Weekly News. — 1891-04-09 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.  The full circumstances of the suicide of Lucien Duval and his wife. Madeleine Duval, have just been revealed in Halifax, N.S., and have caused a great sensation. Several days ago the body of Mrs. Duval was found in the river, and the remains were taken to the home of her husband. The police, suspecting foul play, made a search for Duval, and he was finally discovered ie the outskirts of the city, wandering aimlessly about in the woods, quite demented. He was talen in charge, hut was unable to make ally coherent statement. Expressing a desire to attenii the fuleral of his wife, he was allowed to do so; but during the ceremony he eluded his keepers and fled, and on the same evening his body was found hanging in a stable adjoining his house. In his pocket was found a letter explaining the circumstances of the double suicide. It is now stated that Duval, ever since his marriage,bad endeavoured to ascertain his wife's antecedents. She herself knew nothing beyond the fact that her parents were dead, and that she had been adopted by a couple having no children of toeir own. Finally he made the awful discovery that his wife was his own sister, and both were so oiercome with horror that they decided to kill themselves. Mrs. Duval became insane, and rushed out of the house and was not seen again by her husband. She evidently went directly to the river and threw herself in. Duval himself- became demented, and, upon seeing his wife's body at the funeraLcould no longer control himself, and decided also to die. He was buried by the aide of his wife.  DEATH OF AN AUSTRALIAN STATESMAN A privat• cable message from Melbourne announces the death, in his 82nd year, of Sir Francis Murphy, the first of the four Irish Speakers who have presided over the Parliament of Victoria. A native of Mr. Parnell's constituency, he studied medicine in Trinity College, Dublin, and then crossed the Channel and became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, London. Emigrating to Sydney in 1836, the then Governor of New South Wales—a compatriot of his own, Sir Richard Bourke-appointed him medical officer in charge of the sJuthern district of the colony. There he seized his opportunities, became a successful sheep fanner, resigned his appointment, and bade good-bye to medicine for ever. In 1847 he foresaw the coming greatness of Victoria, transferred himself there, d,weloped into a wealthy squatter, was returned to Ls first Parliament, and sat in the Speaker's chair fn. 15 successive years—the longest term on record in colonial annals. He was one of the leading tanners of the present Victorian constitution, and he has passed away just when it and all the other colonial Constitutions are being put into the Federal crucible. His knighthood dates back to 1860. The surviving ex-Speakers of the Victorian Parlisreent are Sir Charles Gavan Duffy and Sir Charles McMahon. The Hon Peter Later, the last of the quartette, died a couple of years ago after having twice refused knighthood. He lost an arm in leading the rebel diggers at Ballarat against the Queen's troops in 1354.  The Council of the Highland Association ot Illinois has adopted a resolution to be forwarded to Sir John Macdonald, the Canadian Premier, urging that assistance be given for the relief of the Lewis crofters by granting them hoi esteads in tlm Saskatchewan Valley, and assisting said encouraging them to emigrate.  The Atigtweine Zeinow of Munich, which is the South German organ of Prince Bisinarck, makes tAie announcement, for which it evidently has good authority, that this is the first time since 1863, when he came into office, that the ex-Chancellor has received no birthday congratulation from his Sovereign. "It is the duty of the journalist," says this newspaper, "to chronicle this fact, as it will be incumbent on history to indoe it " Are you acquainted with MIS f " mired A., as he displayed an unpaid bill to its maker. "No, replied 8., "I never met it."  Before the magistrate.—"lsidore Ferbhuit, this is the thirteenth time you have been arrested for theft." "Ah, your worship, it is so humiliating to beg.,"  Lawyer: "If you and your husband can't agree, why don't you agree to disagree ? " Fair client: -Never. If I'd agree to disagree, he'd think I was giving way."  AN