The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-31 00:00:00

1111 SUN, LONDON, FPIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER .31; 1869.

THE TRIAL OF TROPPMANN.

The interest felt in the trial of the Pantin murderer
appears to increase rather than diminish in Paris. The
court is thronged to a painful degree, it being almost
impossible to move about in it. A few who are fortunate
enough to obtain the reserved places have seats, but the
great majority have to stand in a motley crowd, the jour-
nalists and reporters being no more favoured than the
rest. The court on the second day was filled long before
the hour fixed for the opening, and there was little
change in the audience from the day before, notwith-
standing that considerable disappointment had been felt
at the difficulty of hearing, owing to the acoustic defects
of the building. The voices of the witnesses could be but
faintly heard, and those at a distance could scarcely hear
anything. When Troppman was brought in, 'there was
the same eager movement of curiosity as on the
preceding day. The prisoner looked much the same, but
did not confront the public gaze. He was perhaps a little
paler, Lut seemed by no means crushed. He had slept
well in the night, and had had an interview with his
counsel prior to the opening of the court. During the
long examination on the previous day Tropp-
mann became wearied, and sat down ; when
seated his head scarcely reached shove the bar, owing to
the shortness of his stature. His own interrogation by
the President was concluded on the prat day of the trial,
and the substance of his answers has been already given.
His statement showed startliLig discrepancies, which
ware pointed out to him by the President. He stoutly
maintained that the murders had been' committed by his
accomplices, and when the President recapitulated the
succession of murders, he asked how it was possible he
could wield that huge pickaxe with so much rapidity?
One of the earliest witnesses, a watchman, of Mulhouse,
deposed that he had seen Troppman. strike his
brother, and had called him a new Cain. This
eAdence threw the prisoner into a rage. "He is a liar!"
he exclaimed; "Happily he' has long been well known."
When remonstrated with by the president he declared
that he was not worth the cord to hang him. A mechanic
of Roubaix and others teatifiel to his savage and violent
character, and also to his frequent intimation of speedily
getting' rich and going to America. " When all is for-

Totten," he used to ray, "one can return."
An omnibas employe deposed that Troppman and another
oan left their luggage at the office one day in August-and
sever returned to claim it. The brother-in-law of the'
prisoner stated that Troppmnnn had once menaced
him with a knife, and a watchmaker at Cernay affizmed
that he could make prussic acid. The persons who had seen
Gustave Kinck en route to join his father were subsequently
exaenmcd, all testifying to his pleasure at his journey,and
his affection for his father. Next came the butcher whc
ht.,d discovered the body of Gustave, and the watchmaker ix.
Paris, to whom Troppmann had sold Gustave's watch for BClaf.
Another watchmaker recognised the watch of the father,
Jean Kinck, which Troppmann had come to sell
friend of the Kinck fami,:y, living at Roubaix, testified to
conversations which he had held with Madamerl)Tinck,
in which she spoke of letters received from
her husband, and of the uneasiness which
they caused her. "S: e," she said one day, "my husband
is no longer in Alsace ; he is in Paris, and he does not
w:sh it known." Madame Kinck afterwards told him
that one of the last letters directed her to leave, taking
with her all her papers, which seemed to her strange.
Kinck, according to this witness, was an excellent man,
much attached to his wife and family. His object in
going to Alsace was to purchase some land to extend his
property. Here Troppmann interrupted the witness, to
reiterate his statement that Kinck went into Alsace for
the purpose of coining. The witness, whose name was
Dassonville, also said that Madame Kinck took with her
400 f., partly in her purse, and partly tied in the corner of
her handkerchief. M. Dassonville identified the photographs
of the murdered bodies, and was much moved by the ghastly
sight, from which the jurors themselves shrunk.
Madame Rousselle,sister of Madame Kinck,was examined.
She is younger than her sister, but resembles her greatly.
Her sister, she said, had no cause to complain of her hus-
band, only the journey into Alsace caused some discussion.
Madame Rousselle confirmed the statement about the
motive of the journey. A neighbour at Roubaix said
that Madame Kinck spoke to her of the trouble she had
in obtaining the 5,500 f. belonging to her husband.

According to this witness Madame Kinck had with her at
starting 2,500 f Another sister of the murdered woman
said that she was very unhappy at the thought that
her husband was lying ill at Paris. "If anything happens
to my husband," she said, weeping, "what will become of
me ?" It would seem that she anticipated evil. The man
from whem Troppmann bought the spade and pickaxe
identified the prisoner as the man to whom he sold them
on the 19th of September, the day preceding the night of
the murder. Troppmann was alone when he bought them,
but when this fact was noticed by the judge, the prisoner
said that his accomplices were waiting for him on the road
to Pantin. The driver of the omnibus to Aubervilliers
stated that a passenger ran after his on-wiling
on the 19Lh :•.;epttn:Ler. ll° was so loaded
-,sith tools that another passenger had to assist
him. lie got down at the Four Roads. Troppmann
hereupon said that it was not he who rode on the omnibus.
It was his accomplice to whom he gave the tools. The
driver could not identify him, as it was dark, being
between eight and nine o'clock in the evening. The arrrival
of Mdu:c. Kinck at thehotel was deposedto, and the garcon
testified that Troppmann, when he came there on the
morning of the 20th, was alone. This witness at the pre-
vious examination said that Troppmann was accom-
panied by a young man on that occasion. Tropp-
mann said he was alone. Now he contradicted bins
again, and said he was not alone. The inquiry continues.
Messenger. states that being taken back to
the Conciergerie, Troppmann appeared much fatigued.-
-durence, the police-agent appointed to watch him, asked
tercv everything had passed. "Oh," said the other, "The
.I'resident greatly annoyed me. He made me speak ; but
/ annoyed him in my turn about the pocket-book."
`Are you greatly wearied?" asked Laurence. " Well,
yes, just think : eight hours of it! Listening, speaking,
standing up! Perhaps I spoke too much!" " Did you
confess?" "No." "You ought: that would produce a
great effect." " Well, I shall see." Ho then asked for
something to eat, and took half a fowl, potatoes, some
-o.)lery, and a cup of coffee. When about to go to bed, he
SU, " I should not ask for anything better than to avow
All—but-I am not alone."
The Gazette des nibunnan.r. says :—" Troppmann when
sn Wednesday night returning from the trial to his cell,
appeared as cheerful as on the previous evening. After
is dinner he pleyed 'at cards withhis keepers. Troppmann
seems to rely upon some favourable evidence .being
produced at the hearing on Thursday, and has perfect
confidence in the line of defence pursued by his counsel.
He retired to rest at half-past, nine p.m., and fell asleep
immediately."
The following three telegrams relate to the trial on
Thursday:—The proceedings in this case were resumed
at 11 o'clock, the court, being mole crowded than en
the previous days of the trial. Troppmann, on Leine
placed in the dock, appeared very pale. M
Itoussin, who made the post-mortem examinatioL
on Kinck, sen., gave evidence respecting the shirt and
trousers worn by Troppmann, which he said were
stained with blood. He further stated that there was
positive proof that Jean -Kinck, sen., was poisoned by
prussic acid. M. Grandperret, the -Procureur-GenCTal,
in reviewing the case, said -never had a more murderous
assassin than Troppmann been brought before a court
of justice. He stated that there could be no
doubt that Troppmann had no accomplices, and
that he and he alone l.ad been guilty of the
crime of which he was accused. The Procureur-GenZral,
in concluding his speech, demanded that the punishment t"
should be equal to the crime. (Great sensation.) The
sitting was suspended for some tithe, and on the reassem-
bling of the court M. Lachaud, the prisoner's counsel,
spoke in ; his defence. He said that Troppman was
under the influence of a mental disease which
rendered him irresponsible for his acts, and that be
was a ferocious animal that ought to be muzzle 3,
and not killed. (Uproar.) M. Lachaud, in the
course of his defence, mentioned the name of Troppman's
mother and some of his relations, whereupon the prisoner
hung his head and wept bitterly. This display of emotion
caused considerable surprise among the audience. It is
bAieved that the verdict will not be given Leforoseven
o'clock this evening.
Trig VERDlCT.—Troppman has been condemned to death.
On hearing his sentence he smiled and bowed to the
Ciurt.

Mr. llibbert, M.P., has been addressing the people,
of 0.:11.am on the national expenCit tire. ire snid the lessen-
ing of our expenditure 1:1,1 Leen got, i.o•'. by any cheese-
paling economy, but. I y a reduction in the army and navy
drpartm,n's, the tut places where reductions must Le
made ; sad he pred:cted a still further decrease in awful ut 0,
under Mr. Gladsfone's Administration.

The New Lisilop Gf Oxford will lc entitled, with
tho Bishops of Salisbury, Exeter, Bath and Wells. and Car.
lisle, who have been consecrated since the prorogation of P.x-
li Intent, to s,;ats in V o House of Lords at the commence-
ment of next session. In consequence of the death of the
Bishop a Manchester. Dr. 3faCkarness, Bishop of Oxford,
wig Lo the junior prelate, whose duty it will be to attend
to read prayers every day et the sitting of the House. The
now I3shop of 11,nchester, whoever leo may be, will be
t out a seat la the Honso of Lords until a vacancy arises
In some 'se other than Canterbury, York, London, Dm/
ham, and Winchester.
The death is announced this morning of Admizal
Sir Watkin Owen Pell.

MISCELLANEOUS

S. DEBATE IN TILE CORTES,

An interesting debate has been held in the Spanish
Cortes on the interior and erterior policy of the Govern-
ment. The question was raised by Senor Castelar, and th 3
debate lasted t-.% o days. Senor Castelar spoke strongly
against the election of the Duke of Genoa, and declared
that he could not have believed the Ministry would
have been so demented as to propose him
for Sovereign. They needed no foreign King for
their unity and independence. Their forefathers raised
them in spite of foreign kings. He considered that the
monarchy of Victor Emmanuel signified nothing. It was
said that he represented the throne of Italy, but between
the unity d Italy and his throne was the Pope of Rome.
It was said that he represented the independence of Italy,
but between his throne and the independence of Italy was
the Caesar of France. Yet they were willing to tako a boy
educated in his policy, and to give him as a plaything the
Crown cf Spain. Senor Castelar believed General Print.
to be sincere in his protests when he denied any intention
of resorting to force to carry out his views. He concluded
by imploring the Government to save them from that
enigmatical policy. He and his friends did not
wish to combine against them. They had had
enough of the belief that the sward was the only
lightning-rod against social tempests. Let them place
at the head of tho social edifice the lightning-rod
of England, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United
States—the lightning rod of civil rower and of legality..
The Government must abandon their illimitable assump-
tions, if they wished to take from the people their violent
character.

tnat he ever insulted Dr. Tem* by forcing him to
prove that he was born in wedlock. He was pained
by the statement.

THE LAST FIRE TRAGEDY.

The conduct of John Winnett, the landlord of the
house in Sandwich-street, London, in whichsix persons
lost their lives on Christmas Day, has not escaped the
severe censure of the jury. This person lived
in the lower part of the edifice, whilst
the poor people who were burnt to death
occupied the third floor. When the fire was dis-
covered he rushed up to the rooms occupied by the
victims, but being driven back by the smoke, quietly
began to remove his furniture, whilst the six
persons were roasting above. He knew
that they were in the burning rooms. He
knew also that Mrs. Beetlestone had recently been
confined, and was unable to move. But he simply
raised an alarm, without calling for a fire-escape,
and then calmly went on with the business
of saving furniture. When - the firemen came
up Mr. Winnett never mentioned the people
on the third floor. He merely asked for
a3sistance in the great work of getting out
some articles which were not insured. Seldom has
a witness told a more scandalous tale of selfishness
and heartlessness than this landlord told of himself.
The firemen worked for some time without knowing
that any one was in the house.