The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

PERPLEXITIES IN ROME.

The report is prevalent in Rome that Victor
Emmanuel may be expected in that city on the 18th
November, immediately after the great military
reviews in Lombardy and Piedmont. Signor Sella,
the Minister of Finance, is thought to be very
anxious to vanquish the King's repugnance to take
possession of Rome in person. The Italian Govern-

ment is suspected of wishing to render the Vatican
too hot to hold the Pope, and so forcing him
indirectly to leave the city. Sella, especi-
ally, is of opinion that nothing can be done
till Pius IX. has left Rome, as the diplo-
matic body remaining accredited to the Ponti-
fical Court is an insuperable obstacle to the scheme
(which Sella favours) of reducing the. Pope to the
level of a mere Italian bishop, subject to the Crown
of Italy. This is the design of the Left of the
Florence Chamber, but of course the Catholic party
is strongly opposed to it, and the French and Ger-
man Catholics altogether repudiate it. The Pope
has refused the 50,000 scudi of the civil list offered
him by the Italian authorities, and has notified the
Roman Bank that the month's allowance clue in
November will not be drawn. •
A CONVICT'S IDEA OF EQUITY.

In the Connecticut State Prison, a few weeks
since, a prisoner named Wilson fell upon a warder
in that institution and murdered him. When put
upon his trial the homicide declared, in very cool
language, that he and his companions had for a long
time been treated with intolerable cruelty and
violence, and that he had only killed the warder "in
tho interests of humanity." The accused altogether
conducted his own case, and although he was ulti-
mately sentenced to death, a marked effect was pro-
duced upon the jury by his ability in speech. One of
the man's expressions to the Court was the follow-
ing : "It is one of the clearest deductions of common
sense," said he, " that when a law ceases to protect
a man, it ceases also to be binding as a rule of his
conduct. It has been proved to you that there is no
law to protect a prisoner in the Connecticut State
Prison from cruelty. They have actually been
starved to death ; they are made to work
eleven lours a-day, and are allowed nine cents
(40.) a-day for their subsistence. . . .

a man in crossing the yard does but turn his eyes to
look at the flowers, or raise his eyes to behold God's
glorious sun, you pronounce him guilty of a crime 2
and for that you sear his back with a bloody ltish,
and throw him into a filthy dungeon. Spain, that
barbarous old mother of the terrible Inquisition, has
abolished the lash ; but Connecticut, with all her
Christian sympathies, cherishes it. The warden
and directors forced me to take life in my own
defence ; it was an appeal to the highest law known
to man."

THE FRANCO-IRISH AMBULANCE CORPS.
ALLEGED BREACH OF THE FOREIGN
ENLISTMENT ACT.
At Bow-street Police-court, Joseph Patrick Macdonald
was brought up on remand, under the 6th Section of the
Foreign Enlistment Act, charged with having violated
certain of its provisions. Mr. Poland prosecuted, on
behalf of the Government. Evidence had beenlprevionsly
given by a sailor named Page, who stated that he went to
Bolt-court, in Fleet-street, and saw the prisoner
and a man named Colter. He was told by
the prisoner that he would be wanted to go out with
the Franco-Irish Ambulance Corps, and that his duty
would be to carry the wounded off the field. On the fol-
lowing Thursday he sailed with seventy others in the ship
John Bull, from St. Catherine's Docks. Colter and
O'Hagan went with them as far as Havre, when they were
informed there was no Ambulance Corps, and that they
would have to fight for the French. Witness objected
to this, and returned to England with the help of the
British Consul.
On the continuation of the case yesterday, before Sir
Thomas Henry, evidence was adduged to identify
O'Hagan, Macdonald, and Colter as being engaged in the
alleged conspiracy. Joseph Simpson proved that Mac-
donald came to him and took the shop in Bolt's Court for
the purpose of receiving subscriptions in aid of the sick
and wounded. From information he received when he sent
to clean the offices he had the doors bolted against malcon-
tents, who threatened him with legal proceedings for so
doing. A witness named Flannery proved being engaged
by the prisoner and being taken to St. Catherine's Docks.
On the following days the 6th of October, he went on
board at nine o'clock with ninety others. Macdonald and
Sheagh and the two Colters embarked at the same time,
but the two Colters only went on to Havre. Before
leaving Macdonald called the men he had embarked in
two batches, and addressed them.. He told them he would
have to get out at Gravesend, but that the elder Colter
would lead them on to glory. Some of them asked what
he meant by leading them on to glory. He said it was a
glorious and humane mission, and he shuffled about
it. He said he would see they were used
all right when they arrived there. After this
they sailed to Havre, and got there about
nine o'clock. Both the Colters and another man
went ashore first. They came back again, and all went
ashore together. When they landed Colter paid for some
brandy, and ordered them to be there on the following
morning, when a boat would be ready to take them to a
place called Caen. A man named Costello was also there,
and he expressed his opinion that there wasno such a thing
as an ambulance, and that they would all have to
shoulder their ' rifle. Witness then spoke to the
younger Colter, who said it was no such thing. They
went to Caen, reaching there on the following morning.
When they landed, young Colter marched them towards
the barracks, and when within a hundred yards, a man
who came over with them in the boat, said, " Halt,
there's no such a thing as ambulance. We are all
going forsoldiers. " They were then taken to the barracks,.
and a row ensued, when Colter called on the guard and
ordered one man to be arrested. They all stood up, and
he was not arrested. This was inside the canteen.
O'Hagan, who in France was called Colonel Dyer, said
those who chose to go with him could, and asked
those who wished to go home to stand out, and they
should have their fare paid. About fifty did. The others
seemed willing to join the foreign legion. Those who
elected to go home were to go to Tours. O'Hagan then
went away, and they were put under the hands of
Costello. They remained there from Sunday to Friday.
O'Hagan then came back and said a boat was waiting
to take them to Havre. They went back by boat to
Havre, were about the streets some hours, and were sent
home, by whom he did not know.
By Mr. Merriman : When they arrived at Caen no
musket or sword was put into their hands. There was an
order which stated that they must become soldiers, and
through a spokesman, they declined. Between London
and Gravesend Macdonald said " It's a glorious work you
are upon.. It's a work of love and mercy."
Re-examined : Never got the eight shillings I paid at
Bolt's Court, back again.
William Costello, analytical chemist of Hatton Garden,
said in October he saw a paragraph in the Observer or the
Globe. He went in consequence to Bolt-court. On going
into the office he saw a bill for strong able-bodied men to
join an ambulance corps. The elder Colter was acting
as clerk. Witness asked what equipment and pay would
be given. He referred witness to the secretary who
was not in ; witness left a letter for the secretary.
This letter offered witness's services and stated
his qualifications. When prisoner read the letter
he wrote to know if witness had a diploma. Witness
said he had not, but he thought he was competent to
undertake the duties alluded to. Prisoner then stated
that if witness wished to go he could only send
him out under the same conditions as other men.
No doubt, however, on witness's arrival at Havre
the head surgeon there would appoint him to his proper
position, and as far as his pay and equipment was con-
cerned he would be fully satisfied. Witness then paid
the eight shillings demanded, and agreed to go. On
arriving at Havre witness went to Colter the elder, who
said he was in the same position as himself, that he would
put him in the way of inquiry. They went to the prefec-
ture, and were directed to the Central Commissary's office,
where they were informed the ambulance was at Fres-
cut's Hotel on the beach. A gentleman told them he was
one of the English Ambulance Corps, but could get no in-
formation as to the Irish Ambulance Corps. Witness and
Cotter then returned to the men, and Colter ordered some
brandy for them. During this a carriage drove up with
Mr. O'Hagan, who shook hands with witness, and read
his letter of application, and he appointed to see him at his
hotel in the evening. O'Hagan gave some money to Colter to
distribute four francs to each man. He said the ambulance
would be organised not at Havre but at Caen, and that
they should proceed there next morning by steamboat.
On the following morning they embarked, and O'Hagan
was there, and smilingly said " Well lads or
boys, what a pleasure to fight for France."
On arriving on the quay they remained while O'Hagan
communicated with the authorities as to accommodation.
The elder Colter was introduced to Captain Thierry, a
French officer at Caen, as Captain Potter.
At this stage of the proceedings the case was further
adjourned. Application for bail was refused.

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