The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-08 00:00:00

TRAGEDY OF JULIA.

The following is the very interesting story, on
which the tragedy of Julia is founded. It was re-
lated by the clergyman of the place where the
facts happened

" Some years ago, John Andrew Gordier, a gentleman of
French extraction, and of considerable fortune in the island of
Jersey, was upon the pant of marrying the daughter of a
wealthy merchant of Guernsey ; but on a sudden- he was lost
to his friends and relations, as well as to the lady who was to
have been his bride; and, notwithstanding the most diligent
inquiry in both islands, with every possible starch that could
be made, not the least intelligence could be obtained, either of
his death or his retreat.

" It happened, however, that, after a time, when all dis-
course concerning him had subsided, his body was accidentally
found in Guernsey, by some boys traversing the beach, with
two wounds an the back. and one on the head, thrust into
the cavity of a rock, whose mouth was-so small, that it must
have been with difficulty that the body could have been made
to enter it.

This discovery, with those evident proofs of murder,
alarmed the two families; the former inquiries werein vain re-
newed; not the least light, either to countenance suspicion, or
to ground conjecture, could be gathered, tntrace out the mur-
derer; and all that could be done was to pay the last duty to
the remains of the unfortunate youth, by. pie:razing his
funeral with all marks of unaffected sorrow.
" The mother of the young gentleman remained inconsolable;
and the lady to whom he WAS soon to have been wedded, pined
in secret for the loss of the only man In the World whom she
could love. She was, indeed, courted by a young merchant ;
but though she was in a manner constrained by her parents to
admit his addresses, she was inwardly resolved never to give
him her hand.
" The mother of Gordier, who never ceased to ruminate on
the catastrophe which had befallen her son, was not a little so-
licitous for the welfare of the young lady, whom she looked
upon as her daughterdn-law, sod whom she regarded with
the greatest tenderness, as she heard how severely she was af-
fected by the sudden &pantos: of her intended husband.
" Some years afterwards, being told that the young lady's
life was in danger, she resolved to cross the sea that divides
the islands, in order to afford her every consolation iu her
power, by condoling with her, sharing her griefs, and thereby
endeavouring to alleviate the sorrows of her heart. As attend.
ants in her voyage Mrs. Gordier took with her a beloved
brother and only surviving son. 'When they arrived, they
were advised by the apothecary, who attended the young lady.
not to surprise her by an unlooked-for visit, till she was prepared
by degreesto receive it, but, notwithstanding all the care that
could be taken, the sight of the mother brought to her mind
the full remembrance of the son, and the shock was too great
for her weak spirits to bear; she fainted upon the first ap-
proach of Mrs. Gordier, and it was with difficulty that she was
brought to herself. The mother was curious to know every
little circumstance that attended the last interview of the young
lovers, and of all that had passed since the discovery of the
murder of her son ; mot the young lady was no less earnest to
prolong the conversation, but her fits returned at almost every
period, and she could only say how tenderly they parted, and
with what ardency she expected his promised return the next
day. In was no small concern to the afflicted mother to gee
the poor lady in this weak state, dying, as she plainly perceived
she was, of a broken heart ; and the company present could
not forbear vehement execrations against the author of this
double distress.
Mrs. (Thriller, all on a sudden, burst into a flood of tears,
on seeing a jewel pendant to the young lady's watch, which
she knew her son had purchased as a present to her, before
he left the island of Jersey. The violence of het grief was
observed by the young lady, who had just spirits enough to
ask her the immediate cause. Being told that the sight of a
jewel, the presentation of which to his beloved bride was to
I be the pledge of their mutual happiness, revived in her mind
her irreparable loss, the young lady wee seemingly struch
with horror anti astonishment at the declaration, and touch-
.fog the jewel, as with an expression of contempt, sunk into
the arms of her weeping visitor, and without =MN; II single
word, except only breathed her last. The manner of
her expiring seemed to involve a mystery. All present were
astonished. The confusion which her death oecasioorel stopped,
for some time, all further utterance; but when every means
had been used to restore her, without being able to bring her
to life • and when the effusions of sorrow, poured forth at her
death, for a while ceased, all who were present began to
speak what they thought of her behaviour in her last dying
moments. Mrs. Gordier, who was totally unacquainted with
the soft and delicate temper of the deceased, could not help
dropping souse unfavourable expressions coneerningher manner
of leaving the world, which she thought plainly indicated a,
knowledge of the murder. Her own parents, who were present
at the last affecting scene, fired with indignation at the insult
oiThred to the unspotted innocence of their darling child, could
not help resenting the ungenerous interpretation put upon the
last closing moments of her blameless life. A scene of trouble,
and mutual reproach ensued, which is easier to conceive than
relate. Wizen the commotion, however, was a little abated, and
reason began to take place, the friends of both families very
cordially uiterposed, and endeavoured to reconcile the mothers
by a cool examination of the circumstances that occasioned the
imseesonable heat.
" Young Mr. Gordicr recollected that he had heard his bro-
,
they declare that the jewel in question was to be presented to
his bride an her wedding day ; and, therefore, as that had
never happened, his mother might he justified in her suspicions,
though, perhaps, the lady might be innocent. The sister of
the deceased calmly replied, that she believed the warmth
that had happened tube founded on a mistake, which she thought
herself happy in being able to correct. The jewel, she said,
which her setter wore, was not preeented to her by Mr. Gordier,
but was a present to her sonic years after his unhappy death,
by
ayrMarssicliailoluiatdnyl ,pita
ivderhypirtiztraebsttl reputable nhhearn, t
eiinn.geese~,
whoegohad
with a view, if possible, to relieve her mind, by diverting her
niThetions to a new object; that as many jewels had the same
appearance, that purchased by Mr. (tardier and that presented
by (lenient might probably not be the same. Mrs. Gordier
very readily acquiesced ; stud having had time to recover her
temper, fell again into tears, and in the most affecting manner,
apolognied for her late indiscretion, adding, at the same time,
that it it was the jewel purchased by her son, his picture was
artfully concealed within it, which, by opening, put the matter
beyond all doubt. The sister, nor any of the family had ever
seen it opened, and knew nothing of such a contrivance. Young
tiordier in a moment touched a secret spring, anti inesented to
the company the minature enclosed, most beautifully enriched.
The consternation was now equal to the discovery. The toys-
: tery was now unravelled. It was instantly concluded that the
' horror of the murder must have struck the deceased, and the

detestation of the murderer overcame her. The contempt with
which she wanted to spurn the jewel front het, and her desire
to declare from whom she had it; all these circumstances con.
cured to tix the innrder on Mr. (billiard, who having been for.
merly her father'll clerk, . the last word she attempted to utter
was now interpreted to tnean the el-a-r-k.
"The Clergyman who was present, and who gave this raft.
tion, being the common friend of Gaillard, and the family
where he now was, advised moderation and temper in the pur-
suit of justice; Many circumstances, he said, may concur to
entangle innocence in the snares of guilt; and he hoped,, for
the honour of human nature, that a gentleman of so fair a chit-
meter as Mr. Gaillard could never be guilty of so
,foul a crime; 1
he therefore wished he might be sent for, on the present melan-
choly otcasion, rather as a mourner than as a murderer t. by
which means the charge might be brought on by degree* ; and
then, if innocent, as he hoped he would appear, his character
would stand fair—if guilty, care should be taken, that he should
net escape. Ile added, in support of his counsel, that U man,
unite publicly charged with murder, upOn circumstances, strong
as the present appeared, although his innocence might ho clear
us the sun at noon day to those who examined him, yet would
never again be ail' to redeem his character with the world, let
'his whole-life after be ever-so irreproachable.
" Thegrentest part of the company seemed to approve of his
advice and -resins ; lattit was visible by the countenance of
Mrs:, (O ' rdier - that she in her own mind,- had prejudged
,him
HowoVer, in eor:fortnitytts the advice th4had beets: tyro
itttlfard was sear ftlt—tait.t in a few hears the niesseiuset yeturn-
cil, accompanied by Mr. (iitlinirti in, person. The old' may, on
his entering' the room, in' he vehemence of her pitsifoti,eharged
him abruptly with the murder of her son. 'Mr. OtiniAttl :mite
answer coolly, that indeed he well knew her son: '1)4)10 not
scot hint for many days before the day of his disoppeurpte,
being then o at, of the island upon bust noes, as the farrill7Art *ban
house he now. resided couldattest. • But this jewit. tubrthe
inother,s!tcwing him that jewel open as it wss,' is on inconttitible

prnof of your guilt :* yoU gat eellteleceitied this jewel which wag
furc446lxt blinlY #9O, 1910 rif;4l,hil l'iliSsi°n to,l!ttle of
tiffs death; e deniA ever seeing the jewel. The sister of
the deceased then confroatiaglalm : -auditsking it.irt.hetioe si
and closing it. "Ills said she, you gave th any .
sister 'in ray presence; on such .a assuring,the:dayitalit -
hour, and the place you. pretcised ha to accept. it;
fusel it; You 'pressed tier .agam—ahe returned it, ‘oltd.seas
not prevailed upon to takeit until. I placed it teber svatc,h,
and persuaded her to' wear it.** /le' now betrayed 'some 'Si;gris,
of guilt; but looking Apon it when. it waa chetedvtie owned the'
giving it—and, presently recoileoung himself, said he knew
not in the forni it ; was. first presented to 1003 : Ilut;this
trinket, said he, ' I purchased of Levi the Jew,. whom you ,
all know, and who has traveled those islands for' more /thin
20 yearn past:. he,, no doubt, can tell how he came by
The clergyman now thought' himself happy in'tliVeonnsel
he had given; and addressing -0141154 f to Mrs., Gotdier,-
said, I hope, Madam,' that you will now be patient un
til the affair has had a proper examination. Mr., Galbatd..
I think is perfectly clear in his justification, and the Jeri
only, at patient, eppears to 'he the guilty, person ; /14 is
now on the island, and shall soon be apprehended.' The
old lady was once more calm, and 'contildered herself tom-
pelted to acknowledge her rashness, width was owing, as
she said, to the impetuosity of her temper, aUtt to the •Cir-.
cumstances that produced 'it. She conchaled by begging par.:
don of Gaillard, whom she thought she had litinrett.
" Gelliard triumphed inhisinnocence, hoped the lady would'
be carclui of what she said. and threatened, if his character.
suffered by the charge, to refer the Injury to the deelsiod bu the
law. He lamented the sudden death of the unfortunate young- a
lady, and melted into tears when he approached' her bed. Ile
took his leave, after same hours stay, with h..,carning decency,
and every enc, even'the mother, pronoumad 'him innocent.
"It was some days betbre the Jew ,was found ; but when
the news was spread that the Jew was in custody who murdered
young Garner, remorse, and the fear of public shame, `seized
Gallianl, and the night preceding the day on which he was to
have confronted the Jew before a Magistrate, he was found
deadt with a bloody penknife in his band, wherewith ire has,'
stabbed himself in three places, two of which were mortal.
" A letter was found on the table in his room, acknowledg-
ing his guilt, and concluding with the .retnarklible,words--
• None but those who have experienced the furious Impulse of
ungovernable love will pardon the crime which I have corn.
muted, in order to' obtain the 'incomparable object by which
my passions were inflamed. But thou, U Father of mercies
who implanted in my soul those strong desires., wilt forgive
ono rash attempt to accomplish my determined purpoite; in op-
position, as it should seem, to the Almighty Providence." •