The Sun.
London, England, 1804-01-26 00:00:00

CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL OF THE SEINE.

THE following singular trial lately took
before this tribunal. A man named Dollard, who
formerly held a ton-mission in the Army of Italy,
stood acme& of attacking, with intent to.morde6
Citizen Vasselin, principal clerk of Citizen Demati.
'tort., notary, residing in the Rue Vivienne at
.Paris,..
In the year 6, Citizen Vasselin, at that time, clerk
with M. Monnet, notary, in the Rue L'Arbfesec,
became acquainted with the wife of Dollard,
sequence .of -some paper he was employed to draw
up for her. He learned Iron) her, that she was
fortunate; her Husband 'being in Italy, and negled-
ing. to -remit money for her subsistence. He gave.
her some assistance,' which led the•way 10.3 more
intimate connedion. Dollard heating. Of this, and
furious with jeafOusy, came to 'Path, and entering
.M. Demantort's office, addressed Vasselin as a. per.
son seat by Dollard, saying that the tattet,--wou:4
ed in the most ten& r point, demanded, and .expeded
full and entire satisfaction. Vasselin ansvi-erect,ll.s
he had no attire than a transient pa lion for.thit
woman, which was. soon extinguished by his learn.r.
ing that she was equally faithless 'to her husband
and her)over, living openly, with another.person..
at Florence. Dollard then discovered himself, de.
mandini satisfation, challenging Vasselin to fight,
who refused, saying that lic.t.anot choose. to fight
for at; infamous' woman.

Dollard
.retired with many violent threats. Hea
after Ward's watched the footsteps of Va selin, pro.
yoked him in every possible manner, addressed many
'outrageous letters to him, waited fir him at, his
door, insultinghim with the grossest language, post-
ed papers, filled with furious expressions, on tilt
stair-ease of his lodging, and renewed his threats
from time to tune.. Vasselin, ,wearickot“ with so
much ill.usage,"accepted- the challenge; and the
ties met. at. Komainville:;„ 1)0114rd, being aCcompa•
nicd by an officer of Chasseurs, and by Citizen Gas-
pard,Captain of Artillery, he Claimed, as the offended'
person, the choice of Weapons, which the, seconds op.
posed, .observing that the sword or the sabre were
unequal arms in this case. Pistols were fixed•(,n;
and the distance. Of fifteen paces ,measured,
the right. of the-first fire, by drawing
lots, and fired in the air. Dollard was enraged
wjth 'this generosity, which seemed to inttricrs.)
with his resolution of taking vengcaace. , He in-
sisted that they should fire together, on a signal from
the seconds ; and that on every unsuccessinl fire,
they should advance live paces, one should 1411;
", For," said he, •• one of us at least must he lett
dead on the spot." •

Qtuk signal, Pollard fired, but :Vasselin aid not
fire ; and again generously presented his full front
to his, adversary. Captain Gasp.ard,•the second of
Dollard;called out 'to Vasselin to present an oblique
front; whichhe insisted upon was the custom. Vas-
selin,,then took an oblique position, and his adv.p..„
sary's ball just grazed his hip.. Vas;elin gave his
still loaded, to one of 'the seconds, and asked
Dollard, if he yet demanded further satisfaCtion,
The latter, although mote and -mute incensed with
Vksselin's generosity, wasi coMpelled to desist,
the seconds represented, At aoy further pursuit of
his'vengeance would be a trOcic us. The seconds ed..
treated that the matter might end here,-; and solemn-
ly ad.hiced Dullard to forego his thirst of vengeance.
He, then said '?te was satisfied ; and it I,va,,,agr:.ed that
the pdrties should dine together, as a 'mutual pro, f
•of reconciliation. Dullard :cotld not forbear saying- -
t 6 Captain Gaspard, ' Why did not you let bin'.
stand With a-full, front 111 you had not interfere :4
I should have kil:ed him." During the dinner, of, ,
which Vasselin bOre the expence,'Dullard was inci.,n„
siderate enough to report Use following fail, which
, fully exhibits the malignity of his mind. - Having
some dispute with General Broussier, he . followed
him 'to Turin, way-laid him, and employed font
Men to attack him with blndgeonS. When he saw •
him stretched.on the ground almost lifeless, he said
concealed by the'obscurity of the night, " Are you •
now content ? Take this front your humble 'ser-
vant." manner in which the 'company received
this declaration, seemed for the time to aired Dol-
lard, for he left the room abruptly and violently
agitated.. •

Same time after this setae, Dollard renewed his
threats and his outrages towards Vasselin, After
having cornpelled hi'n, by the most brutal comiutli
to fight, he now intimated that he muse purchase his
future peace by a sum of money. Vasselin declared
to DUllard, that he had been willing to hazard his
life to expiate his errors, bat that he would never
make any pecuniary sac -itice. On this answer, de_
livered
.firm manner, Dollard.zave way to con..
vulsive transports of rage; he every where followed.
yasselin, repeating his outrages in •every .form, anti
declared. to his.sisteGin-law., that he was resolved
to murder him.
' He observed that Vasselin frequently went to
bathe. On the 150 of Frulidor ,(September tj,
lie met him in the Rue Vivienne, and held stick
over his head, with. many threats. On the.same
evening, Vasseliri being at a bath neat the Pont de
la Concorde, .observed, as did also his companions,
three men who, from time to time; . were looking
through the crevices of the wainscot of the bath.
Vasselin, thinking 'himself secure in the midst of
his friends, did not refted on Dollard's implacable
hatred, and still less suspected the snare that was
spread f3r him. He left the bath to swim in the
Open river ;
.and observed a man who swam at a lit_
tle distance,. who said unto him, " Will you not
swim further into the stream I"' Vasselin accepted
this species of challenge, and in the midsr•of the
current, another man seised him by a bandage which
bound hiS stair,, plunged him under water, and
fake ltito two woontis, with a atilettu., Vabolia

fainted, and was carried down by the stream to the
C.,ticorde, where his head struck against the
tk of the btidge. The blow tnr unately
brought hint to his senses, and he gained one of the
Ott:. Heie he sat, endeavouring with his hands
to s'op the blood, which poured c:,pionsly from his
wro:ds. After scme time, tearing that he might
aerish for want of assis;ance, as the night approach.
ed, he colleded.all his strength, and plunged into
the water, if possible to gain the shore. When he
was within a few paces he grew so faint he could
swim no longer. A man and a woman happened to-
be on the age of the river ; and at length got hold
of his arm and drew him on shore; but seeing the
blood flow from his wounds, they fled with terror.
Vasselin then proceeded towards the bath, where he
arrived after several falls. His, friends had been in
search of him; he fainted in the arms of one, after
having only strength to declare that he had been
attacked and wounded in the river. He was carried
to ltil. Demantort's, where two Surgeons being
called in, declared his wounds to be dangerous.—
Contrary to their expeElation, holvever,he recovered.
Such were the extraordinary fails which appealed
on the trial. The Tribunal having heard the
Counsel for the accused, adjourned the sentence to
the following day. The President, on that day,
summed up the whole evidence to the Jury, who,
after two hours' deliberation, found the accused
guilty ; and the Tribunal condemned him to ten
years imprisonment. The prisoner having heard his
sentence, said, with great audacity, '6.1 am either
guilty or innocent of this charge ; I merit either
death, or actluittal: but I know how to withdraw
myself from the horrors of imprisonment."