The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-21 00:00:00

COURT OF ASSIZES AT ROUEN

DELIBERATE MURDER.—The Court of Assizes at Rouen
was, a few days since, occupied with a trial of a man named
Pierre Gustave Terry, on a charge of murder. The circum-
stances attendant on this cold-blooded crime excited the
attention of the public to a high degree, and the court was
consequently very crowded. The prisoner was throughout
the trial perfectly unmoved, and replied with calmness and
sang-froid to the questions addressed to him by the presi-
dent. During the whole proceeding be did not exhibit the
slightest feeling of sorrow for what he had done. From his
own confession, it appears that, on the night of the 2th of
December last, he conceived the idea of murdering some one,
when his attention was fixed on the widow Toussaint, a vene-
rable old woman, 76 years of age, and who was generally
known by the appellation of the " Orphans Mother,' in
consequence of being in the habit of frequently adopting
orphan children, and bringing them up at her own expense.
At the time of her falling a victim to the murderous attack of
the prisoner, she was residing with a man of the name of Doli-
tais, who had been left an orphan and had been brought up by
her from an infant. He chose the time when he knew this in-
dividual was absent on his usual avocations, when he felt
sure of finding his intended victim alone in the house. " I
went to the house," said the prisoner, " about ten minutes
past seven in the morning, but the widow was still in bed ;
I knocked at the kitchen door, she asked who was there, to
which 1 answered It is Pierre. lam come to borrow your
pitchfork to clean out the stable of your neighbour Romain
Brument.' She got up, came into the kitchen, and gave me
the fork, and then stooped down and began ricking up some
bits of stick that were strewed about near the chimney.
While she was in this position, I laid hold of a cleaver that
was lying on a table and struck her a heavy blow with the
flat of it. She fell from the blow, when I repeated it three or
four times, and in about five minutes she was dead. I then
broke open the cupboard in the kitchen, threw out the linen
and articles of wearing apparel which it contained, and find•
ing a small bag containing money I put it into my pocket.
I afterwards found it to contain about 30 francs in silver. I
then opened other parts of the house and took all the money
I could lay my hands on, but do not recollect the amount. I
chatted with the old woman about five minutes before I
struck her, and stopped in the house about ten minutes after
she died, in examining the cupboards, drawers, &c. During
the whole of the previous evening, I bad been haunted with
the idea that I must murder some one, and at first thought
of venting my violence on a man of my acquaintance, with
his wife and (laughter, but something happened to prevent
this taking place. I then thought on the widow Toussaint,
and could not resist the impulse which hurried me to commit
the'deed." This confession he made on being first taken up
for the crime, and repeated the same on his trial with the
most perfect nonchalance. After a deliberate examination,
the court pronounced a verdict of guilty, without extenua-
ting circumstances, and the president immediately passed on
him the sentence of death, an award which he heard with the
same indifference as he had shown throughout the whole of
the trial.

The SPEAKER said he certainly was of opinion that the
motion of the hon. member for Oldham was not seconded,
and therefore be did not put it from the chair. He
paused for two or three moments, and be did not see any one
rise to second the motion ; if he had, it would have been his
duty to put it from the chair. (Hear.)
Mr. WAKLEY said be rose to second the motion, but
could easily imagine, from the noi:e which prevailed in the
house at the time, that the right hon. gentleman did not hear
him. (Hear, hear.)

The SPEAKER repeated that he heard no seconder, and
that was the impression of honourable members who were
near him.

Mr. FIELDEN.—In consequence of the debate being over
on Wednesday morning, I had not an opportunity of speak-
ing;. but I have written ray intended speech in full, and sent
it to the newspapers. (Loud laughter.) Hon. members
might langh, but he thought a great deal of the time of that
house would be spared if members would write what they had
to say before speaking. (Laughter.) He had sent bis speech
to the papers, is order that hon. members and the country
might know his sentiments on the subject. (Laughter.)

THE SUGAR'DUTIES

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose amidst the
most profound silence. The right hon. gentleman said,—l
rise, sir, to give notice that on Monday next I shall move
that the house resolve itself into a committee of ways and
means, and in that committee I shall move the usual annual
resolution for the renewal of the sugar duties. (Hear, hear,
hear, from both sides of the house, and great laughter.)

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

Lord J. RUSSELL moved that the house at its rising do
adjourn until Monday next. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear,"
and cheering from the Treasury benches.)—Agreed to.

THE CORN-LAWS

The Earl of DARLINGTON then rose and said, the noble
lord had not made any statement to the house in consequence
of his extraordinary defeat the other night. (Hear.) After
that remarkable division against him the noble lord and his
colleagues still continued in office with a temerity unparal-
leled in the history of the country. (Louticries of " Hear,
hear," and " Order.") The noble earl continued : I rose
for the purpose of asking the noble lord opposite on what
day he intended to bring forward the question of the corn-
laws. (Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL.—On Friday, the 4th of June. (Loud
cries of Hear, hear.)
The house, which had been crowded to excess up to this
time, was in a few minutes nearly deserted. A general ex-
pectation prevailed that there would have been a ministerial
statement as to the future intentions of the Cabinet, but not
a word more than is above reported occurred.

ROYAL MARINES,

Lord G. LENNOX moved that the house resolve itself into
a committee of the whole house, to take into consideration
so much of the report of the naval and military commission
commission as relates to the recommendations respecting to
the Royal Marines. The noble lord was addressing the
house when our reporter left.

We have a small show of Wheat at market this day, with an in-
active demand for all descriptions. Prime Oats sold dull, at pre-
vious rates, and middling and inferior samples met a decline of
from 3d to 6d per brl. The transactions in Oatmeal are very limited,
being confined to those in immediate want. Bakers' Flour is with-
out alteration in value, and inferiors and thirds of good quality
met a free sale at the reduction of this day se'nnight.