The Sun. — 1842-09-19 (London, England)

MURD—E-11 IN TRANCE. At the Assizes of the Aveyron, on the 31st ult., a man named Merle, aged 36, a grocer, in the village of Salais, and a youth of 19, named Gaubert, were tried for the murder of a widow, who also kept a grocer's shop in the same village, and against whom Meric entertained feelings of hatred, on account of her shop being more frequented than his own. The murdered woman was found by her neighbours in the morning, with her head lying in the fire-place, and much burnt, and it was at first supposed that she had Pen drinking, and had fallen into the fire, but on examinntion, it was discovered that the head been fractured by the blows of a hammer, and the body had evidently been placed in the position in which it had been found by the murderer or murderers, in the hope of causing a belief that she had accidentally been burnt to death. Suspicion was entertained of as he had been heard to threaten the life of the woman, but there was no proof against him, until disclosures were made by Gaubert. This person was sitting with the deceased by the fire-side without a light on the evening of the murder, when Merle rushed into the place, and, without seeing Gaubert, struck his victim repeatedly on the head with a hammer. On perceiving Gaubert, he threatened to murder him also, if he did not swear to preserve the secret, and at the same time offered him 200 f. out of a sum of which he robbed the house of the deceased.  Gaubert gave the promise, took the money, and went home, but Meric followed him, with the intention of murdering him, having, on reflection, thought it better to remove the only witness of his crime out of the way. Gaubert, however, had locked his door,  . , and ref-used to adinit Meric. For some time Gaubert kept the secret ; but one evening, as he was going home, a large stone was hurled at him, and as he had no doubt of its having been thrown by Meric, for the purpose of killing him, he resolved to make disclosures. As the accounts which he gave were such as to cause a suspicion that he had assisted in the murder, he also was brought to trial, but was acquitted, as there was other evidence to show that his only crime had been concealment and the taking of a bribe. Meric was found guilty, but with extenuating circumstances, notwithstanding the deliberate ferocity of his act, and was, therefore, condemned to imprisonment with hard labour for life.  Mr. Stephen Plummer, of 11, Ludgate-hill, has published a statment of the number of persons, vehicles, and horses, that passed his house on the 13th inst., from 9 o'clock in the morning till 9 in the evening of that day, being an ordinary day of business, and at a time when London is considered empty, and no business doing, by which it will appear there were 8,572 vehicles, in 12 hours, 714 per hour, 12 per minute ; 13,024 horses in 12 hours, 1,085 per hour, 18 per minute ; 105,352 persons in 12 hours, 8,779 per lu ur, 146 per minute.  The condition of the Ivor in this town, we fear, notwithstanding the bountiful supply of almost every description of human food, is not improved ; so fur at least as the means of obtaining the necessaries of life are dependent upon employment.—Leeds Menniqb Bnussms,