The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-18 00:00:00

THE MURDER BY A PRIEST IN

FRANCE.
ASSIZES OF THE HAUTE GARONNE.
After the opening of the case by the PfOCUre7-
General, in which he brought forward the leading
points of the act of accusation, and enlarged upon
those which apperel to him to bear hard upoe the
prisoner (Brother Leutade), the President proceeded
to the interrogation of Leotade. Ile was first asked
if he had been acquainted with Cecile Combettes.
the deceased. He replied in the negative. The President
then asked how it was that, if he was not acquainted
with Cecile Combettes as being the apprentice girl of
Conte, the bookbinder, he had on one occasion, when
he took a memorandum-book to Conte to be bound, de
sired that it might, when finished, be sent home by /u
petite? The prisoner replied that he had no recollection of
having said anything of the kind. He was next interro.
gated as to the way in which be had employed his
time on the 15th of April, the day when Cecile Corn
bettes was last seen alive. He entered into a detailed
account of his proceedings, which was in some parts
in contradiction with what he had stated on his ex-
amination by the examining magistrate, and when
these were pointed out to him by the President, he
replied that he had been so tortured by the exarniaations
in question, and by being kept in solitary confinement,
that it was not extraordinary that he should have been
so confused as hardly to know on some points what he
said. The President took occasion to remark to him
when he talked of solitary confinement, that there was
reason to believe that he was in communication with his
Director, and enjoyed many facilities and advantages
which tended to show that he was not in so solitary
and abandoned a position as he wished to make the
Court believe. Leotade declared that he had held
no communication with his Director, except to ask for
some little necessaries, and to know if he might be
permitted to receive the sacrament. The President
asked him whether he had not sent word to the Dissec-
tor that he was very uneasy at the idea of ee'.o injury
which might be caused to the community by what had
occurred to himself. He replied that he had no re-
collection of having anne anything of the kind. Some
questions were then put to Leotade respecting a.letter
n
of conscience which ho had sent to the sepeor or
director-general of his order. The object:of this ques-
tion seemed to be to convey a belief that Leotade had
been making efforts to induce the heads of the commu-
nity to use their influence to screen him from justice.
The prisoner replied that the letter of conscience was
expected from every brother, and was part of their
regular duty. Some contradictions in the answers of
the prisoner to the questions put to him by the examin-
ing magistrate respecting the clothes which he wore
on the day when Cecile Combettes was murdered were
next pointed out. The important fact developed by this
part of the proceedings, however, was that the velveteen
breeches of the prisoner were stained with blood, which
he explained by stating that he had a discharge of
blood' from hemorrhoids, with which he said he was
affected; but it did not appear that he had made
any communication of this fact to the surgeon
of the establishment, although he pretended that
he had done so. He was next questioned as to the rab-
bits kept in the establishment, and which he was in the
habit of attending to. He was asked whether he had
not given some of these rabbits to Conte, although
they belonged to the scommunity. He admitted that
he had, but stated that it was understood that they
were to be paid for, and that he would account to
the community for the rabbits. He was asked
whether he had told Cecile Combettes that he would
give her some rabbits, to which he replied in the nega-
tire. The object of this interrogation was evidently to
lead to a part of the system of the accusation which
would show that whilst Cecile Combettes was waiting in
the corridor for her master, she was invited by Leotade
to go and see his rabbits, which would easily account for
the readiness with which she must have accompanied
him from the corridor to the part of the building where
she was violated and killed. Some questions were
next put to Leotade respecting the shirt alluded to in
the act of accusation. He persisted in declaring posi-
tively that he had not changed his shirt, and there
fore that it was impossible for the soiled shirt found
in the room where the foul linen was kept to have
belonged to him. The rest of the interrogatories in
the sitting of the Sth turned chiefly upon the proceed-
ings and conversations of the prisoner after the body
had beers discovered. His visit to Mme. Conte and his
conversation with her, his conversation with a person
named Lajus, in which he alluded to Conte as likely to
have committed the crime, and other circumstances,
were brought before him. His answers were nearly the
same as those which he had given to the examining
magistrates. He denied everything which could
appear to establish a ground of suspicion of his
own guilt. On the 9th, the first witness called was
Raspand, the grave digger of the burial-ground, who
discovered the body of Cecile Combettes lying against
the wall. This witness, and some other persons who
came to his assistance after the di,covery was made,
deposed as to the condition of the body. Some hilarity
was produced in court, note ithstanding the solemnity
of the affair, by one of the witnesses, named Leveque,
having claimed the priority of the discovery. He
declared that he, and not Raspand, was the first to see
pants
,„ • - -
hould assume the plenty. M. Lamarle, the
commissary of police, who went to the spot as soon as
he was apprised of the discovery of the body, gave a
minute account of the circumstances connected with the
first proceedings. The hilarity produced by the wit-
ness Leveque was much increased by M. Lainarle. The
President having desired him to give an account to the
court of what ho had remarked, and what he had not
remarked, he replied that it would be a difficult thing
to tell the court what he had not remarked. The
counsel for the defence put several questions to M. La-
merle, with a view to obtain from him an admission that
the body of Cecile Combettes might have been brought
to the place where it was found, from the outside of the
burial-ground, and not not from the establishment of
the Freres. The evidence of M. Lamed°, however,
clearly tended to show that the body had been
thrown over the wall by some person of the es-
tablishment. M. Aumont, another commissary of
police, stated that he bad been ordered by the Juge d'ln-
etruction to investigate the circumstances connected with
the murder. lie had begun by inquiring diligently as to
whether Cecile Combettes had been seen in Toulouse
after the hour. when she went to the establishment of
the Freres with her master to deliver books. Nobody
had seen her. lie had alse examined the ladders and the
walls of the establishment.. One of them filled the marks
which had been found on the earth at the spot where the
murderer was supposed to place it to enable him to
reach the top of the wall. He had searched for the
breeches and the drawers worn by Leotade at the time
when the catastrophe occurred. He found the former,
but could obtain CO trace of the latter. M. Lafont, an
architect, laid before the court a ground plan of the
premises, and M. Lezard produced a plan in relief. The
next witness examined was M. Estevenet, a physician
and surgeon.
He gave a description of the dead
body from which it appeared that the head had been
fractured in several places, as if with a stone, or wooden
shoe, or some other blunt instrument. In the hair were
fragments of stone, earth, &c., which appeared to have
been detached from the wall, and upon the wall itself
above the body there were marks indicating that some-
thing had passed over it, and torn a portion away. It
was quite evident to the witness that the body had not
been brought from the Rue Riquet which adjoins the
burial ground, for there were obstacles in the way which
must have been deranged if such had been the case, but
which had not been touched. Near the wall in the in-
terior of the establishment of the Freres there were
marks, which. inoicated that somebody had been passing;
there were plants which had been trodden upon, and one
had been quite torn up. In the hair of the deceased was
a fragment of a geranium, and near the wall, over which
the body must have been thrown, there wore geraniums
growing. There was also on the body portions of an-
other plant, which was growing in the garden of the
establishment, and,
.over which probably the body had
been dragged. 11.11 witness deposed to the traces of
violation alluded to in the act of accusation, and to the
fact of the faecal discharge. He stated that the contents
of the stomach had been examined in order to arrive at
a knowledge of the time when the murder was committed.
His opinion, and that of the persons who assisted him in
the examination was, from the state of the undigested
aliments, that life had ceased about three hours after
the victim had last eaten. It will be remembered
that Cecil Combcttes arrived at the establishment of the
Freres at about nine in the morning, and that she break-
fasted a short time before she left her master's house.
1)r. Estevenet then gave an account of a visit which he
paid to the garden of the establishment of the Freres on
the 16th of April, after the murder. He had with him
one of the Freres on ome side, and Leotade on the other.
On seeing foot-marks, Leotade said that it was probably
nous autres fares who had made the marks on going
near the wall with the gardener.
Leotade, on being asked what ho had to say to this
part of the deposition, denied that he had been in the
,
garden on the 16th—on the 7th he might have been
there.
Dr. Estevenet said he would not speak positively as
to the day.
Leotade said he bad no recollection of having made the
remark mentioned by the witness,. but it might be true.
Dr. Estevenet was then .asked if Leotado had made
any remark to him about his shirt, as he pretended to
have done?
The witness replied that he bad no recollection of his
having done so.
The President asked Leotade if he persisted in saying
to the doctor that he had not changed his shirt?
Ile replied, yes;
nay breeches were torn, and M. Ego-
vent said to me, " You are very poor,
on which I re-
plied, I have not even changed my ehirt.
M. Gaussail, another medi?alman, gave evidence as
to the violation and murder similar to that of M. Este-
venet. The previous virginity
.of the deceased was
proved by the statement of this as well as the other
medical examiner.
M. Ressaire, another physician and surgeon, who ex-
amined the body of Cecile Combettes, corroborated the
evidence of Messrs. Estevenet and Gaussail, as to the
state of the body and the cause of death.
This closed the proceedings of the third day.
At the sitting of the 10th, medical evidence was
adduced to show t'f at the excremental matter found ou
tho body of deveand, was of a Datum gliplilltr to that

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
THURSDAY, IEII. 17.
COMMERCIAL DISTRESS.

Resolved, That looking to the state of distress which has
for some time prevailed among the commercial classes, and
to the general feeling of distrust and alarm by which the
embarrassments of trade have boon aggravated, it is the
opinion of this llouse that her Majesty's Ministers were
justified, during the recess of Parliament, in recommending
to the Bank of England, for the purpose of restoring confi-
dence, a course of proceeding at variance with the restric-
tions imposed by the Act 7 and 8 Vic. c. 32.
Motion made, and Question put, " That this House will
resolve itself into a Committee upon the said Act." The
House divided:—
MINORITY—AYES, 122.
Anderson, Arthur Dundas, Georgo Miles, W.
Anstey, Thomas C. Edwards„llenry Moody, 0. A.
Arbuthnott, Hugh Ellice, E., jun. Morgan, 0.
Bagshaw, John Farrer, James Morris, David
Bailey, Joseph Floyer, John Mowatt, Francis
Bailey, Joseph, jun. Forbes, W. Munta, G. F. _.:
naldock, E. H. Fordyce, A. D. Mure, Colonel
Baukes, G. Glyn, George Carr Neeld, Joseph
Baring, Thomas Granby, Marquis of O'Brien, W. S.
Barrington, Viscount Greenall, Gilbert O'Fialierty, Anthony
Bell, Matthew Greene. John Osborne, Ralph
Bennet, P. Gregson, Samuel Ossuiston, Lori
Bentinck, Lord G. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Paeke, CW.
Blewitt, R. J. Greurel , Charles W. Pattison, James
Bouverte, E. P. Gwyn, Howil Perfect. Robert
Bresuridge, Richard Hall, Colonel Plumptre, J. P.
Broadiey, H. Hamilton, G. A. Renton, John C.
roadvrood, It.
Brown, Tr. Hamilton, J. 11. Before, Francis
.0...., A 1..... C.-r, ,;.,,,,,,,, (30,,,,,,
Brlee, C. L. C. Hustle, Archibald Scholefleld, William
Buck, L. W. Henley, J. W. Scott, Francis
Buller, Sir J. V. Hurries, John C. Seely., Charles
Burghley, Lord Ilildyart, R. C. Sibthorp, Colonel
Burrell, Sir C. Hildyard, T. B. T. Smith, M. Tucker
Caulfield, Colonel Hodgson, W. N. Smith, John B.
Cayley, Edward S. Hood, ..',it A. Spooner, Richard
Cholrneley, Sir M. Hope, Sir J. Stuart, J. _
Christopher, R. Hope, Henry T. Sullivan, Michael
Codrington, Sir W. Hotham, Lord Thompson, Ald.
Cole, 11. A. Hudson, George Tolleinache, John
Coles, Henry B. Hume, Joseph Trelawny, J..S.
Compton, hi. C. Ilumphery, Ald. Troilope, Sir J.
Conolly, Col. Ingestre, Viscount Urquhart, David
Corbally, M. E. Law, C. E. Wawn, J T.
Cowan, Charles Lockhart, W. Weathead, J. P.
Crawford, W. S. Long, Welter Williams, John
Davies, 1). A. S. AVG regor, John Williamson, Sir H.
Deering, John P. Manners, Lord G. Willoughby, Sir U.
Disraeli, B. Masterman, J.
Dodd, G. Maunsell, T. B. TELLERS.
Duff, George S. Meux, Sir Henry Beresford, William
Duncan, George Milos, P. W. S. Nordegate, C. N.

MAJORITY—NOES, 163.
Abdy, Thomas IT. Graham. Sir James Parker, John
Adair, Hugh E. Greene Thomas Pearson, Charles
Adair, R. Shaflo Grey, Sir G. Peel, Sir Robert
Anson, Colonel Grosvenor, Lord R. Pigott, Francis
Amon, Viscount Hall, Sir B. Pilkington,Jamell
Armstrong, Sir A. Hamilton, Lord C. Power, Dr.
Barkly, Henry Ilay, Lord Joha Raphael, Alexander
Baring, F. T. Mayes, Sir E. Ricardo, Osman
Bellew, R. M. Hayter, W. G. Rich, Henry
Berkeley, H. Ileadlam, T. E. Hominy, John
Birch, Sir 'Thomas Heathcote, Sir W. Rutherford, A.
Slake, M.. 1. Ileneage, G. H. W. Sadleir, John
Bowles, Admiral 'leery, Alexander Seymer, Henry Ker
Bowring, Dr. Heywood, James Seymour, Lord
Boyle, Robert E. Ilindley, C. Shell, R. L.
Brameton, T. W. Hodges, T. L. Shelburne, Earl of
Brockman, E. D. Holland, Robert Sheridan, R. B.
Brotherton, Joseph Howard, C W.G. Simeon, John
13unbury, Edward Howard,!E. G. Slaney, Robert A.
Busfeild, W. Hutt, William Smith, J. A.
Campbell, W. F. Jackson, William Somerville, Sir W.
,:ardwell, Edward Jerrie, Sir John Sp'earman, H. J.
Carter, John B. Jervis, John Stanley, E. J.
Cavendish, G. H. Keogh, William &tensileld, W. R. C.
Charteris, Francis Keppel, George T. Strutt, Edward
Chichester, Lord J. Kershaw, James Stuart, Lord D.
Childers, J. W. King, PeterkJohn Stuart, Henry
Christy, Samuel Labouchere, Henry Talbot, J. H.
Clay, James Lasceiles, W. S. Talfourd, Sergeant
Clay, Sir W. - Lemon, Sir Charles Tattered, 11. W.
Clements, Cherie,' Lewis, Sir T. Tenison, E. K.
Clerk Sir G. Lewis, George C. Thicknesse, R. A.
Clifford, Henry M. Lindsay, Colonel Thompson, Colonel
Cobden, R. Locke, Joseph Thornely, T.
Cochrane, A. Lockhart, A. E. Towneley, John
Colebrooke, Sir T. 31`.1Caghten, Sir E. Townshend. Juhn
Corry, Henry Mahon, O'Gorman Trail!, George
Cowper, W. F. Marsh, 11, J. G. Turner,
.George
Craig, W. G. Marshall, William Vane, Lord 11.
Currie, Ralkes Martin, C. W. Verney Sir H.
Davie, Sir 11. Martin, Samuel Walmsley. Sir J.
Deedes, W. Matheson, Colonel Ward, 11. G.
Devereux, John T. Maule, Fox Watkins, Colonel
Drummond, H. Mitchell, T. A. West, F. R.
Duucuft, John Monsen, William' Willcox, Brodie
Dundas, Admiral Moore, George If. Wilsoo, Matthew
Dunne, Francis I'. Morpeth, Viscount Weod, Sir Charles
Ebrington, Viscount Mostyn, E. M. L. Wood, W. P.
Ellice, Edward :Nugent, sir Percy Wrightson, W. B.
Elliot, Johu E. O'Brien, Timothy Wyld, James
Fitzwilliam, G. W O'Connell, M. J. Wyvill, Marmaduke
Foley, John 11. Ord, W.
Fox, Richird H. Paget, Lord A. TELLERS.
Gardner, J. D. Paget, Lord Clarence Tulbell, Henry
Gibson, T. M. Pakington, Sir J. Hill, Lord H.
Gower, Leveson Palmerston, Vis. . __

`o'r- '2NIA M I ,0.1F4071!
TlKR9Alexandria that information had beet, received this
seven missionaries (among whom was Mgr. Cazelani, a
bishop), who passed that city three or four months ago,
had been massacred on the frontiers of Abyssinia.
FIRE AT NEWINGTON BUTTS.—Last night, between
eleven and twelve o'clock, a fire, attended with consider-
able damage, broke out upon the premises in the occu-
pancy of Mr. Kearney, a general dealer, carrying on
business at No. 1, Peacock-street, Newington Butts.
Mr. Kearney and his family were at the time on a visit
to a friend in the neighbourhood. The occupier, for-
tunately, was insured in the County Fire office for 500/.
All the particulars connected with the pugilistic
contest between Lane and Walker will appear in Bell's
Life in London of Saturday and Sunday. Price of
Bell's Life sixpence. Bell's Life is regularly published
in time for all the Saturday afternoon railways. The
average sale of Bell's Life is twenty-seven thousand.
[ADvewristmeNT.] Debilitated Constitutions,
Disordered Liver, Bile, and Indigestion, cured by Hol-
loway's Pills.—The good effects produced by this salutary
medicine are really extraordinary, and speak volumes in
favour of its excellence in the cure of impaired Digestion,
Bile, diseases of the Liver and Chest. The benefits de-
rived from the use of Holloway's Pills in these coin-
plaints are permanent, as the whole system is completely
renovated, by inducing a healthy action of the liver,
strengthening the organs of digestion, and promoting a
free respiration. Persons suffering from any of these
disorders should immediately have recourse to this esta-
blished remedy, to ensure a safe, certain, and speedy cure.
—Sold by all vendors of medicine, and at Professor Ilol-
loway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London.
SALE OF A VALUABLE COLLECTION OF ETCIIINGS
BY REMBRANDT, &C.—Yesterday Messrs. Christie and
Manson, the auctioneers of King-street, St. James's,
proceeded with the sale of a valuable collection of etch-
ings by Rembrandt, in fine and first states. The follow-
ing, out of the 100 lots, into which the sale was divided,
were worthy of notice :—Portrait of " John Lutma,"
first state, sold for 33 guineas. Portrait of " Old Hem-
ming" sold for 14 guineas. " The Burgomaster," six
very fine, sold for 9 guineas. " The Little Coppenol,"
India paper, with Rembrandt's autograph, sold for 51.
17s. 6d. A portrait of " John Llama,' second state,
sold for 6/. " Rembrandt Drawing," first state, sold for
6 guineas. " Landscape with Cottage and Barn," sold
for $l. In addition to the etchings there were some fine
engravings in the first state sold, of which the following
deserve attention t—" Tho Last Supper," after L. da
Vinci, by Raphael Morghen, a fine proof, sold for 581. ;
" The Descent from the Cross," by Toschi, sold for 20
guineas ; " Madonna della Scodelli," by the same en-
graver, a beautiful proof, sold for 15 guineas ; " The
Marriage of the Virgin," after Rafaello by Lorghi, sold
for 16/. ; "La Belle Jardiniere," by Desnoycrs, first
state, sold for 17/. 10s.
There is an old saying that our continental neigh-
bours invented the ruffle, but that we added the shirt to
it. The corset, or stay, has undergone many changes
i❑ France, but to render them healthy, when laced to
their utmost, has long engaged the attention of the in-
genious amongst our countrymen. This, it would ap-
pear,has been effected by the recent patent.of the Messrs.
Thomas Brothers, of Cheapside, who, by the aid of an
elastic material, of which they are likewise the patentees,
have contrived that the pressure of the stay should only
be upon such portions of the waist allowed by surgeons to
permit of contraction, whilst the chest, &c., is given full
play, and the articulation of the hips freedom and ex-
panse. The stay is much sought after by the French,
by reason of their love of small waists, and who formerly
had nearly the whole of the English market to them-
selves. In compliment, however, to the French Court,
it is called the Corset du la Cour Francois.
The new Novel by the admired Author of " Emilia
Wyndham" has just made it appearance. It is called
" ANGELA." We know of no modern writer who has
taken
.a more powerful hold over the feelings of the
reader than this author—whose sex may well be dis-
puted!—and we think it will be allowed that this influ-
ence has been carried out to the fullest extent in the new
production of " Angela."
THE MURDER IN BIIIMINGIIAM.—The Coronet's
inquest upon the body of Mary Ann Wallace, who was
murdered in Birmingham on Monday night, commenced
on Wednesday night, and stands adjourned to this day.
A great number of witnesses have been examined, but
the inquiry, so far as it has gone, only corroborates the
facts already published in this paper—that the deceased
was in a state of extreme intoxication at the time the
murder was committed, there is no doubt ; but the affair
is involved in such mystery, there being apparently no
inducement for the committal of such a crime in this
case. The two excavators have been taken into custody,
but one has since been discharged, and there seems to be
no evidence against the other to fix him as having bad
any concern in the murder. A short time prior to the
perpetration of the deed the deceased was seen with a
man in a bear skin dress (probably a " navvy," or other
such person,) but he has not beea heard of.
Yesterday there arrived in the London Docks,
from Ceylon, in the ship Morning Star (Captain Hay-
ward), a pair of fine elephants, male and female, con
signed to W. Batty, Esq., of Aatley'a loyal Amphi-
theatre.