely, that an important functionary under his
immediate command, the garde champetre, placed im-
plicit faith in the report, and that the sanction of his
belief added considerably to the credit of the visionary.
The crowd flocked from the surrounding hamlets, a
crowd of livid faces and bandaged heads, imploring the
gift of health in return for a few coins which they
brought as a tribute.

We give a few of the answers given by this oracle

" Take a St. John's cross ; at midnight carry it to a
cross-road, and there deposit it. This done, draw a few
paces back, and, should any animal approach it, stand
under no apprehension. Four minutes after you have
returned home, tie the cross on the sick man's breast,
where it must remain for a fortnight. Should this prove
ineffectual, take a large toad and place it under the
bed. You will see the reptile absorb the malady, and
gradually waste away, while the sick man grows better
and better ; or, it you prefer it, let him wear these
talismans about him, but you must not seek to discover
their composition or properties ; or, again, he may rub
himself with this liquor. Perhaps the medicine may not
operate immediately, but do not let this discourage you.
I have seven Fridays to myself for effecting the cure.
And now, let it be understood, that I have entered into
a compact with the demon to whom I am accountable.
Give then, but give in odd numbers, for such aro dear
to the evil spirit."
Some gave five francs ; some gave much less, but
on none, as may be conceived, did the remedies operate.
At last, one of the patients rose one day from his bed,
and lodged a complaint with the Justice of Peace, who
referred the case to the Procureur. An inquiry was
instituted, and when summoned before the Magistrate
Lasserre did not make his appearance : he had taken
flight. After having during two months escaped the
authorities, he was apprehended, and was brought to
humiliate his science before the Correctional Bench.
He was condemned to a month's imprisonment, a
penalty of 16f., and the costs.

We understand his Royal Highness Prince
George of Cambridge will in the course of a few weeks be
promoted in the army.

A very serious accident from the incautious use
of fire-arms, and which might have been attended by the
destruction of the lives of two persons, occurred on Sa-
turday at Beddington. It appears that on the day in
question several young men, who had been out shooting,
entered the parlour of the Plough public-house, Bedding-
ton, and after being there some time they commenced
amusing themselves by discharging their percussion caps at
the candles extinguish them. It appears that at this
time a loaded gun was standing in the corner of the room,
and one of the party, named Francis Lovell, took it up,
and, holding it in the direction of the candle, pulled the
trigger. The gun exploded, and tho greater part of the
charge entered the thighs and lower parts of the persons
of two men named Laxmer and Burgess, keepers to Capt.
Carew, of Beddington Park. The wounded men were
immediately put to bed, and a medical man promptly at-
tended, and rendered them all the assistance in his power,
and extracted a great number of shot from their persons.
Information of the occurrence having been forwarded to
Croydon, Mr. Collier, an inspector of the R division of
police, went to make inquiry, and he deemed it advisable
that an investigation should take place before a Magistrate,
and he directed Lovell to attend at the Town Hall, Croy-
don, where Mr. Sutherland the Magistrate entered into
an investigation of the circumstances, and the above facts
were detailed in evidence. Lovell, on being questioned
by the Magistrate, said he was exceedingly sorry for what
had occurred, and assured him that it was quite an acci-
dent, and he had not the least idea that the gun was loaded
when be took it from the corner of the room. Inspector
Collier said that, from the inquiries he had made, he had
every reason to believe that the affair was the result of
accident, and that Lovell had not the least idea of injuring
the two men. The Magistrate said it was a most dan-
gerous practice for persons to meddle with fire-arms, and
it was continually the occasion of most serious accidents,
and in the present instance two lives might have been sa-
crificed. The Magistrate having ascertained that the two
wounded persons were going on favourably, ordered Lovell
to enter into his own recognizance to appear at any future
time, should circumstances render it necessary.
_ _

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' REPRESENTATION OF MONAGHAN.—Mr.
Lucas, the Toy Member for Monaghan, has announced his
intention of retiring from the representation of that county
on the dissolution of the present Parliament. Mr.
Lucas is a prudent man, and we believe he has come to
a very prudent determination. At the next election
an effort—we hope and trust a successful one—will be
made to rescue Monaghan from the abject and degraded
condition to which the Machievellian policy of the Wes-
tenras has reduced it. Lord Cremorne's zealous and dis-
interested exertions have placaol the Reformers in a posi-
tion to vindicate their own consistency. Mr. Lucas is, no
doubt, aware of the fact, and, like the prudent man he is,
" makes a virtue of necessity."—Dublin Freeman.
SIGNIFICANT.—The Standard, alluding to the
retirement of Lord Hill from the Horse Guards, doubts
whether there is any foundation for such a rumour, but
adds, significantly, " If anything should induce his Lord-
ship to resign the post which he has filled with so much
honour and benfit to the country, it will be the state of his
health, which has, we regret to learn, been indifferent for
some time past."—Globe.
MANCHESTER, JAN. 6.—During the night
of Saturday last, or rather at an early hour in the morning
of Sunday, between three and four o'clock, this town and
neighbourhood were visited by a tremendous storm of hail,
rain, sleet, and snow ; accompanied by a great many flashes
of lightning, two of which were extremely vivid, and fol-
lowed by loud claps of thunder. There was a strong
breeze, at times amounting to a gale, from the N. and
veering to the N. W. The time of one of the most vivid
flashes of lightning, followed in six or eight seconds by a
loud peal of thunder, was about twenty minutes before
four o'clock. During the night, the barometer
fell as much as nine-tenths of an inch, viz. from 29.80 to
29-90. Here the weather continued stormy all day, the
wind blowing from the N. W. There was rather a heavy fall
of snow in the night. The temperature was not very low ;
28 dogs. being the lowest point on Sunday night, and 33
dep, being the temperature daring the storm.