The republic., 1851-07-16
From a.s Philadelphia BssllstiB.
ssMurter will Out"

The case of the Count Bocarme furnishes another
instance of the old proverb. Murder viii out I"
Our readers, we presume, are familiar with the
story. The count was extrayagant and squandered
his fortune. He then married wife, and squan-
dered hers. His wife, having a brother who was
not expected 10 marry, the count expected to IN
heri this fortune, and perhaps squander II also as
he bad squandered the other two. Bot suddenly
the brother -in-law resolved TO marry To prevent
this catastrophe, the count invited him to dinner,
and after the meal, having sent the servants away
threw him down, and forclbly compelled him to
swallow nicotene, a deadly poisoK. The little that
was known of this poison, the secresy of the act
and the indifferent health OF the victim, would
cure--the count considered-immunityf from detec-
tion But il was not 30. maid servant, casually
coming near the dining room, heard the exclama-
tons Of the dying man; suspicion aroused; the
stomach of the victim was examined and nicotene
detected; and we have just the count, after a
protracted trial, condemned, in consequence, 10
be executed. The principal protection on which he
relied it is evident was the general ignorance OF
nicotene His own knowledge OF II he had obtained
by chemical books and by experiment, and he re-
carried its presence in the ntestines be inca pable
of detection. But science, unknown to him, had
discovered tests. The tests were applied, and he
dies in. consequence.
1t isl remarkable fact that murders, in different
stages of society, change their character altoge-
ther. In rude and barbarous times a homicide is
generally committed openly; the blow Of an axe,
an angry arrow, stab with the poniard. effects
the crime. Even in more abandoned times, low
and brutal natures commit murder in the same
way, instances of which our courts furnish daily.
Generally however, civilization progresses, the
crime, when committed at all-at least by the edu-
Gated classes-is perpetrated by poison, some
other secret means, that at first sight would seem
to battle detection. Any person who is curious on
this subject will find, by reference to the criminal
calendars of the respective countries, that poison
ing has increased almost as much lately in Germa-
ny and France as it did in the sixteenth century
in Italy. Did not science keep pace with civiliza-
ton, society would be at the mercy Of poisoners
Rutit seen tn he m la w nj AT
with the knowledge ola poison follows the means of
its detection. The murderer who by giving his VIC
tim single drop oprussic acid thinks be has placed
his crime beyond discovery, is perhaps to
detection as the ignorant clown, but one remove
from the brute, who has struck down his victim in
the heat of passion amid hundreds of spectators.
The chemist with his tests is at hand; the guilt is
brought home; the errng man is executed. Veri-
ly, "murder will out"
The last few years, indeed, have furnished ex-
ampIcs of the truth of this proverb, and under the
most diverse circumstances. Besides this of
the Count Bocarme, there that of Prof Web
ster, more astonishing In some respects, be-
cause still higher chemical skill was vainly EN-
ployed in the tack of concealment Colts affair is
another instance in point. Here the means of se-
cresy were purely mechanical, it is true; but they
were managed with such consummate art, that
only what seemed casual accident prevented the
escape of the criminal. The murder of Connor by
the Mannings. and the adroit methods adopted,
both to conceal the act and to fly from justice, is
still another of these extraordinary We
might, indeed, continue the list to score; but the
catalogue would be painful one; and we have al
ready mentioned enough for our purpose
Call the manner in which these crimes have been
discovered direct interpostion of Providence
law Of nature, the fact stll remains that murder,
sooner or later. is nearly always found out Years
may eapse, and every trace of the deed, in the
criminals opinion, be eradicated yet, in the in
stance Of Eugene Arnm, a, seemingly accidental
circumstance may lead, at last to detection trial,
and execution. The mightiest intellect and the
most extensive attainments appear to be as futile
to conceal guilt idiocy or ignorance. II is law
of the great Ruler that, whether the criminal be
high low, "murder will OUT.