The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-18 00:00:00

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A PARISIAN lllLTRDElt_;:".2.3.,,Ovit,...sie
(From La Pairie.) •)4 74 . r Vs-' cAA raw
The Court of Assizes was occupied on Tuesday and
Wednesday with the trial of the man, named Lafour-
cade, for the murder of an aged maiden lady named
Lebel, and the attempted murder of another, named
Ribault, on the 31st of December last, in the
Rue Bourbon-le-Chateau, No. 1. The case excited
extraordinary interest, and the court was crowded
to excess. Madlle. Ribault had for some time sup-
plied designs of fashions to the Journal dee. Demoiselles
and the Petit Courrier des Dames, for which she re-
ceived 200 francs a month. M. Thierry, the manager,
was accustomed to send her her money by Lafourcade.
In the course of 1850 a month's salary was not paid,
but M. Thierry had receipts for every month.
The fact was, as it subsequently appeared, that
Lafourcade had embezzled the money and had forged
a receipt. Mademoiselle Ribault having demanded the
money, M. Thierry told her that it was paid, and to
convince her, directed Lafourcade to present the receipt
to her. Lafourcade having delayed to bring back
the receipt, M. Thierry demanded it. He had not
presented it to Mademoiselle Rib .nit from the fear
that she would denounce it as a forgery; but, on
the 31st December, he went to her house and
thowud it to her. She saw at once that it was a
forgery; but, feeling a sort of vague terror, she hesitated
to bay so. Lafourcade then said that the receipts of the
two previous months had been mislaid, and asked her to
give him others. She was about to write when she was
struck Several times on the back of the head with some in-
strument. She fell almost senseless to the ground. She
was then kicked and struck, and stabbed in several places.
Immediately after she heard a struggle between the man
end:another person. She fainted, and remained senseless
for some time. On partially recovering, she found that a
napkin was thrust into her mouth, and that the room was
in a state of profound darkness. She removed the napkin,
and called for Madlle. Lebel, who lived with her, but re-
ceived no answer. At her feet she felt the body of some
one, and after a while ascertained it was Madlle. Lebel,
and that she was quite dead. She attempted to rise, but
was unable. She rattled an arm chair with all the
force she had, but no one heard. In this way all the
evening and several hours of '
the night passed away.
Every hour she became fainter, and, not doubting
that she was about to die, she dipped her finger in
the blood which had flowed from her wounds, and
wrote cn a chimney board," The assassin is the clerk of
M. Th—." The next morning alarm being felt at the
non-appearance of the two ladies, and at no answer
being given to the knocks at the door, some persons en-
tered the apartment. All was in darknesss, and the
concierge, who marched at the head of the party, asked
if there were any one. " A murderer!" answered Madlle.
Ribault faintly. The shutters having been opened,
it was discovered that Madlle. Lebel was quite
dead. She had received several terrible blows over
her head, and had her jaw broken; but death had
been caused by the assassin having thrust the cap
of Madlle. Ribault down her throat, and having pressed
her tightly by the throat until she was dead. Medical
assistance was immediately afforded to Madlle. Ribault,
and she recovered. She at once stated that the mur-
derer was Lafourcade, and he was arrested. When
shown the body of Madlle. Lobel he declared that
he was not the murderer, and, being led into the
room of Iladlle. Ribault, whom ho bad evidently
expected to find dead also, he started on hearing her
exclaim, " that is the man, that is the man who struck
me!" Shortly after being arrested he attempted to
commit suicide. He repeatedly protested his innocence,
but in addition to the testimony of Madlle. Ribault,
several persons had seen him enter the house just be-
fore the murder was committed, and leave it just after;
blood, also, was found on his clothes and boots, and
in this blood were some of the grey hairs of his victims.
After several witnesses had deposed to different circum-
stances, all inculpating the accused, Madile. Ribault gave
a remarkably clear account of the two crimes, though,
in doing so, she displayed great emotion. After, she
said, speaking to the prisoner about her money, and
having mentioned to him that, in a previous payment,
he had given her five francs too little, she began, as
already stated, to write him a receipt to replace one that
had been mislaid. At the same mcment she was
struck on the back of the head, and fell to the
ground. " I heard the noise of blows and of
a struggle before I became quite senseless," she
said, " and I remained insensible a long time. When I
recovered a little I found a napkin stained with blood
thrust into my mouth. I thought myself labouring
under a frightful nightmare. I endeavoured to rise,
but was unable to do so. I, however, managed to raise
my head, and 1 saw at my feet the body of Madlle.
Lobel; she did not complain; and I saw she was dead.
(Here the witness became much affected.) I rat-
tled the arm-chair for help, but no one came. I attempted
ten times to rise, but had not strength to do so. I
thought I was about to die, and regretted that I could not
denounce my murderer to justice. I also thought of writ-
ing in blood on the chimney-board. A candle was then
burning. I did not know the man's name. I at first
intended to write, "It is the collecting-clerk of M.
Thierry," but that phrase seemed to me too long, and so
I wrote, "It is the clerk of M. Thee." I then lost my
consciousness. I afterwards slightly recovered, and re-
membered that I had not completed the name, but it
was then dark, and I could not find the place. Besides,
I feared that I might compromise M. Thierry
in writing his name in another place." The
President then asked the witness if the prisoner were not
the man who struck her. " Oh! it is he, I swear it!" she
answered. " Without hesitation!" " Without hesitation.
because it is the truth ?' On hearing this, the prisoner
remained cold and impassible, but gazed on the witnest.
The President asked him if he had anything to say?
He answered, " I was not in her house on the 31st De-
cember, the day in question." " Bat she affirms that you
were." "She affirms that because it pleases her." The
President, with some indignation, severely rebuked the
prisoner for speaking in such a way. Mademoiselle Ri-
bault stated that she had lived forty-two years in the
slime house. After the pleadings and summing up, the
jury retired to deliberate, and in about two heurs re-
turned with a verdict of guilty. The accused did not
understend the technical terms in which the verdict was
given, and asked a gendarme what they meant, but the
dicer did not reply. The court condemned him to death.
He heard the sentence without emotion, and with a slight
bow to the court, walked firmly away.

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;T:n.

MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S
SISTER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Under my present signature I addressed a letter
to you some time ago, for the purpose of showing, by
reterence to my own case, the injustice and absurdity of
the existing marriage law, as regards the prohibition of
the above union. My letter you deemed deserving of
publication. In it I mentioned that, though I had not
the shadow of a doubt of the ultimate alteration of the
law, I was not sanguine as to any immediate enactment
on the subject. Since then my fears have been realised_oue
s
by the rejection of the Bill introduced into the
of Lords, and the consequent postponementof a R
mea-
sure imperatively demanded by every consideration of
justice and expediency. •
this
addressed
from the following motive.
utmost,Whenl
by economising
I venture to trouble you with th's communication
you I stated that I was doing my
me wiksolemnized where
to have my marriage
deceasedsurmount the difficulty of
my
yth litinheitesdismtereanosi
such unions are legal,
mtoyeuable
so as to
n said, I am b
our own marriage law. As I t eer I stru . yno means
sure that I shall be able,
h "wevlshould I
gg e, to accom-
plish such a case not hesitate to
plish this; and in
contract a union
with the object of my affections in this
country. As some guide, however, to my exertions and
II my Ito know
• tentions. I wish accurately where such
marriages aro legal. At present I have but misty
notions acs a
. ,
the subject, and lam sure that the kind h p i-
lanthropie spirit Ns c
hi h has prompted you to take the
course you have done as regards the Marriage Bill, will
induce you to supply me with the information I seek.
I understand that such marriages are pet fectly legal in
the Isle of Man. Will you satisfy me on this point, and
also as to what other countries they may be solem-
nized in?
Hoping that you will excuse the selfish character of
this communication, I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
April 8. FIAT JUSTITIA.
[Our correspondent will see, from the advertisements
put forward by the "Marriage Law Reform Association,''
that marriages with the sister of a deceased wife are
legal in Prussia, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Nor-
way, and indeed in all Protestant countries of EarelP:os
England being almost the only exception. The
yeara7 also
lawful, on obtaining dispensations,
in Roman gratui-
countries. Full information may be obtained
to the
tously on every point on personal application_sq.,
at the
Honorary Secretary, Joseph Stansbury, Esq.,
offices of,; the association, 26, Parjjent•street.
1 ED. Sun.]
—......

"Dil4"wrt.is—rMathrer BstarOetbleSdit,
MONEY-TAKING EXTRA
given a concert in one of
having, with Mad. Anna Bishop, green
the towns of the interior of
rill
came to hhn t
when the gallery money-etaktf_
8 d that those talcr'ipay over the_
takings of the evening,
tllovi soap, lots f • ngB emsis!ed
of numerous pieces of vly 0 cigars two live
il other articles f '
o small money,
fighting-cocks, and su Pdr. Bochsa
current in the interior. . . proceeded to pay the
salary. which amounted to four pieces of soap
money-taker's
rs The game
and a packet of cigars.. .. cocks proved the most
able portion of this curious currency and were
readily conver
d put dow t ' '
at once spitted an 11 o the fire.— Cock's ifuszcal
Miscellany.
BOSTON E LECTIOIL—Mr. Alderman Wire addressed
electors
on
the Tuesday evening. He declared himself in
favour of free trade, extension of the suffrage, the ballot,
retrenchment, and civil and religious liberty all over the
world. He recommended the agriculturists to improve their
implements, cultivate their land better, and to demand en
equalization of taxation. He said Lord Stanley, Mr. Disraeli,
and every one else who could put two and two together,
knew that the country could not return to protection. '-u_l_.e
town is placarded with bills calling on the electors to reserve
into n
their votes, as a Protectionist is immediately coining '
or Tuesday.
field. The election will take place on Monday
Mr. Wire is the only candidate at present 0/resicsday even-
ing) in the field.
'
Yesterday morning the Lord 131 shop of London
James, held a confirmation at the parish church of St.
Pic-
cadilly. There was a full attendance of the clergy of the
district, and a large congregation.
D SLAB Co'
SLATE
Algbefore Master Sir William
On Wednesday there was a meetingf
the
list of ,
Horne, for the further settlement e
al Ernest, was repreiented by
. The official manager,sses of eleven alleged contribu-
Mr. Hetherington.
The cnd, with the exceptions of Mr.
tories were investigated,
a settled for 30 shares, and Mr. J. T.
was
George Tollitt, who
included without opposition for 40
Rathbone, who
was
shares, stand over for the production of additional evidence.
There are altogether 84 names on the contributory lists as
fficial manager, of which the Master has
brought in by th be deanitively iacluded, and a low to
dered 17 to
already or
be expung•cl•