The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-05-29
REVIEW OF THE WEEK.
OLD WORLD.
Long Life of Secret Crime.

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Long Life of Secret Crime.
The court at Nancy, France. has sentenced
70 death an extraordinary criminal name,
Eugene MERCER. This man for wears bore 3
high character. He was a leading custom,
official and an esteemed family man, Mer
cier, who is q wid0wer. was convicted of
series of startling crimes. 1t was shown tina,
he murdered the able Of Circourt and the
abbe's housekeeper, robbed the presbytery
and then set fire to the place to conceal bis
crime. a fterward he voiced wealthy widow
named Jactal. Thinking his only son. a boy
of eight years, an obstacle to his suit, MERCER
determined to XIII the lad. This he did by
bending his victims head so that the spine
was broken at the nape OF the neck. When
called upon for an explanation OF the boys
death, the murderer alleged that 1t was due
to an accident. MERCER also tried to murder
| the widow JactaPs brother, who was opposed
| to bis sisters marrying Mercier. After hrlng
through window and wounding his victim,
MERCER set fire to the house. but the wound
ed man was rescuea by nelgnoors. ms
crime was traced to Mercer, and at the trial
1t was proved that the misdeeds herein re-
lated were merely part of long life OF
secret crime.
The Irish Land Bill.
The final st.oe ~ n. 1rish land hi, IN tho
Rritisb Honss Of Cnmmo.,s hos hean tho no.
casinn of n momontous change going n the
root of the whole matter. Mr.. BaIfOur nut
In new clause that the greater part OF the
purchase money be advanced on holdings I'M
DER t3J. Mr.. Parnell estimates that alter
under the provisions 81 the bin who other.
wise have been extra. Under pressure from
the Ulster members MIR. Balfour consented to
substitute ESQ as the limit, The change is of
small consequence. as the number of tenants
paying between too ana Low Is cny p su
uens. y. ahe wnUie. lne Ur.nn Tha o o,
passeu tne commune stage rr'uay' tno "
pos,tiVh presenter an ouu neuiey VI LnsnsS
I Ia, McCartnytes, moeral unlun.Sos an ,
ws.eI conservatives. lne ana,n July IT,, ~ uu
is6ed tha. iho n,oa.ure now gives small fen.
ants the lions share of The money advanced.
Dnr,nu tho debate M Haaiv and Mr. SEXTON
twitted Mr.. Parnell for unfolding the pro-
posals of man whom he had hitherto de.
nounced as the worst enemy of Ireland.
Speaking at league meeting tonight Mr..
Parnell responded. He said that In the &C
solution of the land question. Though 1t was
a conservative measure and was given
through man who had disgraced his tenure
OF ONCE, IL was good cause ana II drlVeh
from pubic life for supporting 1t, ne would
,heer1ully yleld, being cohnueht that IL was
among the greatest services that 1t mad ever
fallen to his lot to render Ireland.
Thoro ,ro fo.rs of . revolutionary unr,S;no
, Sor,i. arisInm fr",, tha exnm1s jon Of ey
u Sei VIZ M, Misis iloiA 'no oAp"'s'on - "a
queen Na'aiie'
There has been a little battle near Massi
Ie.se South Africa. between the Portuguese !
md British forces. in which the former were
efea,ed. The desnatches indicate that the :
'ortueese were the aggressors. !
The Christian missions at Nank1n have
een pillaged by the natives. All the Eu-
opean women and children have left Nan {
in. The Methodist girls school has been set G
n fire and looted. The anti-foreigner mob, G
fter doing considerable damage dispensed. :