The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-08 00:00:00

MURDER OF A JUDGE IN A .RAILTVA Y

CARRIAGE.

The Palais de Justice was yesterday morning
thrown into consternation by the news that one of
the most eminent magistrates of Paris, M. Poinsot,
President of the Fourth Chamber of the Imperial
Court, had been found murdered in a carriage on
the Strasburg Railway. President Poinsot was
coming from Champagne, where he has an estate,
and whether he had gone to receive his rents, but
no money was found on him, and his purse and
watch had disappeared, which leads to the belief
that robbery was the motive of the crime. He had
got into a first-class carriage at Troyes, and in a
compartment which was then empty. It was on a
clerk opening the door at five o'clock in the morn-
ing at Paris, to take the tickets from the travellers,
that the body of M. Poinsot was found, lying in a
pool of blood at the bottom of the carriage. The
judicial autherities were immediately informed of
the dreadful occurrence, and the Procureur-
General, the Procureur-Imperial, and the Prefect
of Police repaired to the Strasburg terminus to
institute a preliminary inquiry. As up to the
station before arriving at Noisy-le-See there had
been several passengers in the carriage, and only
the deceased and another after that point, it is sup-
posed that the crime must have been committed at
a short distance before arriving at the last-named
station. A lady, who was in an adjoining carriage,
heard some cries when near Noisy. It is also said
that traces were discovered not far from that place
indicating that the murderer had jumped from the
carriage while the train, which only slackens its
speed to take in the letter-bags, and does not com-
pletely stop, was still in motion. M. Poinsot Nvas
about 55 years of age, and a very powerful man,
which leads to the belief that he was killed whil'e
asleep. The body was conveyed to his residence iru
the rue d'lsly. It appears from subsequent inqui-
ries that it was to a place called Chaource, at about
seven leagues from Troyes, in the department of
the Aube, that M. Poinsot went on Saturday last,
and as his duty required him to be in attendance
at the Palais de Justice yesterday morning (Thurs-
day), he left Chaource the evening before for
Troyes, to take the train from -.Mulhausert
which starts from that town at half-past ten.
Whether the assassin afterwards entered the car-
riage on paying his place at one of the stations, or
whether he was already in a second or third class
vehicle of the train, and got into M. Poinsot's com-
partment on seeing that gentleman asleep, is not
known ; but that the crime was committed between
the stations of Nogent-sur-Marne and Noisy-le-Sec,
which are at no great distance from Paris (the for-
mer 101 miles, the latter 41), is tolerably certain,
inasmuch as some persone in a third class carriage
saw, as already stated, a man jump from the train,.
fall as he did so, and though apparently hurt, get
quickly over the fence at the side of the railway,
and hurry off. The wife of a keeper of the line,
who was watching a level crossing, also saw him.
The impression of these people was that, not having
any ticket, he got out of the train before it reached
a station. A singular circumstance afterwards
came to light—namely, that, on leaving the com-
partment in which his victim was lying, he closed
the door after him. The unfortunate gentleman
had not his throat cut, as at first rumoured in:
Paris, but the Gazette des Tribunaux states that
Dr. Tardien, who examined the body, pronounced
that death had been caused instantaneously by a
blow which fractured the skull. The Droit, how-
ever, declares that the deceased was shot. it
affirms that the assassin must first have fired at
the heart of the deceased, as a ball was found
lodged in his clothes near it, after pene-
trating his great-coat, coat, waistcoat, shirt, and
flannel waistcoat, and causing a contusion on the
body. The man then fired a second time, end.
the ball penetrated above the right eye, .remaining
in the head : a third shot was fired just above the
left eye, and the ball also penetrated the head.
Next, the assassin, with a hammer or a life pre-
server, or some such instrument, dealt his victim
dreadful blows in the head, completely smashing
the foreisead and the skull; with such fury indeed
did he strike him, that all the brain was scattered
~bout, adhering to his clothes and to the scats and
sides of the carriage. That M. Poinsot was killed
by the first shot as he was asleep, the Droit consi-
ders clear, from the fact that his features were per-
fectly placid. What probably caused the man to
commit the crime was a leather bag which M.
Poinsot had suspended round his neck by a stray,
end which was well filled, but, instead of articles'
of value or securities, it only contained plans of
his house at Chaource, and of some projected im-
provements, a number of paid bills, and a book
called the Parfait ,Tardinier. In addition to the
watch and purse, the murderer carried off a rug,
in which M. Poinsot had wrapped his legs. It
would appear that, after being killed, as he wag
reclining in a corner of the vehicle with his back
to the locomotive, M. Poinsot either fell or was
dragged to the floor. Although, as has been
stated, the victim was heard to cry, strange to
say, no report of the pistols were heard. On one of
the seats of the compartment were found 18 sous
scattered about, and on the floor a common
wooden snuff-box, used only by poor people, and
a neck wrapper ; the two latter articles must have
belonged to the murderer ; but no firearm or
other instrument employed in the perpetration of
the crime was found. Of course the police are
making most active searches to discover the
criminal. The way in which the crime became
known at the Palais de J ustice was somewhat
singular. Although a case of considerable import-
ance was to come on before the court over which
M. Poinsot presided, he had not appeared at 11
o'clock, the hour fixed for the commencement of
business, and as he was remarkable for exactitude,
a messenger was sent to his house to ask if he
were ill. The man brought back the dreadful
answer that he had been murdered in a railway

carriage. It is needless to say that this new. ,s
which spread with the rapidity of wildfire through
the palace, caused profound consternation. Not
belonged
only did the court to which M. Poinsocham I
immediately adjourn, but the other b
The
the Imperial Court suspended sittings.theiF
and worth
following tribute to the high
Iliability chambers of
of the deceased appears in the
judges of the same
pen of M. Flandin, one of tlgrieue
years with M.
ontteur, from the
court :—" I have sat
Poinsot, and during
in' whow had a higher feeling
yforholo career I have never
met with a magistratewho
better understood the
of his duties, and who
to the important functions
responsibility attached
of judging others. n _
M. Poinsot united to profound
leaggaaloi knowledgety consummate experience that
d
which made him perceive at
sagacity of
mind a
the same time the difficult
y and the solution ;
ita of the advantages and the sad neces-
- .
an"A , •in spy
often arises In Paris, even in the
sity NOM
Court, of • d •
.111 ging quickly, he did not
always,oveyield to the impressions of the court. If
the
presented the slightest difficulty, or
iaiedar e iff
anya
doubts or hesitations in the minds
raised
r
of his colleagues, he had it deliberated on,
and frequently retained the examination of it
for himself. It was only by indefatigable labour,
which his sense of duty rendered pleasing to
_hill,
that he could accomplish the immensity of
task ; and he was sometimes heard to sayin when, not being able to obtain any
Bleep
Pbich he
con-
sequence of a disease of the heart under that
was labouring, he passed the nighttrienrings by he had sought relief from his sufferings
in order the
repe-
rusing all the documents of ae
affair.
a. an arm-chair,
President
better to satisfy his mind h
one, I will say he
Poinsot, notwithstanding
without intending to todiniettijou;t authority which,
°cffoelpnipea:rta:ds' it with a mind
loved and pro-
ne rstfielt angry when he had
exercisedi i meted discussion. over
all
his
convinced, hut he never
not succeeded
in making others share in his opinions.
This was a proof of real superiority.

It has been announced by the Submarine Tele-
graph Company that they have made arrangements
kith the French Government for telegrams from
Julia, China, and Australia, to be despatched from
Marseilles immediately on the arrival of the
steamers at that port,instead of first passing
through the post-office. Consequently the delays
that at present occur at Marseilles will be entirely
obviated. the telegrams must be addressed to
Director, Telegraph-station, Marseilles," and the
receiver's name and address are to be written as
the first words of the body of the message. Firms
wishing to avail themselves of this arrangement
must furnish the company with the names of their
agents in Marseilles, to whom the telegraph autho-
rities can apply for payment of the telegrams.