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    the top of the other , they appear like rude altars for the elements alone to sacrifice upon . But , thanks to the excellence of the moorland roads , eight or nine miles was soon cleared , and we were in good view of Princess Town and the prisons . Princess Town , which is not much larger than an ordinary village , consists principally of two streetsone on the road to Plymouth , the other branching at right angles , and leading to the prisons . The neat little church soon arrests the attention in this road ,

    the handiwork of theFjench prisoners before the close of the war ; but their bones , it appears , were not allowed to lie in peace in that quiet graveyard , for I was shown the half-buried coffins of the prisoners of war under the prison walls , and which ( until the recent suggestion of Prince Albert for a low wall ) lay open and unprotected to the wide moor . But we turn from contemplating the fate of our French and American brethren without the walls , to our equally unfortunate English brothers within .

    The prisons , built of unhewn stone , with slated roofs , are arranged something similar to the Penitentiary at Millbank ; that is , a set of buildings radiating from a centre . Originally built to receive prisoners of war , at the close of it they were allowed to fall into decay ; the internal fittings were taken out and sold for old materials , and consequently they had to be refitted by civilians . As soon as a portion was ready , a number of convicts were sent , mostly mechanics , to assist the civilians in preparing for more . In this way the works have been carried on , until now , when they have about 500 convicts in all branches of the

    building trade , most of them sentenced from 7 to 15 years transportation . The prisons , when completed , are calculated to hold 5 , 000 . The civilian workmen have been diminished in proportion to the arrival of convicts , who are found to do the work very well . Reward is the inducement to labour ; refusal to work is punished with short allowance of food and solitary confinement . Good conduct is rewarded by a sum varying from ninepence to Is . 6 d . per week , which being allowed to accumulate , is made a present to

    them on leaving . They also have the probability of an early discharge . Their food consists of 10 ounces of cooked meat per day , bread , potatoes , and cocoa , occasionally pudding and soup . They sleep in large wards , in separate hammocks , but there is now a portion of the prison being fitted up in separate cells of sheet iron , for all fresh arrivals of convicts to pass a probationary period in . As soon as a sufficient number can be accommodated they will commence cultivating the moorland around the prison , with what success remains to be seen . I saw

    a small piece which had been broken up and cleared of rock , and a deep trench cut through the centre . The soil consisted of light sandy loam upon a layer of black turf or peat , tinder this is a kind of pulverized stone , too large to be called ' sand , and in many places hard rock . The turf makes excellent fuel , and the stone is used for building purposes . Some wealthy gentlemen have been experimentalizing on the soil ; and green crops , such as cabbage ,

    turnips and carrots , have been the finest in Devonshire ; but the grain has not succeeded so well , probably owing to the bleak air and quantity of rain . Let the success of this convict labour experiment bo what it may , I think it is the effect of superior knowledge on the formation of character , which your paper is so calculated to promote and extend , and trusting that a better day is dawning for mankind , I remain , your constant Subscriber , J . ( J . Aknauj ) .

    Untitled Article

    THE BELGIUM MURDER . A trial for murder , attended with unusual circumstances of interest , is proceeding at Mons , in Ilainault . No continental trial , for a long period , has caused so much excitement . The accused are the Count and Countess of Uoearme , of a family which is stated to be one of the oldest in Belgium . The crime laid to their charge ; i . s that of having poisoned the countess's brother , ( iustave Fougnies , in order to obtain hi . s fortune . And , as far aH the evidence taken enables us , we give the following circumstantial account of the affair . Count do Uoearine resided at the chateau

    of liury ; he married in 1 K-JI 5 , lor her fortune , l . ydin Pougnies , the daughter of u retired grocer , ami got with her ; i Hum . representing a hundred n-yenr of l _ nglish money . This , alter all , wnn no great mini , and as the Count wuh somewhat , of a spendthrift , his affuii-H aHHunicd gradually a most , eml > arras » ed state . Besides , he declared in court that lie did not receive any money the lirst year . His wife ' s brother , ( Sihhtave Fougnien , hud become possessed , by his father ' s dentil , of considerable property , and , as lie was unmarried , the Count and Coiinte . sH had every pumped , of inheriting his fortune . ( Gustavo , though weak in coimtii ution , and amputated of a lug , determined , in November , lHftO , to marry .

    The state of Count de l . ocnnne ' s exchequer yviih at this lime quite ruinous , and it is evident , from the deposition of numcrouH witnesses , that , he resorted to the most dimejmlable nrlilioes to contest the paynu'iit of tho smallest debts , lit ; owed large suniH to his legal advisers , and had mortgaged most of his property . CuiHtave ' n marriage would have been a

    blow to his hopes . Suddenly the Count became addicted , in the beginning of 1850 , to the study of chemistry . He went under a false name to a manufacturer of alembics , corresponded also under a false name with a professor of chemistry , and ultimately succeeded in distilling from tobacco leaves a deadly poison known as nicotine , and for which hitherto it has been impossible to find a reactive . This poison he tried on various animals , and , according to his own statement , he obtained tremendous results , death being instantaneous after the slightest absorption of the poison . In November , 1850 , Gustave Fougnies , who had hitherto

    refused to go to Bury because he feared poison , was induced to accept an invitation to dinner at Bury , it being proposed to him to become trustee for the Count and Countess during a voyage they intended making in Germany . He came on the morning of the 20 th . of November , and after dinner on the same day died in the room where were present both the Count and the Countess . Rumour spread the report of sudden death , and the officers of justice arrived next morning to report and declare how Gustave Fougnies had died . A post mortem examination was made , and it was found that death had ensued , not from apoplexy , as at first stated , but from tie forcible administering of a poisonous and corrosive substance . There were marks of violence on the face of the dead man , and

    part of the poison had run down the side of his face , corroding the flesh and blistering it . An examination of Count Bocarme ' s hands showed the presence of a bite from human teeth , and a red tinge on one of his nails corresponded with certain marks and scratches on the face of Fougnies . The clothes of Fougnies and those of the Count which he had changed were found wet , and hanging up to dry in an attic of the chateau . This had been done by the Countess , as she states , by order of her husband . The floor had been scraped with glass , but insufficiently to prevent the marks of the corroding liquid , which seemed to have been spurted all over the room . The Count , however , denied all knowledge of the mode of Fougnies ' s death to the legal authorities sent to investigate the facts , and said only that whilst the three sat after dinner his brother-in-law cried out and

    called for him , as if in pain ; that he , Bocarme , ran to assist ; they both fell , and . a crutch breaking had wounded his hand . At this time the doctors had not found out the poison which acted so instantaneously . There were no traces of chemical instruments or of any apparatus for the distillation of poison . The false name assumed by the Count in his dealings with the chemical instrument maker , however , became known . After six weeks' search the alembics used in producing nicotine were found , and Bocarme , when informed of these discoveries , for a moment gave himself up to despair .

    On the trial the story of the murder , as told in the evidence of the Countess del 3 oearme , is as follows : — Gustave Fougnies arrived at Bitremont on the 20 th of November , and when the Countess told her husband of it , he brutally said that he should finish him that day . The Countess remonstrated in vain . The three dined together , eating of the same dishes and holding friendly chat . The servants were sent away ; some were away us usual . When Erne ranee , the maid-servant , asked if she should briny lights , she was told not to do so . They sat round the fireside discussing business affairs . " Did not your husband go out to order a tilbury to be got ready loryour brother ?—Gustave wished to leave . " When your husband returned to tho dining-room you were conversing with your Lrother ?—Yes .

    " Did not your husband then rush on him , and knock him down ?¦—Yen , sir , and I ran away . I , however , saw my husband take him by the shoulders , and heard the body of Guntave fall on the floor . " Did not Gustave cry , ' Oh , oh ! pardon , Hippolyte !'I waH not in the dining room , Imt in an adjacent room . 1 wuh terrified . I had closed the door in ordor not to hear the cries . Hippolyte opened the door of the diningroom ; I heard the death-rattle in the throat—at least , . 1

    fancied so . My husband told me to bring him some warm water . Eme ' rance then came down ntair 8 , and £ told her to go buck to the children . IShe held one of the children by the hand . I took the warm water to my husband , and then went to fetch Rome cold water . I did not hco him drink . lii . i hair was in disorder , and he was greatly agitated . I asked him the cause of his agitation , and he did not reply , but made , a ningular gentine ; hi . s clothes smelt strongly . "

    In opposition to this we pluu . e tin ; account ; of tin death of Gustavo given by the Count :- - "Do vou know who was the author of the crime ? --Yes , nil ' , 1 do . ( dreat . . sanitation . ) " Wlio wan it ? —it wuh my wife - ((/ encrul , movement in the court ) ;—but nlie in innocent . Slie did not know what Hlie wuh doing . ( iuHtavt- was poisoned with nicotine . There was a dispute about a truwt-deed between ( iustave and me . I put my band on the mouth of Guntjive in order to i > rev < ni his crying out , and in order to avoid a . vvundale . My wife poisoned uh without knowing it The bottle and the glares wen ; brought | ) y | H . , l ( j tuuu ,, | l ( that she was giving iik wine . " " The bottle which contained the nicotine wus therelore in the dining-room ? The victim cried out ' Pardon Ihppolyte . ' Your wife and three of th « -servants heard it . Your wife left the room in a few minutes after ut tho uoment when ( J unta ve wuh expiring . Will you explain

    yourself on these points ?—As I took some of the drink myself I fell almost senseless on the floor , and I heard the rattle of a person about to expire . ? ' But you do not tell us what was the reason of Gustave crying out ?—I do not know the cause , having been stupified by the drink . I think , however , I recollect that after my wife had poured us out the glasses at the sideboard , and Gustave had drunk , he exclamed , * Sacr 6 nom ! Hippolyte , help me ! ' . " What did your wife think she had given you ?— "Wine —white wine . " But nicotine is of a brown colour ?—Not quite ; " and , moreover , there are some white wines that are very dark . " Is there not a smell with nicotine which might have been discovered when it was held to the nose ?—She did not smell it .

    " How is it that your wife does not give the same account of things as you do ?—These circumstances aie so extraordinary that I have always thought thatnoome would believe what was said . " Did not your wife leave the room at the moment when Gustave uttered the cry ?—I heard nothing but the death-rattle . I saw nothing around me . I was lying on the floor . " Was Gustave dead when you left the dining-room ? —I cannot say . A glass of warm water was brought me , in order to neutralize the effect of what I had drunk . My wife is wrong in adopting the line of defence she has done , and is not relating things as . they really took place . " The President to Madame de Bocarme : Prisoner , what have you to say to what has been just stated ?—There is not a word of truth in it .

    ** Did you not take a bottle and two glasses , in order to give drink to your husband and brother ?—No , there is not a word of truth in what has been stated . { Great sensation . ') " You really did not use either a bottle or glasses ?—I did not . " But if Gustave had "been poisoned by you involuntarily ?—I should have said so long since . ( Madame de Bocarme here clasped her hands together , and wept bitterly . )" The President reminded the Count that , while in prison , he had written a note to a friend in Paris , in

    which he declared that the poison was intentionally poured out by the Countess , and given to her brother . The indictment includes both the Count and Countess in the charge of murder ; the medical authorities being of opinion , from the quantity of nicotine poured down the throat of Gustave , that two persons must have been engaged in the deed . The news of the conclusion of the trial has not yet reached us ; and there is so much mysterious contradiction , that perhaps , as the Count asserts , the truth will never be known . That he was concerned in the murder there is not the least doubt , but whether the Countess shares his guilt is uncertain .

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    PHILIP PUSEY ON PROTECTION . Mr . Pusey , one of the Berkshire members , has written a letter to his constituents in which there are some remarkable sentences . The prime cause of this letter being written was a meeting at Reading , at which a gentleman was called upon to take Mr . Pusey ' s place in Parliament . Silence thenceforward appeared to him no longer desirable ; and he has written to defend his conduct in the House , which he does by stating that it has been exactly what he promised it should be . He promised to support Lord John Russell as there was no Conservative party , and he has done so ; he declares that Lord Stanley and Mr . Disraeli have plainly given up Protection , and he aaks : — " What is it then the two Protectionist leaders who give up Protection mean to do if they come into power ? This is the real question . It is generally supposed that they would propose a five shilling duty on wheat , as the utmost they could hope to obtain . Now , at our county meeting , I said I would vote for such a duty , but the more I think of this remedy the more inadequate doc 8 it appear for your present embarrassment ; for practical men , I find , believe that a five shilling tax would raise the price of wheat not five nhilling « but three shillings only in our market , while the foreign producer would . submit to receive two shillings less in hit ) own . this be so , you would not gain even three shillings , for there ig aduty of one shilling already upon imported wheat . Two shillings per quarter , therefore , would be the amount of your gain . The average price of wheat for the last week was thirty-eight shilling ., and twopence . The new party would raise it to forty shillings and twopence , exactly twopence more than the price at which no one in allowed to say that wheat can be grown . . For the whole two HhillingH I cannot myHelf think it would bo worth while to overturn a Government and dissolve a Parliament , nor would the new Government be thought . very Hutiufactory , by its supporters at leaHt , if , with the member for the next county upon the Treasury bench , you were now to read the weekly average price of wheatas might have happened if a . Corn-law Government had Iteen formed in March—at no higher amount than forty shillings and twopence . I can follow no Hiich will-of-the-WlKp . ''

    He believes there are ways in which tho farmer might be assisted other t . h : iu Protection , mid ho points to improved implements . He thinks that the transition from Protection to Free Trade was too sudden , owing to the mistake made by the Free Traders that funningnmehiiiery might be rapidly improved ; for , " though , -i new loom may take the piuee of an old one in a few weeks , to improve u farm requires four yearn at least ; " and this , Ik ; says , would "justify him in voting for a moderate fixed duty . "

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    532 ©!) * 3 ltalrtr * [ Saturday , ' " ¦ " . ____ . , ______ | r ... jii i-i " rriirw- ¦ i r ¦ ¦—¦ « r r , j ¦ i . ¦ ¦ i i m

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 7, 1851, page 532, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1886/page/8/