The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1872-12-28 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

FRENCH MURDERS.  It is reported from Nantes that a commercial traveller of Spanish origin, named Jose Asia, living in furnished lodgings on the Quai du Port-Maillard of that town, has been murdered. The crime was committed on the sloping ground which runs along the trenches of the Chateau, as traces of blood were found on the spot, but the body was found in the ditch below. There were four wounds on the head, one of them apparently inflicted by a hammer or mallet, as the frontal bone was shattered, and the others by some cutting instrument. The pockets of the deceased had .been turned inside out, and nothing was found on his person but a knife, a pipe, and a scaPularv. Asia was the custodian of the funds of the Spanish refugees, and is supposed to have had a considerable sum of money on his person at the time of the murder, According to report, the son of the victim, who generally lived with him, had disappeared for the last three days. The journals of Algiers contain accounts of an extraordinary tragedy at CherChell, which has resulted in the death of Commandant Conti, of the 4th Zonaves. A sub-officer of the "gendarmery, named Noel, had been reduced to the ranks as a punishment, and being oxcitede by drink, was heard to utter menaces against his comrades. He commenced a quarrel with a corporal of the corps, , and taking advantage of a moment when the other was stooping, kicked him violently in the face. The injured man went to procure assistance, and during his absence Noel armed himself with a musket and bayonet, and then set fire to the stables and to the, forage-store with the intention of burning the barracks. He resisted all attempts to arrest him, ,wounding Captain Claud of the militia in the face and giving Lieut. Noceto a bayonet thrust; at this moment Commandant Conti entered the barrack yard and advanced courageously to secure the criminal when Noel, rush.ing forward, ran him completely through the body; the weapon entering one side above the hip and coming out at the other. The • officer died 48 hours later. The murderer was eventually secured and the fire got under.  A telegram from, Hong Kong brings the news that Viscount P. aim, Third Secretary of the French Legation at Japan. has been accidentally drowned at Ami. A CHEAP FUEL —The lowa papers recommend people to use their corn for fuel. The Council Bluffs Nonpareil says:—" We are glad ' to see that many ot our citizens are taking advantage of the low price of corn to lay in heavy supplies of it for fuel. We have experimented with it during last week, and find that it is an admirable substitute for both wood and coal, and that at present -prices there is both economy and comfort ix its use. A ton of corn, 33 bushels, at 17 cents per bushel, is 5 dole. 600. We consider this equal to a cord of hard wood, as supplied and measured in our market at 7 dole. ; the cutting of• this cord, 1 dol. 50c. ; total, 8 dols. 50c.• ; thus making a saving of nearly 3 dole a cord. For kitchen fuel it is superor to wood, except hickory, and cheaper than that: It makes a very hot fire with a great deal of blaze. We judge that three totik of, corn are equal to the heat of one ton of hard coal, while in economy 'of its use it is equal to one and a half tons of coal. In small families and small houses there is always' a great waste of lard coal, while there is none in the use of corn.