The Sun. — 1866-12-14 (London, England)

JULIUS REUTER.  MISS SIDDONS, great-granddaughter of the celebrated Mrs. Siddons, made her debut in the Theatre Royal,' Dublin, last evening, in the character of 40salio in "As You Lilo It."  On the 10th instant the above trial was resumed, and several witnesses, mostly relatives or connections of the prisoner, testified to a good understanding between him and both his wives. At length a witness came forward whose appearance excited the greatest interest. He was an aged man, of a robust aspect, and of regular, one might say, handsome features. This was Peter Bontemp9, a man of 67 years of age, a landed proprietor at Mousses, father of the second wife of the accused. He delivered his evidence slowly and seriously in the midst of profound silence. He had always thought and yet believed that his daughter had died of disease of the chest, the result of a chill, although she had neither coughed nor expectorated. He thought it not possible that his son-in-law could have poisoned the child, since he had seen it often, and its father had never given it anything. He had paid a thousand visits to his son-in-law's house, and had never seen any sign of a division between him and his wife. He detailed conversations with M. de Meriuville, who had endeavoured to persuade him of his son-in-law's guilt, but to whom he had replied that he was like St. Thomas, who doubted, and like Pilate, who washed his hands. M. de Meriuville, who was present, was called upon and explained that he hAd spoken to the old man for his own good, as every one was indignant with him for being on good terms with Reau, who they believed to be a murderer. M. Lachaud asked M. de Merinville why he tried to persuade this good man that his daughter and grandson had been poisoned when he would not believe it ?  M. de Merinville replied that he spoke after Reau had been two months in prison—that his object was simply to undeceive Bontemps, but he desisted when he found him.fixed in his own opinion. Bontemps resumed his evidence, and said thatthe child bad been weakly, and that its father had often come to see it, especially when it was ill. Jeanne Raboin, 72 years of age, wife of Peter Bontemps, said she was the mother of Reau's first wife. Her daughter had often told her she was happy in being united to so good a man as Martin Reau. She had herself given up her property to her children. Had not thought it necessary to send for a doctor when the child Abel was ill. On the conclusion of the evidence for the defence M. Lachaud called upon the court to examine the expert who had made a second analysis for the prisoner. After some discussion the court agreed to hear him upon the facts of the case. M. Schullzemberger, chemist and doctor of medicine, and Professor of Strasburg, attached to the chemical section of the College de France, declared that he had not the same confidence as the other experts in the re-agents which they had employed. They had not conducted their operations in accordance with the progress of science. He contested the certainty of the treatment of salts of mercury by iodine, the mode pursued by one of the experts. _.lodine might import confusion into such analysis. He called attention to the fact that the persons supposed to have been poisoned had during their illness developed no symptoms of mercurial poisoning. Thus, so far as he could see, there was no rapid poisoning. On the other hand, he must admit that as large quantities of mercurial salt, as was supposed by the experts, might have bean administered to the child even in small doses. No doubt a metallic salt had been found in the two bodies. How it got there was another question. Perhaps the water had brought it from neighbouring drains. M. Hardouin, the Procureur-Imperial, after an adjournment of an hour, spoke for the prosecution. On the 11th, M. Lachaud replied for the prisoner. and after the charge from the President, the jury, on due consideration, found Martin Reau guilty, but with extenuating circumstances.'  He was condemned to the ,"fravaux Forces" for life.