The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-30 00:00:00

POISONING IN FRANCE.

(From the Gazette de: Tribunaux.)
The Commune of Expiremont, in the canton of
' Montendre, and arrondissement of Jouzac (Charente
Inferieure), has been lately alarmed by a case of poison-
ing, an old man, aged 65, having perpetrated the crime
on his son, his son's wife, and a young girl, their servant.
From the magistrate's investigation it appeared that
Jean Roux, the father, inhabited with his wile, in the
hamlet of La Croix Fourche, a room adjoining that
or his son and daughter-in-law. About four years ago
this old man had, it seems, conceived the most
violent hatred against his son, the cause of which is
attributed to pecuniary motives. The father had often
threatened to kill him, 'saying, " Old as I eta, you
die by my hand—you shall go before me."
These were not mere empty threats in the mouth of a
vindictive old man, forgetful of the most imperative and
sacred duties of nature. Knowing the habits of his
children, he was able from his dwelling to watch and
overlook their movements all the day long. Thus he
had for a long time meditated and prepared his frightful
crime, by purchasing arsenic. The 15th instant was
the day chosen for the execution of his murderous pro-
ject, when, taking advantage of the absence of his son,
his daughter-inolaw, and their young servant (aged about
fifteen), who had been imprudent enough to leave the
key in her master's house-door, he entered the room of
his children, and threw the arsenic into a basin filled
with soup, which had been got ready for them.
Jean Roux, the son, his wife, and the servant re-
turned, and sat down to table. They had scarcely
eaten the soup, when they showed violent symptoms of
poison.

- The wretched old man drowned himself, on an
attempt being made to arrest him.

The physicians called in to the victims of poison could
not for a moment doubt the reality of the crime, as
they even found the arsenic at the bottom of the soup.
The guilt of the old man was certain ; he had no ac-
complices, for his wife, far from participating in his
hatred, felt it as a cause of grief. Both the women ure
out of danger, but that is not the case with young
Roux, whose life is in great peril. It' he is saved, it
will be because the large quantity of poison taken pro-
duced an immediate vomiting up of the noxious matter,
which did not remain long enough in the stomach to
cause death at once.

It was at first believed that the author of the crime
!lad taken a dose of poison before drowning himself, but
these suspicions have not been confirnv!d by the post
mortem examination.

PROPERTY IN PANTALOONS.

Is the cut of a pair of pantaloons, according to a
method more or less economical, an invention worthy
of a patent ? This strange question being submitted
to the Court of Cessation. hAs lately been answered in the
negative, under the following circumstances :—Heintz,
tailor in Paris, had in 1837 obtained a patent for an eco-
nomical cut of military pantaloons. The statements
proving the utility of the discovery showed that it would
lead to a saving of more than a fifth of the material, the
amount of which, according to the inventor's calcula-
tions, would be above 10,001).000 francs per annum for
the Minister of War. Heintz, therefore, set a high
value on the communication of his secret, and asked
800,000 francs of the Minister, who refused the offer.
He soon extended 'his discovery to civil pantaloons,
and obtained a new patent in 1838. This created a
great stir in the workshops where the most indispen-
sable part of man's attire is manufactured. Rival pre-
tensions were brought forward, and a proceeding for
infringement was instituted. The Juge Paix drew
a distinction between the military and civil pantaloons,
and decided that while Heintz had an exclusive right in
the firmer, there was no infringement with respect to the
latter, inasmuch as before he had obtained his patent, he
had given his secret to the public. On an appeal, the
Civil Tribunal of the Seine confirmed the sentence of
the Judo de Paix by its decree, but the motive of the
decree was different. from that of the first Judge, as it
was considered that the calculations on the best use of
a piece of cloth are not a subject for legal proceeding, or
fit. for a patent. This view was, perhaps, a little too
general and exclusive, but, Lowever, the motives of
judgments and decrees deci'le nothing, and it is only
against the decision itself that it is useful to appeal.
Nevertheless the judgment of the Tribunal of the
Seine was referred to the Court of Cassation for a vio-
lation of the law of the 7th January, 1791, according
to which every method of perfecting any manufacture
whatever, no matter how humble, is an invention
worthy of a patent, securing the property to the in-
ventor. The appeal was, however, rejected by the
Court of Cassation.—Gazette des Tribunaux.

It appears from the Eighteenth Report of the In-
Epector-General on the state of prisons in Ireland that the total
number of insane persons confined in that country is 3,426
of these 495 are idiots, 239 epileptic, 983 curable, and 1,661)
incurable.

THAMES NAVIGATION.—The Thames be•
tween London-bridge and Chelsea is now provided with pro-
jecting floating piers extending in many places, as at Hunger-
ford Market, far into the river, and although undoubtedly a
great obstruction to the navigation, are very convenient to
passengers who proceed short distances in the numerous small
steam-beats, which have entirely superseded the trim-built
wherry of the industrious waterman. The river Thames has
now beco Le the must important public highway in this king-
dom, and perhaps in Europe. The number of passengers
always afloat is enormous, and it sometime' happens there are
10,000 persons going up and down the river at ono time in
slearn-vessels, including those proceeding to and from the Con-
tinent. Steam on the Thames has almost superseded all other
modes of conveyance. The watermen, 14,000 of whom served
in the navy during the late war, are deprived of their occupa-
tion, and are the only body who ave not benefited by steam.
Capital to the amouni of five millions sterling, is employed in
steam navigation, and 150 steam-vessels of all descriptions are
constantly engaged on the river.