The Sun. — 1862-11-18 (London, England)

CRIME IN FRANCE.  The young actor of the Theatre of Mont-Parnasse, named Dumont, aged 19, who was arrested in the beginning of July last for attempting to murder M. Demangeot, of the same theatre, Ives two:days back brought up for trial before the Court of Assiaes of the Seine. As all the circumstances of the crime were stated at the time, it will suffice to say that the prisoner had been for some time received by M. and Mme. Demangeot as an intimate friend ; but he had returned their kindness by conceiving an infatuated passion for Mme. Demangeot, whom he persecuted with his attentions. At last he found means to conceal himself in the bedroom occupied by M. and Mme. Demangeot, who slept in separate beds, and when he fancied they were asleep he approached M. Demangeot's bed, poniard in hand, with intent to murder him. The other, however, hearing a person in the room, jumped out of bed, and was immediately attacked by the prisoner, who inflicted several wounds with his poniard. Meanwhile Mme. Demangeot ran out of the chamber, thinking her husband was in a fit, and called for assistance. Several persons soon came with lights, and then the husband and wife, to their amazement, recognised the prisoner, whom they had always treated with almost parental regard. Before the examining magistrate the prisoner acknowledged that his intention had been first to murder the husband and then do violence to the wife, but he afterwards pretended that when he concealed himself in the room he had no intention of murder, but had taken the poniard with him in order to commit suicide. When before the Court, several witnesses having deposed that they considered the prisoner little better than a madman, the Avocat-General proposed that the trial should be postponed in order to ascertain the prisoner's mental condition. The counsel for the defence, Mr. Jones, the only Englishman practising at the French bar, objected to that course, on the ground that the Public Prosecutor had been long aware that the plea of insanity would be put forward. The Court, however, after deliberating, postponed further proceedings until next session, and ordered that the prisoner's state of mind should meanwhile be determined by competent persons. The police have just succeeded in arresting a lad named Francois N-, aged 16, who has been for some time past very successful in obtaining money under fake pretences. It appears that the prisoner was in the habit of reading the advertisements inserted in the "'elites Affiches by persons desirous of finding situations, and, after noting their ad. dresses, he visited the advertisers, pretending to be employed by the directors of the above-named journal, and genet ally extorted sums ranging from 20fr. to 80f. in return for false letters of recommendation. The prisoner always made his calls in a hackney-carriage, and after driving about for; hours, often managed to defraud the driver of his fare by stopping at some house with two entrances. Numerous complaints having been made to the directors of the journal by the hackney-coachmen and servants whom the prisoner had defrauded, be was denounced to the police, in concert with whom three trap-advertise. ments were inserted. and the prisoner was arrested on leaving a house where he had received a heavy fee for recommending a young person at dame de eomptoir in a coffeehouse. He at once confessed that he was the party who had committed all the frauds complained of, and was accordingly committed for trial.  A German named Veil was yesterday brought before the Tribunal of Correctional Police, charged with robbing a fellow-countryman, an emigrant on his way to America. Veil had met the other on the Boulevard Sebastopol, conversing with a gentleman, but making himself understood with difficulty. The accused offered to serve him as interpreter and show:him about Paris. Ha then advised the stranger to change a silver watch which he had, but the other objected, and on Vell telling him that he would not meet with such an opportunity in America, he consented. Veil then took him to the shop of a watchmaker named Gaudiu, in the Rue Bourbon-Villeneuve, where he gave his own watch and 20f. in exchange for a metal one. Veil afterwards returned to the watchmaker and received Bf. as his share of the profit in the transaction. Something similar occurred at a shop in the Rue du Petit Carreau, bearing the sign of the " Drapeau Liberateur," where a rug was purchased for Bf., of which 4f. 250. were after wards returned to Veil, and at a ready-made clothes shop, where Veil persuaded his countrymen to buy goods to the amount of 60fr., of which the dealer, on Veil's return, French, the collusion between Veil and the shopkeepers was handed over to him 33fr. As the emigrant did not understand made while making the purchases. The three dealers, who attended as witnesses, were severely censured by the President, who told them that they ought in reality to appear at the bar with the accused, for lending themselves to such a disgraceful transaction. Veil was condemned to a year's imprisonment and 50fr. fine.