concluded by saying: "It has been said that an oath was taken upon the corpse, can you say nothing upon this subject?" President. saved you? Some one Madam Was this Madam Manson. You may easily imagine, sir, that I had not sufficient coolness to class all the details in my mind; but that which can never escape my memory is, that a horrible man wished to murder me. wished to kill you-and somebody Manson. Yes, somebody saved me. man among the assassins, or did he save you? Madam Manson. I cannot say whether he came from without or was of the number of the assassins, but I shall never forget that he rescued me from the hands of that wretch. arrive accidentally to President. Was the person who drew you out of the closet the same who conducted you to the church of the Annunciation? Yes sir. President. Can you not recall the features of this unknown? I do not recall any thing. President. Is that person among the accused? Answer. It is possible, sir, (and all eyes were fixed upon Jausion. Dubernard (rising). Please to explain yourself, madam. Your half avowals, your ambiguous responses, are a thousand times more murderous than a direct designation. Madam Manson. I have nothing to say. Jausion. Madam, it is not for me; death has no terrors for me: but for my wretched wife, and my poor children, that I wish you to speak; my life is in your hands; it rests with you to save me or send me to the scaffold Madam Manson, (with an expression of misery). I can neither save nor condemn Jausion. The day following Mr. France de Lorne testified to the conversation which he had held, in the presence of others, with Madelaine Bancal. She stated that after retiring to bed she heard a noise in the street, which frightened her; that she went down in her night dress, without shoes, and concealed herself in a bed near the door of the kitchen; through a crevice she saw a number of persons enter dragging in a gentleman; Bastide and Jausion were of this number—and the latter was called by name by a woman, who, with another woman, were employed in fastening the door; that one of these ladies was taller and more majestic than madam Manson and wore a white bonnet with green plumes; the gentleman was thrown upon the table and made to sign certain bills of exchange, which were presented by Bastide and Jausion; that Jausion gave him a severe blow with a sharp knife which he had brought under his dress, but his trembling compelled him to desist, and the deed was completed by Bastide and Missonnier; Colard and Bancal held his feet, and the woman Bancal stirred up the blood with her hand as it fell into the bucket which was held by Anne Benoit. A lame gentleman held the light. At the moment after he was stabbed, Bastide heard a noise in the closet adjoining the kitchen. He demanded if there was any one in the house; the woman Bancal answered that there was a woman in the closet. Bastide said it was necessary to kill her. Madam Manson then stepped forth and threw herself at the feet of Bastide. She was compelled to place her hand upon the breast of the corpse. Bastide wished to assure himself whether there was any one in the bed. She pretended to be asleep-and Bastide twice passed his hand over her body, and said to the woman Bancal it was necessary to put the child out of the way. She agreed to get it done for four-hundred francs. The plan was to place the dead body in his bed with a razor by his side; but this project was abandoned when it was reported by Jausion that it was impossible, because some one was at the window. They then determined to carry the body to the river; and the woman Bancal washed the table and floor which were covered with blood. Bancal did not return all night. Madam Manson being interrogated anew by counsellor Pinaud and requested to state particularly what occurred between the time of her coming out of the closet and her going into the street, answered: "I took an oath." Pinaud. Who required it? Answer. Bastide. Pinaud. Where did you take it? Answer. At the foot of the corpse. Pinaud. What persons were around the corpse? Answer. There were many. There were other persons besides Bastide. Pinaud. Who were these persons? Answer. I cannot name them. I am accused. Pinaud. Madam, I beseech you, and, if it be necessary, I require you to name them. Madam Manson. I shall not name the others. Marianne Viala testified that she communicated the news of madam Manson's arrest to the woman Bancal, and that the latter answered. "Ah! the bshe deserves it as well as the rest; she stood sentinel at the door, while the others were killing him." On the 7th of April, the woman Bancal yielded to the reproaches of her conscience and the solicitations of her counsel, and made a confession. She stated that on the 19th of March, at half past eight o'clock in the evening, six persons entered her house, dragging in Fualdes by the arms and collar; she recollected Bastide distinctly, and one of the others was, she thought, a Spaniard; her husband was unwilling to tell the names of the persons she did not know, but he assured her that one of them was a nephew of Bastide. Bach and Colard were of the six who entered together. The latter went out of the kitchen, saying, where have you brought me? He returned in a few moments. Fualdes said something and Bastide answered, but she did not hear what it was. She and her husband attempted to leave the room, but were prevented by Bastide, who threatened them with death if they stirred a step. She fell with a chair, supporting her head with her hands, and her husband seeing her indisposed conducted her to the stairs. When she left the kitchen Missonnier had not arrived. Bousquier arrived a long time after. She did not see Anne Benoit there at all,-nor madam Manson. The attorney remarked that it was very evident that both Bach and Bancal kept back all the circumstances which tended to establish their participation in the crime. When particularly interrogated this witness was not able to affirm positively that Jausion was one of the persons. After the arguments by the counsel had commenced, and had continued for some time, the president announced that he had received a new confession from Bach, which he proceeded to read. In this confession he stated that he saw Jausion compel Fualdes to sign certain papers, which Jausion then put in his pocket. He then repeated the details of the assassination,—the giving of the first blow by Jausion-the rest by Bastide—the holding of a bucket to receive the blood by madam Bancal, &c. &c. Jausion went out, and a few moments afterwards a noise was heard in an adjoining closet. Bastide demanded of madam Bancal the cause of - it, and she answered that there was a woman there-upon which Bastide opened the door and drew out madam Manson, dressed in male clothing—and that Bastide was about to kill her, when Jausion came in, interposed, and saved her life, upon her taking an oath of secrecy upon the dead body. Madam Manson did not deny the facts' stated by him. [The report goes on to give copious extracts from the speeches of the counsel, and to state the effect produced upon the audience, by their eloquence. This article is already so long, that it is found necessary to omit this part of the report. It will be remembered that the trial at Albi commenced on the 25th of March. It terminated on the 5th of May, having extended therefore through a period of about forty days. After madam Manson's advocate had concluded his speech in her defence, she was herself permitted to address the court and jury, which she did in the most touching manner. She recapitulated all the details of the assassination, and when speaking of the attempt of Bastide to destroy her at the time, and her preservation by the intervention of another person, she exclaimed: "if my preserver was guilty, is he the less my preserver?" She excused her singular course of conduct, by alleging that she was constantly in fear of her life—if she testified-that she was even haunted by the recollection of the dreadful scene she had witnessed, and the terrible oath she had taken, and that surrounded by terrors, intimidated by threats, her energy had given way, and she had adopted that fatal "system of variations,” which she now so bitterly repented. She reminded the jury, that her actions had constantly betrayed her, and given the lie to her oral assertions. This appeal from a feeble and unfortunate woman was not without its effect. She was unanimously acquitted. The woman Bancal, Jausion, Bastide, Colard and Bach were convicted of murder, with premeditation, Anne Benoit of murder without premeditation, Bastide and Jausion of breaking and stealing-Missonnier, Bach, Colard, Bastide and Jausion of drowning the corpse. Bastide, Jausion and Colard were executed, protesting their innocence to the last. Bach was recommended to the royal clemency, and his sentence was commuted. The reporter remarks, in conclusion, that though ten years have elapsed since the commission of the crime, nothing has occurred to throw any new light upon the mystery.] H. G. O. C. New Bedford, Mass. ART. VIII.-DIGESTS OF AMERICAN REPORTS AND AMERICAN LAW PERIODICALS. We noticed in our last number, under the title of American Reports, five hundred and forty-five volumes of reports. 1 |