The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-03 00:00:00

EXECUTION IN FRANCE.

(From the Gazette des Tribunaux.)
THE DEATH OF A MURDEREk.—DRAGUIGNAN, JAN.
14.—Toussaint Chauvet was found guilty on the 11th of
November, by the Court of Assizes of the department of
the Var, of murdering his sister. in-law, and was condemned
to death. The circumstances under which the crime had
been committed, the untameable temper of the murderer—
there, seated on the bench of infamy was his daughter,
aged fifteen, uttering dreadful declarations against her
father, whose accomplice she was accused of being—the
touching position of the victim's family, and the attachment
of which she was the object from all who knew her—all
this excited eat nest attention to the various phases of the
drama which the energetic verdict of the jury was to ter-
minate. The verdict was received as the work of justice,
and not a voice was raised in favour of the murderer, who
appealed to the Royal clemency, after having in vain ap-
pealed to the Courts of Law. .

Chauvet heard his sentence without emotion. On ar.
riving at the prison he instantly asked for something to eat.
During two months he never softened the savage ferocious
nature of his character. Continually protesting against
his sentence, and throwing the responsibility of his death
upon his daughter, he answered the priests and others who
attempted to administer to him the solace of religion. "If
there were a God, lie would come down from Heaven to
save me ; if I am taken to the scaffold, there is no God."
Ile took his meals regularly, and insisted on having double
rations, which he shared with another convict, his compa-
nion in captivity.
At six a.m., on the 14th instant, the Abbe Court
entered Chauvet's cell, and told him that he must
prepare to go. " Where ?" replied he. "To Luc,"
said the Priest. " Well, I am ready," said he,"
" but I'll first take sonic brandy and something to
cat." He was given what he wanted, and whilst
going in the cart through the multitude which had as-
sembled to see him pass. he continued eating with the
greatest sang froid until he arrived at the prison. The
cortege arrived at Luc at half-past ten. The prisoner,
standing up in the cart, apostrophised the people, saying
that he was the victim of perjury. On passing before the
Judge be vociferated some horrible exclamations
against that respectable Magistrate, accusing him
of having caused his death, &c. The prisoner's cyni-
cism excited the disgust and indignation of all the
bystanders. On passing under the guillotine Chauvet
looked at it and said, " You will soon cut off a good
and innocent head." While the executione!s were
cutting off his hair, preparing him for the scaf-
fold, he uttered the most horrible blasphemies, and was
ferocious and savage as a madman. He, however, asked
for something to cat, saying it was better to meet death
with a full stomach. At length he consented to confess.
At half-past one the immense masses which had assembled
to witness the execution perceived the prison gates thrown
open. The fatal moment had arrived. Chauvet ad-
vanced with a firm step towards the guillotine, and mounted
the steps unassisted. Whilst the executioners were bind-
ing his hands he cried out, with a hoarse, stentorian voice,
" Had there been a God, he would have performed a
miracle to save me f lam innocent l" In another second
he ceased to exist.

ACpemVbEroßkebluTmY OF
-boat feSI R
lIfouJA
I,
on Wednesday
G M
ednesßdAvHA
night, :1111 ee
Pearl frigate. It was during the gale that was blowing off
St. Stephen's, whispering, with his usual conceit, his own
praises,, and insinuatini", with his usual meanness, every possible
charge against those who succeeded him in the Admiralty, Sir
James Graham is reported to have uttered the following words.
We take them from the Times, preferring, in this instance, a
Tory report:_" The inhabitants (of Southampton) were
overjoyed at its appearance, but very soon the secret tran-
spired. The frigate was the. Pearl, commanded by Lord
Clarence Paget, who became a candidate for South-
ampton, and of whose hospitalities the inhabitants par-
took and enjoyed." Now, any indifferent person reading
this paragraph, would infer that Lord Clarence Paget
brought his frigate to Southampton, and that in consequence
of the hospitalities the inhabitants partook of and enjoyed,
hi. Lordship was invited to contest the borough. That
the ship arrived first, and the election took place at a sub-
sequent period. The reverse of this is the truth,—a truth we
are sure Sir James Graham knew, and with his usual mean-
ness, kept back. When the last election took place, Lord
Clarence and the Pearl were far, far away from England—the
frigate did not arrive at Portsmouth till many days after the
election,—and when her commander was permitted to isring her
up the Southampton river, every trace of the election was
gone. And before Lord Paget could see the half of those he
would gladly have seen, he was ordered off to the West In-
dies—not a little to the mortification of the gallant gen-
tlemen and men by whom she was manned. So much for the
veracity of the Pembroke bum-boat!—Harnpshire Indepeneknt.
FATAL ACCIDENT DURING THE LATE HIGH
Wins.—On Thursday evening an inquest was held before
Mr. Payne, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on John Bennett,
aged 52. The evidence of deceased's wife showed that on
Tuesday week last they were walking in Blackfriars-road, the
wind blowing very strong at the time, when her husband turned
down a passage to light his pipe. As he was entering a baker's
shop for that purpose a tile blown off the roof of the house fell
on his left foot, and nearly cut off the great toe. Ile was taken
to the above hospital, and the toe was amputated. Two days
after (he had been of intemperate habits) delirium tremens set
in, of which he died on Tuesday. The accident was the proxi-
mate cause of death. Verdict—" Accidental death."
THE MANCHESTER ANTI-CORN-LAW PE-
TITIoN.—The Manchester borough petition for the total and
immediate repeal of the corn-laws, which is now completed,
has received fifty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-five sig-
natures. An address of the female; of Manchester to the Queen,
praying for a repeal, is, we understand, in preparation, and will
shortly be ready for signature.

EXTRACTS FROM THE AMERI

CAN PAPERS.

REQUEST.-Will Ex-Sheriff Perkins, formerly of
London, please to return the " British Peerage for
1839," a book of reference, which he borrowed of us a
few weeks ago. I want it sadly, to find how some drops
of noble female blood have been running.

O'Haggerty, who has been for several years in
search of an honest man down town, like Japhet in
search of a father, has at last made the discovery in the
person of somebody called Wilson G. Hunt. Jack
was SD overjoyed at the discovery, that he immediately
sent to a silversmith, got a silver tea-urn, with no gin in
it, and presented it to him on New Year's-day. There
are many other persons in Pearl-street, and that neigh-
bourhood, that Jack intends to make a similar present
to, if they will only pay their notes. Come along this
way, Jack O' Hagerty. You brought a bill against
me before " Dear Dick Hiker," for 500 dollars, which I
paid in cash down on the nail, by a check on the Che-
mical Bank. Wont you, honest Jack, present me with
a teapot, a tankard, or a pitcher ? Do.

THE VANDENHOFFS—ALPHA AND OMEGA.-011
Monday-night, the Vandenhoffs, father and daughter,
appeared in the Hunchback, at the Park, and last night
again in the Stranger, and a pair of greater antipodes
to each other we never saw.

The style of acting characterising both these artists,
is quite peculiar. Mr. Vandenhoff is extremely chaste,
classical, and discriminating—Miss Vandenhoff, with
more physical power and intellectual energy, than taste
or genius, is quite the reverse of her father—he, alpha
—she, omega. The " Master Walter" of Vandenhoff,
is beautifully conceived and chastely executed—the
" Julia" of the daughter had too little of the
lady in style, manner, and action, and too
much of the chambermaid just set up for a fash-
ionable lady. Miss Vandenhoff has a large quantity of
a certain kind of talent, but it is raw, uneven, and
crude. She reminds us of Miss Vose, an actress from
Mobile, who was called for her excessive action and
tempestuous style, " the beautiful roarer from the west,
half steamboat, half alligator, with a bit of the snapping
turtle." Miss Vandenhoff has the raw material of a
fine actress, but she has much to learn before she can be
compared to Miss 'Free in elegance of style, or Miss
Kemble in classical passion. She is too tempestuous.
THE MAILS.—Why don't Congress declare the rail-
roads from NI, ashington to New York post-roads, and
then compel the Company to carry the mails nolens
volens? This can be done.

STRANGE.—Not a fire of any consequence has taken
place down town, for some time past. Pi obably no
honest fellow has a stock of old-fashioned goods that
the Insurance Companies ought to pay for,
" LETTERS FROM THE OLD WORLD, BY A LADY
OF NEW YORK."—We understand that Mr. Bucking-
ham, the Oriental Traveller, in the defence which he
proposes to make, this evening, at the Lyceum, against
the attacks of a Reverend Critic in the New York
Observer, intends to draw largely from the interesting
" Letters from the Old World," as well as from other
authorities, in support of his case. If Mr. Bucking-
ham will read a few of these letters, we can easily dis-
pense with his lectures.

A CURE FOR THE GOUT.—Count Piper (we
are assured) like myself, was once a martyr to the gout. He
said he cured his by taking in bed, every morning, a very strong
extract of coffee, with an equal quantity of rum—about a quarter
of a pint each—for thirty successive days. The first week it
produced violent headache and fever, which terminated after
that period in m•st excessive perspiration. This remedy left him
weak, but cured him. He has had no return of the disorder
for nine years, and now trusts to exercise and diet for good
health and freedom from the distressing malady, which, like the
toothache, excruciating as it is, nobody pities.— Standish.

The immense quantity of rain during the last
week has caused another extensive flood in our vicinity. The
whole of the low meadows which bound the river Avon were
for some days completely covered, but no fatal accidents have
occurred to the cattle, which were in some cases unavoidably
left on the land, although the sudden rise of the stream kept
them without food for a long interval. The high wind stripped
many houses of their coverings, and threw down some trees.—
Wilts Independent.
MEATH ELECTION.—The election for Meath
takes place on Tuesday. Mr. Corbally is the chosen candidate
for the Liberal constituency, and that constituency can make
him the member for the county, and that noble and independent
constituency will.—Pilot.
The new plan for abolishing the farming of the
revenue in Turkey has, after much opposition from several
members of the Divan, been carried through the influence of
Reschid Pacha, and will come into operation on the Ist of
March next.
On Monday morning week, Mr. Scott, of
Beighton Fields, near Barlborough, was found drowned in a
pond near Beighton Fields House.—Derby Reporier.
DEATH.—TREADMILL.—Wednesday morn-
ing an inquest was held before Mr. Wakley, M.P., at the
House of Correction, Coldbath.fields, on the body of Fanny
Leach, aged 30, an inmate of the prison. It appeared from
the evidence of the turnkeys that deceased was committed on
the 30th of last October, from the Central Criminal Court, un-
der sentence of six months' imprisonment and hard labour for
felony. Until the 14th instant she appeared in good health,
when at her own request she was transferred from the work-
room to the treadmill, on which she had been scarcely an hour,
when she was seized with an hysterical fit ; after which she
was removed into the convale•cent ward, and subsequently to
the infirmary. She became gradually worse, and on the 23d,
on examining her, the surgeon found one of her legs quite
black, which colour rapidly spread all over her body, and she
died on Monday last. Verdict—" Natural Death, produced by
mortification of the leg."
MR. MARTIN, M.P.—ln consequence of cer-
tain misunderstandings, we have again to state that Mr. Martin
has paired off with Sir Edward Hayes. The Hon. Gentleman
is now actively engaged in making arrangements for the re-
registry of his numerous tenantry.—Dublin Evening Post.
BANK OF IRELAND.—We learn from the Dub-
lin Evening Post that a meeting of the Directors of the Bank
of Ireland, held last Tuesday, a redneti m of discount was de-
termined on. An order was accordingly issued reducing the
rate of interest from 6 to 5 per cent. on all bills, Irish, Eng-
lish, and Scotch.
DUNDEE, JAN. 23.—An experiment is going
on here this day, for the purpose of trying whether steam let
into a vessel will have the same effect of ascertaining where
any leaks are, as if water was let in. It is generally believed it
will have the same effect, with the addition of destroying any
vermin that may be in a ship. Within these last six days there
has been launched from the different building yards here, a ship
of 378 tons; a barque 354 tons; brigs, Royal Bride, 201 tons ;
schooner, May, 116 tons; a schooner, 107 tons.
An anti-slavery Congress is appointed to be
appointed to be held in London in the course of next June, to
concert the measures for a general movement against abomi-
nable system of slavery still ,prevalent in various parts of the
world. Delegates w ill attend from France, America, Jamaica,&c.
Lord Lindsay, in renouncing all intention of
standing on the Tory interest for Wigan, complains that his
promptitude in announcing himself as a candidate last year,
when it was imagined that Sir Robert Peel's accession to office
would have led to a dissolution, was followed by no encourage-
ment whatever, nor did he receive the slightest mark of satis-
faction at the offer of his services then made.

SIR J. GRAHAM V. TIIE DUKE OF WEL-
LINGTON.-If Sir James will refer to the Army List (says a
Correspondent of the Chronicle), he will find that out of
twenty-five ensigns in the Grenadier Guards, who have, since
1834, been nominated to commissions by the Duke of Welling-
ton, two only (Lieutenants Clifford and Graham) are the sons
of Whig parents. .
DEATH OF SIR F. COOPER.—It with
deep regret we announce the death of Sir Frederick Grey
Cooper, of Cogar, Bart., on the 23d inst., at Barton Grange,
Somersetshire. His son, now Sir F. Cooper, succeeds to the
Baronetcy.
On Monday se'nnight, as a commercial gentle-
man was crossing the Hnngerford Down in his gig, a suddon
gust of wind completely upset him ; his arm was much injured,
ut not broken; no other damage was done, and he proceeded,
with a man to drive, on his journey to Oxford. It was with the
greatest difficulty the passengers could keep their seats on the
night coaches some nights last week, from Bristol and London.
THE STORM.—BRUSSELS. JAN. 2G.—A let-
ter from Antwerp, dated yesterday, speaks of a violent storm
in the preceding evening and that morning. All the lamps
were extinguished. The Dutch ship Margaretta Johanna,
Captain Schow, from Batavia, with a valuable cargo, has been
totally lost at the entrance of the Texel. The ctew, except
two sailors, escaped. The loss of the Dutch underwriters is
enormous; they had insured 170,000 florins on the cargo, and
130,000 on the vessel ; in all, 300,000 florins. Nothing can
be saved. _ _ _

The cutlers of Paris have signed a protest
against the illegal search instituted in their shops, and the
seizure of knives, to the value of between 20,000 f. and
25,000 f , which had hitherto never been regarded as pro-
hibited arms.
A funeral of rather a novel nature took place at
Hungerford, on Wednesday last. George Tubb, aged 88 years,
had been a ringer in Hungerford parish upwards of 70 years,
and it was his earnest wish that the bells might ring at his
funeral. Accordingly a full peel was rung, whilst the funeral
procession moved to the church. The custom was not singular
in the old man's family, as he stated he bad eleven brothers, all
of whom had been ringers, and had been rung to the grave in
like manner. Tubb and his ancestors had been ringers in Hun-
gerford for upwards of two centuries, and during the whole
curse of Tubb's life he had never been out of town a week.--
Devizes Gazette.

SINGULAR HISTORICAL PARALLEL.—In
looking over a file of old papers, we were surprised to find s
paragraph, under date, " May, 27. 1793," as follows :
—" John Frost was tried before Lord Kenyon, and found
guilty of uttering seditious expressions at the Percy Coffee
House, Rathbone-place. The seditious words were—' lam
for equality. I see no reason why one man should be greater
than another. I would have no King, and the Constitution of
the country is a bad one.' Mr. Frost was sentenced to be
struck off the roll of attorneys, to be imprisoned six months, to
stand in the pillory, and give security for his good behaviour."
This was in " the good old times, when George the Third was
King." The words of the poor attorney are such as would
now pass unnoticed; they are mildness itself, compared with
language daily uttered and printed in the present day. What
nonsense then to talk of the decay of our liberties.— Gateshead
Observer.

----•— •
The sloop Catherine of Greenock, from Loch-
swilly, with a cargo of oats, bound for Glasgow, was wrecked on
Tuesday evening last, at Dunure, near Fisherton Chapel. The
sloop left Lochswilly on Monday, and encountered severe gales
from N.N. W., and W.N. W., depriving her of all her canvass ;
and in this condition she was driven across the channel. The
captain and crew, not expecting that the sloop woul dbe so
soon on shore, were down in the cabin, preparing themselves for an
event which they knew could not be far distant; and making
what is termed a " collection for the poor," when the ves-
sel struck upon a rock, about forty yards distant from the
shore. The crew instant,, ran on deck, and ascending the
rigging, after one or two rebuffs, managed is swing them-
selves on the robk, and got safe on shore. There were three
men on board besides the captain. They had not been out of
the vessel above ten minutes, when the mast fell. The sloop
was making from eight to nine feet water, and had been three
times on her beam-ends before she struck on the rock. The
cargo of oats, which was consigned for Messrs. Ewen, Angus
and Co., Glasgow, is entirely lost.
FlRE.—rhursda) afternoon there was a fire at
Messrs. Lyon and Co.'s manufactory, at Hornsey. The en.
gine-house only was destroyed.