The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-19 00:00:00

SOCIALISTS.

The General Secretary of the Universal Community
Society of Rational Religionists, commonly called So-
cialists, seeing in your Paper last week a paragraph
setting forth that a Socialist—a person of the name of
Robarts--had been committed for fraud at Hull, has
obtained from the Secretary of the Branch at that place,
the following facts regarding Roberts, which it is hoped
will be published by those Papers into which the other
statement has found its way. This is in common fair-
ness due to the Socialists ; because, according to the
humour of the day, anything true or false regarding a
supposed Socialist is eagerly caught at by the Press,
and set forth for the gratification of those who swallow
all that comes, whilst all the crimes of modern society
committed by persons of every other shade of religious
belief are quietly chronicled, without any allusion to the
sect to which the parties may belong. The facts, then,
are these :

" Robarts came to reside in Hull sometime in March
or April last. In May, Mr. Pallister came to Hull,
and delivered a course of three lectures against So-
cialism, in the Tabernacle Chapel, Syke's-street, occu-
pied by the Tee-totallers. Many of the members of
the branch and their friends attended these lectures,
and public discussion being invited, several of the friends
and some strangers (amongst whom was Robarts) ob-
jected to what had been advanced. After the last lec-
ture of the course had been delivered, Pallister was
challenged to meet one of the accredited Missionaries of
our Society to discuss our principles, which was accepted.
A Committee was chosen on each side, and the services
of Mr. Clarke secured. Whilst the preliminaries were
being settled, the matter was a common topic of con-
versation. At this period Mr. Robarts called at the
house of one of our members, who had been the most
active in opposing Pallister ; and, after introducing
himself, some conversation ensued on the matter of
the preceding lectures, and the forthcoming discussion.
Robarts then offered his services to officiate as Chair-
man ; this was communicated to the Committee, who
empowered their Chairman to wait on Mr. Roberts ;
and his offer was eventually accepted. He represented
himself as a stranger lately come to reside in the town,
a lover of fair play, and in such circumstances as ren-
dered him independent of any party, religious or
political ; that as far as his individual opinion went, he
did not agree with the Socialists as to their religious
fol
June
;TlAleird.ißscoubssairotns
v cameews ,
ffh e being e itahg a Roman
the
4th
and
officiated as Chairman for Mr. Clarke, along with
another gentleman, chosen by the other party for Mr.
Pallister. Since this period the members have never
sCthat ob
had any communication with him, and know nothing of
his affairs. It is quite certain he has never visited our
institution, nor attended any of our meetings or lectures
in Hull, save on the occasion before mentioned."
Nov. 17, 1840. R. JOHNSTON, Secretary.

EXECUTION IN FRANCE.

(From the Gazette des Tribunaux.)

ANGOULEME, Nov. 4.—Arzac, who had been re-
peatedly condemned for robbery and other crimes, ap-
peared twice before the jury of La Charente during the
month of August last.
The first affair was an attempt at assassination. Ar-
zac, who was confined in the prison of Cognac as the
presumed author of a crime which we shall refer to
hereafter, availed himself of the absence of the gaoler
to put in force a plan for an escape which he had con-
cocted with some of the other prisoners. At the nightly
inspection, when the gaoler's brother-in-law entered the
room where Arzac was, with six other prisoners, he was
assailed by three of them, armed with clubs strapped to
their wrists, and who inflicted some heavy blows and
wounded him severely. From thence they repaired to
the kitchen, where they dealt out a similar chastisement
on the Gaoler's wife, took possession of the keys, and
escaped by threatening with their knives those who at-
tempted to arrest their progress. One of those that
escaped, a convict, of the name of Bertant, was ar-
rested almost immediately ; but he was not prose-
cuted for the act of escaping. Another of the gang,
wishing to conceal himself amongst the marshy reeds
of the Charente, was drowned. Lastly, Arzac was ar-
rested some days afterwards by a Lieutenant of the
Gendarmerie of Barberieux, who, finding himself asleep
in a field, recognised him because he was present at his
first examination, tied his silk handkerchief round his
hands, and made him prisoner. Arzac, being convicted
and declared guilty of having committed violent aggres-
sions against an agent of the constituted authorities
whilst in the performance of his duty, was condemned
to solitary confinement for ten years.
But that was nothing compared to the serious nature
of the charge which Arzac had yet to undergo.
Bertin, a butcher at Angoulense, was going to the
fair of Barberieux, when he met Arzac, and both
jogged on together, stopping at a carbaret on the road
to take sonic refreshment, which Bertin paid for. At
a short distance from thence, at a place called the
Pont-a-Brae, Bertin and his companion went into a
field adjoining the road, in order to lay down and rest
themselves. Arzac immediately feigned to be asleep,
and sleep soon took possession of Bertin. In the even-
ing the latter was discovered to be nearly dead, his
head having been crushed with an enormous stone,
which had been let fall upon him during the time he
was asleep. Who had committed such a worthless act ?
Arzac, who was arrested the following day, with the
cravat, the knife, and some other objects belonging to
his victim.

At the trial, Arzac, in Berlin's presence (who only
complained of a pain in the head. but was in a sort of
idiotic state), only denied one thing, the intention with
which he was charged, of wishing to put to death. But
that system did not succeed, and the accused only re-
plied by threats to the terrible judgment which was pro-
nounced against him.
Arzac had hardly returned to the prison when he
seemed to forgot the punishment which had just been
inflicted upon him ; and it was only whilst playing at
cards that he informed the gaoler that he intended to
make an appeal.
He was aware that his appeal had been rejected some
time back ; but still he reckoned on a respite from the
King. However, he was much affected when he learned
Bertin's death a few days ago.
" Bertin is dead," said he ; " ah ! so much the worse;"
and then, after a pause, he added, whilst addressing
himself to the person who had brought the intelligence,
" Do you not think that his death will injure my being
respited ?"
To-day, at eleven o'clock, Arzac was transferred
to the court of the chapel. At the sight of
the chaplain of the prison, and of the registrar
and gendarmes, he became violent, was much
exasperated, and refused at first to enter
the chapel. At last he was resigned, but previously he
gave his pack of cards and his handkerchief to one
Bertant, who escaped with him from the prison of
Cognac. He threw his cap over the wall, and some
person having accidentally observed that he would have
done better to keep it, he replied, with an oath, that he
needed it no longer.
Having reached the chapel he fought with the gen-
darmes, who restrained him whilst the handcuffs were
being put on, and bit one of them in the hand. W he❑
he saw the gaoler he said, " You are a traitor ; you
ought to have told me earlier that it was to-day." He
afterwards resigned himself to the executioner's hands,
in order to undergo the fatal toilet, and remained
passive.
We are ignorant of what passed afterwards. We
only know that M. l'Abbe Coullet did not leave him
for an instant, and that he administered the consolation
of his holy office with that admirable patience which
evangelical charity can alone contribute.
Arzac went on foot to the place of execution, and as-
cended the steps of the scaffold in a bold manner. He
died whilst embracing the crucifix. Arzac was only
twenty-five years of age.

The troop ship Apollo, Mr. Kerley master, may be
shortly expected from the Mediterranean ; she was at
Malta, according to private letters, on the 24th Octo-
ber. This ship took the 38th Regiment to the lonian
Islands.

The troop ship Sapphire, Mr. Cole master, is in the
harbour refitting. Rumour says she is to go to Cork,
but no orders are down for her.

Rear-Admiral Sir Edward King touched at Ma-
deira on the 14th October, in the Southampton frigate,
after a boisterous passage from Plymouth, and was to
sail on the 18th for the Pacific, to relieve Rear-Ad-
miral Ross, C. 8., in the Brazil command.
AT SPlTHEAD—Britannia and Howe, 120-gun ships.
IN HARBOUR—Queen, Victory, Excellent, Royal
George yacht, Indus, Tweed, Sapphire, Salamander,
Echo, and flag tenders.