Star.
London, England, 1828-10-10 00:00:00

CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL AT ZURICH.

hl man of thenauserf James Mag was tried for rob-
bery, at the assizes at this place, , He bad repeatedly
been tried and sentenced betnre, Cuf-;had alWitys
found means of escaping from prison. In 1820 he had
been condemned to hard labour' and •impsisonment ; in
1822 to the r Moly, to breabranded, attain twelve years'
imprisonment in irons; in 1828 to sevetal months'ioli-
tary confinement in a dungeon, and to 14 yek's im-
prisonment in ittons;' in 1824 to the pillory, to be again
brandid,"and to 16 years imprisonment in irons.- He
bad, linweiert found means tot escape a few months
Otter sentence from each of these. Condemnations; by
breaking out of `prison. The fast titne'(on, the '7•111-of
Aug. 1821), aftei having broken out of prison, be
immediateli*eominitted a robbery at a goldsmith's, of
money, jewels, Ste. to the Value of 8,000 florins; and
after 'having committed seven ether robberies; he again
fell into the hinds of justice on-the 4th of Aptil, 1628,
and was committed to the ftmourcaaleof Helfenberg,
froth Which he had also escaped, when he was stopped
by a sentinel. The trial excited the greatest curiosity
throughout'Swilzerland, as it was expected that the
Magistrates of Zurich'wduld at last overcome their re-
pugnance to sentence this hardened criminal to 'the
punishment of death, as he had so I hien escaped from •
thetvengeanceof the law, and had commined sohnany
atrocioui crimes. • • '
The punishment of death yet existed at Zurich, but
in consequence of its being applied so rarely, it was
considered to have fallen into a state of desuetude, and
to have been thus in fact abolished. The Court at last,
by t majority of two-thirds, pronounced the sentence of
death 'upon him. Nag was executed after the manner of
his country: They did not make him place hit head on a .
billet, but he was seated with his knees against a block
of wood. As soon as the Chapliin had concluded his ei
hortatinni to hits, the executioner, who stood at some cht.--4
tansFbehind, advanced, drew his sabre from its'sheatb,
and, with 'a back stroke-separated the head from the
body. A Zurich jourtnali, L'Obserixtleur Suisse, in an-
stiey to the objections of the opprinenti of capital ptinish-
Meni, says, "What could have been done' with Mag ?_
041PCisims are so miserably weak, that escape is yen-
deredextremely easy. Thire Was tin other' choke thati
eiilier of chaining Mag dawn in a dungeon, the effects.
or *fiich:iiould have produced death from '.scurvy
in lesi than asyear, or he must • have tren citntinal as
heretofore,
.and he certainly_ would again'esCape. On
',eft .ground, therefore,-li.was better to behead hint::

. • '

;.TRIBUNAL OF VILLEFILANCHE(REIO.S4.;

BREACH OE PROUISBOJI.MARRIAGE.
A trection was brought by awhostler against a rich
widow for breach of promise of marriage at this place-,
which.excited great mirth kir-the neighbourhood. The
faits of the case are best- learnt by *inserting the speeCh
of.ll.'lltiers; the advocate for the widow, in mitigation
of damages.- He stated. 'baton the 29th of April last]
areiclesof marriage were ag reed upon between-the widow
Toeteras and Simonet.- - The widow was. possessed of
aboul3o,ooo francs. • W itly re speet to her suitor be was a
very-poor man—a simple hostler ; lie was merely the.
*water of a currycomb; and he flattered himself-that.;
the marriage once .made, be should be • no longer.
under the •necessity of continuing: a servant. • A.
very reasonablescruple, however, arose in the widow's
mind; which 'nearly pot a stop to laic cottaship. The
widow was upwards of sixty, and her ilia-tatted husband.
only 44. -.Simonet had acq-utteilthe name of the advo•
wate among the-Se/writ gills of theleighbouring public
boniest and-wao.never -in want of good reason.rand the'
fallowing see those which .he.giive4U-answer -to the'
ohjeetionv of the •vidoew respecting .their-ages:.-9 Yea
ese-65 yearsvkl ; well, I will take. tea. of ..those yearsv
yok•will then-be only 55, and 1 ,hall be 54,.. Thus.the
difference is almost insensible. •Whour What is able to
contradict this statement? Your 'figure and., appear-
ance Neither will depose •againsCthiclittle act 'of
trickery.. Yam -certificate of birth ? No-person-has any
eight to -question you on .the subject, and we will never
•stiention - Are you decided?" 'No more was necessar.y;
such delicate attenti on an the part•at-die i tendedh usband,
andtheeffot is which he made, operated mettle widow.. It
ii.knows that women are easily-led by these sorts.of arts-
•ficer—that they regard them, and justly, as very.inno.
ienti-since they.h' a for object,- nut to deceive, but to
prtive•that the &est never grows old !.. . 1.7
-The two lovers took :a• journey to Lyons;, to-make
preparations for the neptials. Simonet pretended that
he bad gold, bet did not wish:to change, and, requested
the-widow to lend bins- somemoney, which she readily
dui: Every thing already seemed in comteon. A-gold
Chain; anew gown; a handkerchief, antintwo pair;ol
comes stockings; were purchased against the. wedding
day.; but it did not cost•the iotendedhosband-anything.
On their return to Villettaucbe,-Simonet mace another
journey, and thaviidow4 secoud.time opened iter.purse
cannot therefore say that he went to any
estpense•for his intended. w ife..After 24-years passed in a
state olobstinate widowhhod,-the idesrof *gala having
the tenth of Hymen• lit for her was extremely svieet.—.
She had heard many. aspitera• sighing at bee teeti.tor
(Ser.' widow was yet genteel; and, moreover," the bean.-
tifel eyes casket"—bot no-one had toucheddier
heir*. After ao long a proof was.it necessary to be Senw
piked, being, alit mete, vensibleof it ? And, -whom ?'
Simonet is a handsome man, and ii 'yet. young and vi.
gatiesp bit beloved her not-he was deceiving ber—
, gal n'a past
ede son see,
De sae yea Bulbar.
Ifer intended hnshand itsasestedfier with a mall casket
before lie .*sat ou hiedest jositoenoviiich. occasioned a
sudden cha9ge in hetleiews. On bidding her adieu
Modetpretrfteel•Werith *battle contaioine, apparently,
siitriee -reesitiltnended her to use it
cturkll bie!itti2W,lf 'she find herself at all Unwell.
She, se. ffait,„aks net ratite -well ;',sbe•had recourse to
the bottle. which was then opened..-when, who would.
belleivitPittettiad of a strengthening pectoral, the widow
law' id her glasi'Merely an insipid decoction ! We may
well-conceit* thartbis error of Simonet should twelve as
a text to many of-hie gossips for an ample commentary.
lir'vsf el &diode prodead I certificate of. the physician,
dictating thatlfie enjoyed a brilliant health; in vain he
sethetoned the it ktowlo petit:lto her plighted vows--
nirthing'Etlild egMi.enirm ilium that the unlucky de.
eoctiOn had cooled. He then brought hii* action, and.
(reminded S'B44.franov &Mates fora, breach of pitt-
misteiVinartilige, and for the reisnbursentent of. the
apettiksithiehte had been at." •• - ' •
'ire tresit4t s4irOeite thee,mifinaineel that. fin
damages were tine to §insonet,„ ahp boil not sytteied
any injury either in his fortune. or his reputation from
the conduct of the widow. With respect to his fortune,
that has, been pionictted; Mg the Nidow Tnngeras Iked
paid all his expenses. and yrovided him with many (Wles ,
....Mot in his feputation, for the rowers and jokes which
his blunder and hkritistt to the doctor bad given ristr•,
to were to Ile attributed to his own eatclucl; and, above
aUtthe certificate of the ,dotter sofficitMtly avenged hits ;
serf, .arnsed,folilie fame with this eertificate,..Saiiiiitet
could not faik olaidint at the feet of some less a eel fair

.-.3 •: r.~:...

"M. .

one, an indemnification 'artily of the btilli..nt health
which it was proved that he enjoyed.
M. Salmi's, on the part of Sirrotiet, supported the
demand of heavy damage.,,- on the ground that the
conduct of thew Wow had Risen rise to calumnious ins.
putations against his client; and that, considering his
sage, it was probable he would be tejettejl by all Wometi,
from his Naving been rejected by an ola woman.
, • Th? Tribunal condemned the widow to pay 600 f.
damages, With the expeives cf the su4.:.—Simimet being
called upon, made an affidavit that he had oot received
any money from the widoW.