Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-07

ioOhS 01AaAhC4 He, SuQ Wl0n A1nG0d at the promise exacted sGf me by Arthur Hushton, bright blush for an instant mantled the pale marble of her cheeks and forehead, Indicating with the tears, which suddenly filled and trembled in her beautiful eyes, a higher sentiment, I thought than mere gratitude. She gave us her unreserved confidence: by which. after careful sitting, we obtained only the following by no means satisfactory re- suits: .s
 Mademoiselle de Touryille and her faith CT had escaped from the Terrorists of France by the aid of, and in company with, the Chevalier Ia Houssaye, with whom M de Tourville had previously had but very slight acquaintance. The cheva1ier soon professed violent admiration for Euge- nie; and having contrived to lay M. de TOurville under heavy pecuniary obiga- tions at play-many of them Mademoiselle de Tourville had only very lately discov- ered-prevailed upon his debtor to exert his influence with his daughter to accept La Houssaye's hand in marriage. After much resistance, Mademoiselle de Tour vile, overcame by the commands, entrea- ties, prayers of her father, consented, but only on condition that the marriage should not take place till their return to France, which it was thought need not be very long delayed, and that no more money obligations should in the meantime be in cured by her father La Houssaye vehe- mently objected to delay but finding Eugenie inexorable, sullenly acquiesced It was precisely at this time that the en- gagement with Mrs. Rushton was accept ed. On the previous afternoon Made moiselle de Tourville, on leaving Harley street after the scene with the deceased lady, went directly home, and there found both her father and the chevalier in hot contention and excitement. As soon as La Houssaye saw her, he. seized his hat, and rushed out of the apartment and house. Her father, who was greatly ex cited, had barely time to say that he had fortunately discovered the chevalier to be 8 married man, whose wife, a woman of property, was still living ill Languedoc, when what had always been predicted would follow any unusual agitation hap pened: M. de Tourville suddenly placed his hand on his side, uttered broken ex- clamation, fell into chair, and expired. It was about two hours after this melan- choly event that Mrs. Rushton arrived. The account before given of the interview which followed was substantially confirm ed by Mademoiselle de Tourville; who added, that the cordial she had given Mrs Rushton was one her father was in the constant habit of taking when in the slightest degree excited, and that she was about to give him some when he suddenly fell dead.
 We had no doubt, none what ever, that this was the whole literal truth, as far as the knowledge of Mademoiselle de Tour vile extended but how could we impart that impression to an Old Bailey jury of those days, deprived as we should be of the aid of counsel to address the jury, when in reality speech, pointing to the lmprobabllities arising from character, and the altogether asnguilty-ike mode of ad- ministering the fatal liquid, was the on- ly possible defence? Cross-examination promised nothing /; for tle evidence would consist of the dying deposition of Mrs. Rushton, the finding of the laurel-water. and the medical testimony as to the cause of death. The only person upon whom suspicion glanced was La Houssaye, and that in 8 vague and indistinct manner. Still It was necessary to find him with out delay, and Mir. White at once sought him at his lodgings, of which Mademoi- selle de Tourville furnished the address. He had left the house suddenly with all his luggage early in the morning, and our efforts to trace him proved fruitless. In the meantime the a2ostnaortea2, examine tion of the body had taken place and a verdict of willful murder against Eueenie de Tourville been unhesitatingly returned. She was soon afterwards committed to Newgate for trial.
 The Old Bailey session was close at hand, and Arthur Rushton, though imme- diate danger was over, was still in too delicate and precarious state to be in- formed of the true position of affairs whom the final day of trial arrived, The ease had excited little public attention. It was not the fashion in those days to exagger- ate the details of crime, and, especially 6efore tri0I, give the wings of the morning to every fact or fiction that rumor with her busy tongue obscurely whispered. Twenty lines of the ''Times'' would con- tain the published record of the commit ment of Eugenie de Tourville for poison ing her mistress, Caroline Rushton; and alas spite of the crippled but earnest eff forts of the eminent counsel we had re- tained, and the eloquent innocence of her appearance and demeanor, her conviction and condemnation to death without hope of mercyi My brain swam as the meas ured tones of the recorder, commanding the almost immediate and violent destruc- tion of that beautious masterpiece of God, fell upon my ear and had not MT. White. who saw how greatly was affected, fairly dragged me out of court into the Qpen air, I should have tainted. scarcely re- member how I got home-in coach I believe; but face Rushton after that dreadful scene with 8 kindly-meant decep- tlon-lie-in my mouth, could not, had a kings crown been my reward. I retir- ed to my chamber, and on the plea of in- disposition directed that should on no account be disturbed. Night had fallen, and 1t was growing somewhat late, when I was startled out of the painful reverie in which was still absorbed by the sudden pulling up of of a furiously driven coach, followed by laundering summons at the door, simalar to that which aroused me on the evening Of Mrs. Rushton's death. seized my hat, rushed down stairs, and opened the door. It was MT. White!
 Well l-wel r sjaeulated.
 'sQuick-quick P he exclaimed in reply. f'La Houssaye is found-has sent for us-quick for 1ife-life is on our speed P I was in the vehicle in an instant. In less than ten minutes we had reached our destination-a house in Duke Street, Man chester Square.
 s'He is still alive. " replied young man in answer to MT. Whites hurried inquiry. We rapidly ascended the stairs, and in the front apartment of the first floor be- held one of the saddest, mournfulest spec tacles which the world can offer-a fine athletic man, still in the bloom of natu- ral health and vigor, and whose pale fea- &x,~ T, q
 ungovernedI passions, were strikinely handsome, intellectual, stretched by his own act upon the bed of death! It was La Houssaye Two gentleman were with him-one a surgeon, and the other evi- dently clergyman, and, as Isubsequent- ly found, magistrate, who had been sent for by the surgeon. 4 faint smile gleam- ed over the face of the dying man as we entered. and he motioned feebly to a sheet of paper, which, closely written up- on, was lying upon table placed near