The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-09-10 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

TRIAL OF A FRENCH MATRICIDE.  Ludovic de Virvent, described as a strong, handsome young man of 28, with delicate features, has been tried at the Tarn assizes, for the murder of his mother at her chitteau at Lavour. As a youth he was idle and dissolute, and, at his fa, hers death, the best part of his share of the estate went to pay his debts. He induced his mother to make him several advances, but his conduct became at last so unendurable that she refused to give him more money, and he had to leave the chateau. He continued, however, to live on a small property close by. On the morning of the 2fith of June, last year, Madame de Virvent was found by her maid lying on the floor outside her bedroom covered with blood. Her skull had been fractured by blows from a hammer. She survived, however, till the evening. In her statemsnt to the magistrates she said that a man had come into her room holding a lighted candle, which, on seeing her, he blew out. He rushed at her, threw a towel over her face, and struck her several blows on the head. lie then dragged her by the feet out of her room. She remembered nothing else, and could not describe her murderer. On the day when the crime was committed, Ludovic de Virvent disappeared from his home, and the magistrates came to the conclusion that he was the murderer. They believed that his mother lad recognised him, but had concealed the fact. Neither money nor certain share certificates, which were known to have been in the castle before the murder, could be found. On the 28th of July, 18s4, Ludovic de Virvent was apprehended at Bona, in Algeria. He asserted that the murder had been committed by a man named Dupuy, who had found his way to the room by means of a key which he, Ludovic, had given him. He had inc-e( eii d in stealing securities to the value of 10,000 f. No man named Dupuy has been heard ef, and the inference of the authorities is that no such person ever existed. De Virvent was imprisoned at lavaur, but on the 15th of October he and another prisoner escaped, getting over the walls of the walking - ground by means of scaffolding constructed of benches and doors, which they had wrested from their fastenings. He got away to Italy, where he lived under the name of Donato. In June last, however, he returned to Toulouse in rags. He sent a letter to his sister's husband, M. Cahusac, expressing deep penitence and asking for money. He attempted three times to get admission to the hou-e of M. de Raymond Cahusac, who, dreading another crime, put him into the hands of the police. He was found by them to be armed with a cutlass and a razor. At the trial the plea of insanity was urged by Ludovic's counsel. The jury, however, found him guilty with extenuating circumstances, and he was sentenced to penal servitude for life.  The son of the Servian Mithster,Gudovich, has been sentenced in Vienna to one month's imprisonment for frauds he had committed on several pereons. This was not hi 3 first appearance before a criminal tribunal.  . ----On Saturday Messrs. Bagnall, ironmasters,Wednesbury,received information that a clerk in their employ, named William Roden, had committed suicide. A portion of the deceased's duties was to pay the ironworkers their wages, and lately he had enforced a reduction cf wages, and appropriated the surplus moneys to his own use. Upon deceased ascertaining that a warrant had been issued for big arrest he absconded, and for two days his whereabouts were unknown. He was at length found lying on the canal towing path, convulsed from the effects of poisan,and died before medical aid could be obtained.