The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

SHORT TIME.

Mr. Eccles, a manufacturer in the neighbourhood of
Blackburn, who is favourably disposed to the Short
Time Bill, and who has been trying the experiment of
working eleven hours instead of twelve, communicates
the following to the Blackburn Standard as the result:—
" I find that the result of my late trial of working
eleven in place of twelve hours, is gxactly the same as
that of Messrs. Horrocks, Miller, and Co., of r
a r.eetsonol
and also of Messrs. Greggs, of Bollington—saY 14"
7i per cent. 'of work.
" Now I am bound to say that thisle
loss thanl expected, or than "swiss "itg a
obnieluieevhe,greater would
be the result, both from past experience (as referred to
in my former letter), andfrom the conviction of those in
n;
employ who were desirous of trying the plan. T, linay explain to you that my machinery is now
all on the self-acting principle, and is consequently
moved by the steam-engine, and therefore is much less
dependent on manual labour than the hand-mules ; and
it was to these I had reference in my former address.
" Allusion has often been made to Messrs. Gardner's
works, of Preston—(l believe a well-conducted and very
orderly establishment)—but, if I mistake not, there are
no self actors there at all. Now, it is well known, that
the cost and fixing of self-acting mules is nearly, if
not quite, double that of hand mules ;:and they dispense
with, what will be acknowledged by all persons conver-
sant with the matter, the most arduous employment in
cotton-mills.
" It is quite clear, therefore, that this great addi-
tional outlay must be employed, in order to produce a
fair return for the capital laid out. Of course, if I
could not produce the usual quantity of work, the piece
hands could not get the same wages, and the loss to me,
in paying the usual standing wages to all daily hands,
managers, and book-keepers, and others, was much more
than any prudent man could submit to, especially in
times like the present, which, I am sorry to say, have
not improved since my last letter was written.
" The loss in spinning was greater than in weaving,
but in consequence of starting some new looms, and
altering others, at the time, I could not draw a fair com-
parison of the difference.

" A s to the real merits of the principle, I am still of
opinion that it is exceedingly desirable to abridge the
hours of factory labour, if prcticable ; and I sincerely
trust that if the present measures of Government are
carried out ; and other restrictions and, high duties,
such as those on sugar, &c., B‘c., and the nearly 300 per
cent. duty on teas are reduced, and manufacturers can
have a fair chance of exchanging their productions, on
a solid and legitimate basis, with other countries ;
that then many of them would gladly curtail the hours
of labour.
It is not possible for a few scattered individuals to
accomplish this object, however desirous they may be ;
but I do not regret having given it a trial.
" I might also add, were it necessary, that having a
large quantity of yarn to buy at the present time, it
seemed somewhat strange purchasing yarn by manual
labour of twelve hours per day, and my own self-actors
standing, after working only eleven hours, and not
having produced the quantity I anticipated.
" On returning again to twelve hours, I caused the
following notice to be read in my mills:—
" It would have been a source of great pleasure to
me to have continued the plan of short time, but I find

that there is a much greater diminution of work than I
expected or believed would be the case.
" As a natural consequence of this I could not meet
other manufacturers in the market on the same terms,
unless the wages were reduced, and this I should not
like to have done. _

" Whenever the feeling shall become general tore-duce the hours of labour to eleven hours a day, I shall
be very glad to do it.'

" I am, yours, very respectfully,
" JOSEPH ECCLES."
" Mill Hill, 23rd April, 1846.

RIEMBAUER ; the GERMAN PRIEST
(From Tait's Edinburgh Magazine.)
The real history of Riembauer embodies a more severe
attack upon the religion of which he was a minister, than
volumes written to expose the principles and practices
of the Jesuits. He is described as a man of superior
abilities and learning, who in different places performed
the functions of a parish priest with much honour to
himself
From the commencement of his ecclesiastical career,
he was so remarkable for his talents and virtues as to
be held up as a model to other priests. His stately
figure and handsome face, his persuasive eloquence and
insinuating manners, gained him general good will. He
performed his clerical duties with punctuality, dignity,
and grace, and his outward demeanour was decorum
itself. His leisure hours—at least until his removal to
Pirkwang, where the purchase of a small property
involved him in agricultural pursuits, were passed in
reading and study. And when those priests to whom
he was attached as chaplain, expressed their admiration
of his zeal and learning, he replied that this was the
proper calling of the clergy, who ought not to concern
themselves with worldly affairs. His preaching was dis-
tinguished for fire and unction, and out of church, as
well as in it, he declaimed against the corruptions of the
world; his soft words and gentle manners seemed those
of a saint living in communion with God, and in charity
with his neighbour. He always walked out of church
smiling, with his head on one side, his eyes half closed
and fixed upon the ground, and his hands folded.
Riembauer was, however, even thus early suspected,
both by some of his brethren and of his penitents, and
also by some prudent fathers and husbands, who, though
highly honoured by the visits of so holy a man, took
good care to keep their wives and daughters out of his
way. His life was most licentious, and the most profli-
gthaeteploiwbeerrtsi,neasmiunstthheavoeppyoierltdu,n?dititeos twhhisichhypheocrihated, in
f
Inseduction.order to quiet the conscience
ho
encetnid secure the fidelity
of those concubines with whom
l
rs
perform
the mar-
led to live for
any length of time, Riembauer used to
riage service over th
andhis bride grog
Catherine
knecht asserted that, hidden behind Riembauer'sraubeend",
she witnessed the strange espousals of her sister Mag.
dalena ; that Riembauer repeated all the usual prayers
and exhortations, and placed a gold wedding-ring on
her sister's finger. Anna Weninger said that the same
thing took place at her union with him, but was not sure
whether the priestly bridegroom performed the cere-
mony clad in his stole and with burning candles or not.
He himself denied having thus profaned his sacred func-
tions, but confessed that he had instructed his mistresses
in the duties of the married state, and then given and
received a formal promise. He was very earnest in
persuading his female penitents that they might safely
permit themselves certain sins with the saints of the
Lord.

Without having read Moli‘re, Riembauer thoroughly
understood not only how to sin in secret, and to appear
before the world as a saint, but also how to keep an ami-
cable account with heaven for sins already committed or
to be committed hereafter.
For his own sake, Riembauer endeavoured to keep
the women he debauched quiet, by providing for them
and their children, and the failure of this, in one instance,
led to the horrible murder of which he was convicted a
good many years after its perpetration. He was living
at a farm, of which he had defrauded the owners, with
a daughter of the family as his mistress, when a girl,
named Anna Eichstadter, by whom be had had a child,
came to implore that he would keep his promise of
taking her home as his housekeeper, and dismiss his
present mistress. He took her up stairs to his chamber,
deliberately cut her throat, and afterwards buried the'
body in a kind of closet or out-house below. From
infatuation and cupidity, he kept the murdered girl s
umbrella and some other articles, but, besides this, the
most complete proof brought home the crime to him, in
spite of his attempts to implicate innocent persons. His
ingenious casuistry and the subtlety of his pleadings
may remind the English reader of the defence of Eugene
Aram. At length he made a clean breast, or as much
of the truth was dragged out of him as can ever be ob-
tained on this side of Time. He said :
His motive of the crime was the dread least Anna
Eichstadter should unmask him before the world, rob
him of his honour and good name, and ruin his prospect
of preferment. Anna declared, said Riembauer, " when
I met her at Rattisbon that she would not depart
from me. I represented to her most strongly that
it was impossible for me to take her, but all in
vain. My position, my reputaion, everything that
was sacred and dear to me, would be endangered by her
coming to Lauterbach. I thought within myself, ' What
is to be done should she come!' and I suddenly remem-
bered the maxim laid down by Father Benedict Stattler
in his Ethica Christiana, according to which it is lawful
to deprive another of life, when honour and reputation
cannot be otherwise maintained, for honour is of higher
value than life, and the law of necessity holds good
against those who attack our honour, as much as against
robbers. I thought over this maxim, which Professor
St— used formerly to explain to us young ecclesiastics
in his lectures; and finding that it exactly applied to my
own predicament, I took it as my dictamen practicust.
My honour, thought I, will be lost, should this wicked
woman come to Lauterbach and carry her threat into
execution. I shall be suspended by the consistory, my
property will be forfeited, and my name will become a
reproach and a byword throughout the diocese. Al-
though I had considered this maxim of Stattler's for
some time past, and applied it to my own position, still
it was but an idea, and I had not yet formed any plan
for putting it in practice."
He goes on, to tell, that when he got the girl up into
his room, he went down stairs under pretence of pro-
curing some beer for her, and brought up a bread-knife
and his razor. The unhappy girl, he asserted, at this
moment reiterated her demands with great violence and
many threats of denouncing him to justice and before
the consistory, and of publishing his true chararter
everywhere. At this critical moment Father Stattler's
maxim again recurred to his mind, and he seized the
bread-knife and stabbed Eichstadter with it on the
right side of her throat, but finding the knife too
blunt, he dropped it, and she endeavoured to defend
herself. He then held her by the throat, gave her
a heavy blow on the back of her head, thrust
his fingers into her mouth, and tried to choke her,
exhorting her in the meantime, to repentance and
confession, as she must die. She replied by earnestly
entreating him to spare her life. " Then," said he, " I
took the razor out of my pocket, embraced her from
behind, and with my right hand put the blade to her
throat, while with my left I forced it into her windpipe.
I instantly perceived by her sobs that I had made a deep
incision, and I dropped the razor. She remained stand-
ing for three or four minutes, during which I said to
her, Mariandel, I pray to God and you for pardon ;
you would have it so. Pray to God for forgiveness of
your sins, and I will give you absolution.' I accordingly
gave it her, as it was in casu necessitatis. She tottered,
as if her knees were failing under her, and I took her
under the arms, and let her down gently ; for a few
minutes longer I gave her religious consolation as she lay
on the floor, till she began to kick and struggle, and
presently she breathed her last.
There is something horribly burlesque in the idea of
the murderer, his hands reeking with her blood, giving
absolution to his victim, which carries more powerful
pul_est
re-
futation of certain doctrines as to the offices of
.h priest,
heldtoo, is laid bare,
Ites, than
too,,
training
Roofmaanrgisutms andent. cosnotemnedtehdiofgoochyspPusey
more than equivocal in that system
cling
to the refuge of
lwiebsicwhhilecicht
thtemoriforeeedtch,wainrehantee nsdait°edd
wteorefingtdiniutghehibmooktos
and the au
judgment.
Sometimes he would quote the doctrine that all means
are justified by the end ; and would prove that his pur-
pose being noble, his action could not be criminal. "I
had no object but that of preventing the many evils and
sins arising from public scandal, and of upholding the
honour of the clergy and the reverence due to my sacred
calling. Had I not stood in such high consideration
with the people, I might more readily have submitted to
the disgrace. But I foresaw that the discovery of my
crime would bring with it a train of evils ; that many
men would henceforth think all sins permitted ; some
would cease to believe in God, others would no longer-
hold anything sacred."
Thus this foul murder was committed by a priest for
* the glory of Sod ;'! and, in concluding his confession,
though prevaricating and lying as long as possible, he said,
" I have nothing further to tell of this sad story, save my
silent grief and sorrow, and that I have applied frequent
masses for the soul of Anna Eichstadter,"—for the soul
of her to whom he had administered absolution in her
dying agony ! This man was not executed—that might
n-
dh
ea
mv en be rdo
tuog
shet
vae
rs
et stigma
snotheepnr it e
isnt h
ao ofd,or—t rbe us
st
for
wijaf se
.c o
such be the fearful religious delusions of a man of great
intellect and erudition like Riembauer, need we be sur-
prised at the following trait of another criminal, a turner
of Augsburg—the scene of many of the crimes recorded,
who murdered a poor char-woman, in whose house he
lodged, in the hope of obtaining some trifle of money
which she was supposed to possess.
Among other things found upon him was a y
robbers,
tattered
pocket-book, containing a remarkable document printed
in the form of a patent at Cologne, and adorned
with the
effigies of a number of Saints ; it purpo
e,to
nbe bar ol letter
21
down to earth by the archangel Michael, granting flit
,
written from heaven byJesus Ch rib
sthsel
fd
absolution
patent
ralwl seilnlswaenrdthyo crimes,
be worn ro however horrible • '
in
short, a
thieves and murderers.
The guilt of this man was corroborated by one of those
remarkable circumstances which confirm the saying that
"murder will not hide. While cutting up the body of
the murdered woman to throw it into a hole in the
ceiling of a loft of her house, a brass ring which ha
wore on his little finger, had been rubbed off, and it
lodged in the bend of the elbow of the corpse. Thertp
the " tell-tale ring" was found when the body was die-
covered and examined. When this ring, with several
other articles, was shown to the murderer, he, little
guessing where it had been found, at once claimed it as
a ring which he had long worn, and had accidentally
lost, he knew not how, some weeks before.

BE
TOWER.—On Monday next, the places of the
old Tower constables and watchmen will be supplied and their func-
tions superseded by a detachment of the metropolitan police, drafted
from the H division, and consisting of thirteen men and a sergeau.*:
Who will have charge Of ordnanis atom, the setel, and the
of the fertireek