The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-14 00:00:00

travelled about the country for the last three years, and
although we have frequently travelled bad roads, I
never knew the panels to fall out.

Coroner—How did you find the ropes ?
Witness—Just as I left them. Secure around the cage.
Coroner—Who fed the lions on Sundays?
Witness—They are not fed on Sundays. They get some

water.
Coroner—Have you any doubt about the death of the
man being caused by the lion?
Witness—None whatever.

Coroner—Now we will go back to the accident.
Witness—After I had taken the body of Jarvey to the
hall I got some lights and went in search of the other
lions. I saw one playing with some flowers. I put them
into the den, and the one that had killed the man followed
me into the den like a dog. The lioness was in a private
box. That I secured also. •

Coroner—Have you any accusation to make against any
body ?

Witness—No. I cannot conceive how the shutters could
slip down. lam positive the panels were safely put into
the groove

Coroner--You have no doubt of that ?

Witness—None whatever. I am positive the panels
were all safely secured. rhave no kind of doubt about
it—not the slightest.
Coroner—You say you have no charge to make against
anybody?

Witness—No.
Coroner—Has anybody ever threatened either you or
Mr. Batty ?
Witness—No one, that I know off. I don't think I had
an enemy in the place. No one had any ill-will towards
•
me. Quite the contrary.
The evidence of the witness, which was given in the
clearest and most unreserved manner, was then read over,
and the only correction he made was, that he was not quite
sure whether it was himself or his assistant that opened the
shutter on the Sunday night.
_ _ _

Coroner—You think, then, the door of the cage was '
pulled open by the lions in getting the cloth into the cage?
Witness—Yes ; that is the only way in which I can
account for the accident.

A Juryman—Does not one of the lions now go loose upon
the stage during his performance, and is not that the one
that killed the matt ?

Witness—No. It was the one I saw playing with tho
flowers. It never does really go loose, for as soon as my
man leaves go of it I take it.

Henry Golding, the watchman, was next examined.
He said—MY duty is to look after the safety of the horse"
and building. We hare no fires in the theatre. I was on
duty as usual on Sunday night before the accident. Mr.
Tames told me to go and look after the sick lion. I went,
and then I did not notice anything the matter with either
the large cage or cloth ; both were in the usual position.
Reynolds the groom was with me. At about two o'clock
I was called by Reynolds to help him, as one of the horses
was kicking about. After that I went with him to look
at the sick lion. The shutters were then quite safe, but,
the lions inside seemed rather restless, but nothing fo

create any alarm in my mind. I again saw the sick lion a
little after four. All was secure then. The lions were
then very quiet.
By a Juror—No other person but myself was present at
that time.

Coroner—How many persons slept on the premises.
Witness—Two or three. The stud groom Reynolds was
one. The last time I saw the lions was about half-past six
on Monday morning. The shutters were up and all secure.
Coroner—Before you left did you admit anybody uncon-
nected with the premises ?

Witness—No.
Coroner—Then how did the countrymen who came for
the manure get in ?
Witness—l had left before they arrived. Reynolds, I
suppose, would let the men in, but I cannot say for certain
that he did. I had no fear about the lions being properly
secured. I visit them now nearly every half hour. I
don't know that anybody saw the sick lion after I left. I
have a comrade, but he was not at the theatre after twelve
o'clock on Sunday. .

Mr. Batty—There are two watchmen on duty every
evening except Sunday, and then there not being so much
fear, one man gets a rest.
Coroner—Have you, Mr. Batty, any evidence to give?
Mr. Batty—No, sir, none. I agree with Mr. Crockett in
all he has said. I know the watchman had properly done
his duty, as I have the ordinary tell-tale clock in different
parts of the establishment.
The father of the deceased was called, and said his son's
name was Edward Smith.

The Coroner then summed up the evidence, at the ter-
mination of which the room wag cleared, for the purpose of
enabling the jury to deliberate on their verdict. At the
expiration of half an hour the public were again admitted,
when

The Coroner announced that the verdict of the jury was
" accidental death." The jury, he stated, were of opinion
that the cage containing the animals was not of sufficient
strength. He need not make any observation on that part
of the verdict, as he felt the opinion of the jury would be
attended to as in the event of a second accident, if such was
not the case, the verdict would amount perhaps to one of
manslaughter. The jury, however, lip to the present time
were of opinion that the owners of the animals were exempt
from all criminal consequences. _

Dr. M'Cann, of Parliament-street, was in attendance on'
the part of Mr. Batty, to give evidence as to the cause of
death in case any doubt should arise in the minds of the
jury.

M. SCRIBE AND THE LATE MARSHAL ST

AlticAU.D.

In 1353 M. Scribe, the dramatist, sold a house and
grounds called Montalias, in the neighbourhood of Meudon,
to Marshal de St. Arnaud for 150,000 f., and in 1859 the
marshal's widow sold them to M. Collineau, an ex-agent de

change at Bordeaux, for 290,000 f. The deed of sale to that
gentleman set forth that the park, kitchen garden, and four
pieces of land which composed the domain were of about
11 hectares, but when he came to measure them he found
that they were not very much more than half. Re accord-
ingly brought an action before the Civil Tribunal against
Madame de St. Arnaud to get back part of his purchase-
money, and the singular discovery was then made that
though since 1915 the domain had been possessed by diffe-
rent persons, the Duke de Bassano, M. Testu, M. Laffitte,
M. Ch. Nodier (the author), &c., the park, kitchen garden,
and land had never been measured, and had always been
described as consisting of about 11 hectares ; it was also
discovered that this arose from the four pieces of land
having been by error described in a deed previously to 1815
as being of 8 hectares (the hectare is 21 acres, though in
reality they were only of about 8 acres—the acre is 100
square metres). The tribunal held that, as the deed of sale
executed by Madame de St. Arnaud did not guarantee that
there were 11 hectares, M. Collineau's action could not be
admitted. An appeal of this gentleman against the deci-
sion was heard on Saturday by the Imperial Court, but the
judgment was confirmed. In the course of the pleadings
the statement was made that in the park there is an old
walnut-tree, under which, according to tradition, Rabelais
wrote part of his works.
The following curious letter from M. Scribe to Marshal
St. Arnaud, showing the way in which the author drove a
bargain with the hero of the coup d'etat, was read in court,
and produced much amusement :
"Montalais, May 4, 1853.
" Monsieur le Marechal,—After your gracious visit the
Council assembled for domestic deliberation, and the per-
sonage whom you so justly style the Minister of the In-
terior,' my wife, opened the debate. She entirely agreed
with you that, its a matter of business, we must altogether
leave out of the account the fact that this merely pleasure
property cost us 100,000 crowns (300,000 f.) and that we
should forget all the money expended upon it from fancy or
caprice ; but at the same time she observes that the outlay
which has really augmented the value should be taken into
consideration; that the building hewn out of the rock whifh
now forms the stables, coach-house, granaries, and e4r.rotan
rooms, cost 30,000 f.; that seven or eight acresof the_r
garden and park, bought at 100 f. the perch—
I.‘t' too, are at
bti:ildilivg,f.anthde
acre, cost—and a folly it was-80000f , but tha_
any rate honestly worth half the money;
ftohar
amotturtaiais, and my Mini-
sterthe original property, added to 30,000 f.
to 20,000 f., whicb.
t 130,000 f. for
40,000 f. for additional lands,
is the sum we originally asked foorltfe
reducing that point at
higgling, to 160,000 f.
of the Interior argues thattition
enable, and loyal manner,
once of our own accord, without
we are treating in a frank,,r.
better than any ore else, must
Minister also says, and your
which you, M. le Axleagehoati
appreciate. My
t at less than the real value in order
real estate is always pu
and that if Montalais were put up in
notary will eolith.; her assertion, that the upset price of a
d7.1:07600f. it would fetch by auction a third
ails itapened only three days ago in the
lustmaeore,oiNo. 34,
Rue de Provence, which being put up
tract
case of was knocked down for 400,000 f., in.
t three a bti
at
the teeth of our notary, M. Wasselin, who had
offered on our account as much as 380,000 f. My wife adds,
moreover, that the universal rise in the value of every de-
scription of propery, and the unheard-of prosperity of
affairs in general,are owing to the events of Dec. 2, of which
M. le Marechal was to a great extent the glorious author,
and that he cannot complain of any augmentation of which
he is the cause. For all these reasons, M. le Marechal, the
unanimous opinion of the Council is that our proposal of
160,009 f. was really equitable, and that we must abide by it,
hoping that your amiable and charming Minister of the
Interior will deign to take into consideration all the reasons
hereinbefore urged. It will always be understood, as we
said yesterday, that half the purchase-money only is to be
paid down, and the other half according to your convenience,
even by monthly instalments if you like, so that you may
scarcely feel that you are paying anything ; it is also agreed
that our old furniture shall be valued at once, and that your
will take hereafter only such articles as may suit you, but
that you will do us the honour to make use of it for a year.
Possession may be had to-morrow or next day if you so
wish. It is with pain, I confess, that I leave Montalais,
which' have inhabited for a quarter of a century, and where
I have passed 25 of the most laborious, and at the same time
the most agreeable, years of my life. But my regret is di-
minished by the thought that, thanks to my illustrious
successor, Montalais, which I have so much loved, will be-
come an historical residence, and will never be forgotten.
" Accept, Monsieur le Marechal, the assurance of my
high and respectful consideration.
" EUGENE SCRIBE, of the French Academy."
Notwithstanding the ingenious pleading of M. Scribe's
" Minister of the Interior," the Marshal made him strike
off 10,000 f. from his ultimatum, and, as above appears,
Madame St. Arnaud was fortunate enough to sell the Pr?:
perty at the end of six years at a profit of 140,000,--nearlY
cent. per cent.