The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-08 00:00:00

TRIAL IN CORSICA.

The Court of Assizes for Corsica was engaged,
during the 25th and 26th February, in the trial of a
Man named Moisetti, for an attempt to commit mur-
der; the circumstances of which are interesting, as
they show the rude manners, customs, an. character
of the wilder parts of the island. In the -commune of
Levie, arrondissement of Sartene, is an extensive sweep
of country almost entirely covered with primitive
forest and brushwood, no part of which has been cul-
tivated by the hand of man, and where- there are -no
roads or even paths, except the tracks .made by the
sheep and other cattle, and the herds and shepherds
who attend them. It is inhabited by a single family,
or tribe, called the Cucchi, who live in rude huts and
cabins, and whose existence would have been unknown
but for. their acts of rapine and violence in the country
around them. In the same district cvas another family
or tribe, the Susini, and which had some, alliances
with the Cuechi, but were of- a character more mild
and pacific, carrying on a traffic with their .catt:e iu
the neighbouring communes. This, by -increasing
their means, excited the cupidity of the c yechi, and
made them liable to repeated invasions from them,
not unfrequently-.attended_ by murders. This in time
called down upon the family of the•Cucchi the ven-
geance of justice, and, in the course of a few years,
24 of the principal mealbers of the family were ar
i.ested, tried, and condemned to the- severest penalties
of the law. Sonic years ago, however, . _Mathieu
Moisetti formed a close intimacy With Sorba Cucchi,
and they lived together as man and wife ; but at last
he left her, and joined the Susini. Moisetti was-with-
out family or fortune; but from his ability, courage,
insinuating manners, and humanity, was- superior to-
those among whom ie lived. A new-born child being
found deserted at the door of a church, and no one else
being willing to take charge of it, Moisetti adopted
it, and-•brought it up as his own. • By this benevo-
lence he gained the- general good-will of the Susini ;,
but- he soon abused their confidence, by seducing • a
young girl of the family named Eugenie, who became
with child by him. _ This- violation excited the ani-
mosity of the Susini, which, after a time, was appeased,
by Moisctirs promising to marry Eugenie. Still, it
appears, 11.Ioisetti kept up his intercourse. with Sorba
Cucchi. Francois Susini, an uncle of Eugenie, was
one of the greatest advocates for the marriage of his
niece, and in October last was accompanying
setti to visit her at Ogliastrello, where she lived,.
It was in the dark of the evening, aimed when
they arrived at a place called ROgROSO, three
shots were fired at them, . but ,without - effect. -
They both fled and • -escaped; Various • • conjec-
tures- were formed as to the 'actors in this at-
tempt, the Cucchi endeavouring to persuade Moisetti
that he had been.led into the snare by Francois Susini,
in order to gratify the vengeance of his brother Qui-
licus, the father of Eugenie. Under this impression,
Moisetti-raised an accusation against the Susini, and a
feud between the two families was likely to ensue. M.
Peretti, a rich and influential landowner, of the corn
mune of Levie, interfered, and, to prevent the san-
guinary consequenceS, succeeded in prevailing upon
the contending tribes to observe a very ancient custom
which had existed in Corsica from the middle ages,
and _enter into a truce, which both parties solemnly
swore to observe until the end of March, when they
were to meet. again -before their mediator that he
might, if possible, effect a,permanent reconciliation.
In the interval the Susini endeavoured to exculpate
themselves in the mind of Moisetti, who was induced
to renew his promise of marriage to Eugenie, on condi-
tion that the Sugini would protect him against the re-
lations of Sorba Cucchi, who had delared their resolu-
tion to prevent or avenge the marriage. Affairs were
in this state, when about the middle, of November,
as Moisetti was returning home from the moun-
tains, accompanied by a person named Caroletti,
and, his son, a -boy 10 years old, and carrying in
his own arms
,the child he had adopted, they had
arrived at a spot called the Carracuto, when a gun
was fired, and a ball broke the right wrist of the
child, and wounded Moisetti in the side. Every en-
deavour to discover the assassin was in vain. Aloisetti,
calling to mind the threats of Sorba Cucchi and ' her
friends, suspected that the attack came from them.
They hastened to attend him in his wounded state,
which soon cured, and, at the .same time, turned his
mistrust of them against the Susini, who grounded
their defence on the plea that they could have no
motive for seeking his life, as -they wished him to
repair- by marriage the injury done to their honour
through Eugenie. Through their representations
Moisetti laid an information against three of the Cucchi
as guilty of the attack. Warrants were issued against
them, and they fled, and concealed themselves in the
mountains. From this time' Moisetti returned into
friendly intercourse with the Susini, except Quilicus,
the uncle of Eugenie, whom Moisetti still appeared to
be inclined to make his wife, but the necessary pre-
Vious formalities were drawn out by delays which the
Susini attributed to Moisetti, until Jan. 6, when they
were complete, and nothing remained but to fix the
day of celebration. In the evening of that day Francois
Susini, a cousin of Eugenie's, to whom Moisetti im-
puted frequently the attempt made upon his life at
the Rognoso, was fired upon as he was returning
home to his own house at Monticello, and wounded in
the left thigh. Although an investigation was im-
mediately made by the Magistrate of the district,
no one was pointed out as the suspected person,
until after three days, when Francois Susini accused
Moisetti, who, on hearing of the charge, denied its truth,
and maintained that it was impossible as, at the time
of the attempt, he was a three hours' walk distant from
the spot where Francois Susini was struck, _ The
wounded man refused to give credit to this alibi, and
persisted in his charge. A month after, and not till
then, a warrant for te arrest of Moisetti was issued,
and he fled. Through friends, a communication was
kept up between him and the Susini, till the one party
engaged to fulfil his contract of marriage with Eugenie,
and her family promising to- do all in their power
to obtain his acquittal on his trial, for the attempt to
murder their relative Francois. This mutual agree-
ment being settled the banns were published, and the
bandit Moisetti, though liable to the arrest, was mar-
ried to Eugenie, in the presence of nearly all her
fathily, and the bride and bridegrooth escorted by them
to the abode taken for them. After passing a few days
with his wife, the Assizes came on, and Moisetti sur-
rendered himself to take his trial. His appearance in
Court excited general interest. He is between 25 and
30 years of age, of middle size, with a light beard
scarcely visible on his chin, contrasting strangely
with very black and long hair falling over his face
from under -his high-pointed cap, giving a power-
ful expression to his countenance, which at the same
time was agreeable. His attitude was firm and digni-
fied, meeting his Judges with respect but confidence,
and not' noticing his enemies. . The first witness
(the prosecutor) deposed that on account of dark-
ness and the concealment of the brushwood,- from
behind which he was fired at, he could not see the
assassin.. He, under the circumstances of the exist-
ence of the truce, and the contract between'Moisetti
and the family for his marriage with Eugenie, had
no suspicion of the prisoner until evil advisers
insinuated that the attempt mast -have been made by
him, in order to avoid the proposed marriage. The
celebration of the marriage had convinced him that
these suspicions were false, for _he never would have
forgiven a man who he believed had attempted his
life. The rest of the evidence was upon the facts
we have stated, and upon the alibi, which was
not distinctly made out. One circumstance also
weighed strongly against Moisetti. It was proved
that his own- gun, which he usually carried with
him, was of small calibre, but on the day of the at-
tempt he was observed with one of a larger size, as
mast from the dimension of the ball have been that
with which the prosecutor was fired at. Monet al-
though assisted by counsel, frequently examined the
witnesses; and addressed the Court with a propriety,
eloquence, and correctness of memory, which stir-.
-prised all present, and drew even from the President
an expression of admiration. The Jury, however,
after a very short deliberation, delivered a verdict of
guilty of an attempt to murder, but found that there
were extenuating circumstances. The Court sen,
:euced him to hard lab Our at the hulks for eight years.
Moisetti has appealed to the Court of Cassation.

HORRIBLE DEPRAVITY.
Wednesday an investigation, which lasted many hours,- was
gone into before Mr. W. Carter, the coroner for Surrey, at the
King's Arms, near the new church at Camberwell, respecting
the death of azabeth Madden, aged 6.9, whose suicide, it will
be seen, was the result of the unparalleled infamy of her sun and
daughter. Inspector Pike stated, that on Sunday morning,
:bout eight o'clock, he was walking on the banks of the Surrey
Canal, whoa his attention was directed to something
I.oating on the water, which he at one time supposed
to be a dog, but on closer examination ho discovered 'to be
the body of a woman. He procured assistance, and the tie.
ceased was got out of the water, but life was quite extinct,
and he directed it to be conveyed to the above house. The
identification of the body having been established, James
Madden was next ca!lei in. said he was a printer, to,iding
at No. 12, New-street, Last-lame, Walworth. The deceaset
was his mother, and on Sunday he heard her body had been
found in the Surrey Cana'. lie saw her alive at half.past one
o'clock on Sunday; she was then in Burdett-street, II alworth-
common, and he did not leave her until half-past ten o'clock
at night; she was then in apparently good health. To the
Coroner.--Before he went away she asked him if he would
stop to sleep. He would not go home, as his sister was very
drunk. The Coroner.—Had the deceased been in want of
food ? Witness—Yes. A Juror—Now, you are upon
your oath, and many of the Jury know more than yon
imagine ; state what camel the destitution, and appa-
rently the suicide, of your own mother? Witness—My
dater p'.e:lged all for liquor. The Juror—Was it your
mother's property ? Witness—No; she was a laundress,
and the linen belonged to families at the west end of the town,
for whom she worked. The Juror— How long is it do you sup-
pose she has wanted proper nourishment, or even ordinary food?
Witness—Six weeks ! The Coroner—On this night of which
you have been speaking what occurred between you and your
mother? Witness—She said she should be driven away by
some person. She was lightheaded, and all was pawned, and
thatn
such
uccahu ead hera
beastly state
Elizabeth Wigg, the. daughter,
was sent for, and when she came to be sworn was 'evidently
istate of intoxication that the Coroner
refused to take her evidence, and ordered her out
of the room. The brother-in-law of tit,' daughter was
brought forward by Mr. Clifford, the relieving-officer. lie
stated that he saw his sister-ha-law on Saturday, and alto was'