A Burglar Caught by a Skeleton & Other Singular Tales from the Victorian Press (39 page)

The prisoner, who is a powerful-looking fellow, stated through Dr Jacobsen, the interpreter, that he was about to emigrate, and it was usual for emigrants to carry revolvers.

He was a somnambulist, and did not know how he got on the roof. When the officer came up to him he thought that robbers were after the money he had about him, and he fired his revolver. Mr Travis expressed his doubt as to the prisoner’s sanity, and remanded him.

The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury
, September 8, 1877

Parisine

Ordinary items of local news appear in the French papers under the special rubric of ‘Faits Divers.’ Many of these
faits divers
are simple canards, but a gem is to be found among them now and then. Take the following, for instance:

‘Yesterday a rather funny adventure caused a considerable crowd to collect in front of the Louvre. A butterman from Isigny, after having settled his business at the Halles, took a stroll through the city with a Parisian friend who had undertaken to show him the sights.

‘All went well till a bizarre incident occurred to trouble the harmony existing between the two friends. Each of them had with him a black wolf-dog, and the two animals, I mean the quadrupeds, were so exactly alike, that their owners on separating could not agree on the identity of their respective property. An altercation ensued and the police had to interfere.

‘The disputants were taken before the police commissary. That worthy magistrate, somewhat perplexed by the event, ordered both dogs to be strangled for having been allowed to go about the street without a muzzle. This contemporary judgment of Solomon was applauded by the crowd.’

The Manchester Evening News
, May 13, 1884

The Clifton Bridge Sensation

In the presence of a crowded court, the trial took place before Justice Wills, at the Bristol Assizes, on Tuesday, of Charles Albert Browne (36), grocer, Longmore Street, Birmingham, for attempting to drown his two children, Ruby (12) and Elsie (3), by throwing them from Clifton Suspension Bridge into the river Avon in the early hours of the morning of September 18th.

Public interest was specially manifested in the case from the fact that only once previously has anyone gone over the bridge into the water, a distance of over 250 feet, without being killed instantly, and the escape of the little girls is probably attributable to the same cause as in that instance – a strong wind inflating their clothes and regulating their descent.

Some time before the judge arrived a large crowd assembled in front of the Guildhall, and when his Lordship took his seat in court all the available room was occupied, a large proportion of the spectators being ladies.

The elder of the two girls was in the caretaker’s room in the building in charge of her mother and a nurse from the Infirmary. During the Assizes she had been observed in the corridors of the court or in the privileged gallery above the bench, and apparently she has recovered from the shock sustained. Mr Douglas Metcalfe conducted the prosecution, and the defence was entrusted to Messrs. Fred E. Weatherly and Thornton Lawes.

The prisoner appeared quite self-possessed, and sat with his hands lightly clasped together during the counsel’s opening. He apparently listened with interest to the story of the events in which he was a prominent figure, and occasionally he raised his eyes to the bench or gallery, and scanned the faces of the spectators.

After the evidence, the jury consulted for a few minutes, and then, in answer to the Clerk of Assize, said they found the prisoner guilty of the charge against him, but he was insane at the time, and not responsible for his actions.

The judge thereupon ordered him to be detained in the prison till her Majesty’s pleasure was known.

The Tamworth Herald
, December 5, 1896

Curious Law Case in France

A very curious case has just come before the juge de paix of Neuilly. Some time ago, Madame Pluyette, a widow lady of 50, but who still attaches much importance to personal appearance, had the misfortune, in playing with a lap-dog, to receive from it so severe a wound in one of her eyes that it came out of the socket.

Having heard much of artificial eyes, and being recommended to apply to an expert manufacturer in this way, named Tamisier, she gave an order for a glass eye, for which M. Tamisier charged her 100 francs.

Refusing to pay this charge, the manufacturer summoned her before the juge de paix. Madame Pluyette having appeared holding the glass eye in her hand, the juge de paix asked her why she refused to pay the bill which M. Tamisier had sent in?

‘For a very good reason,’ replied the defendant. ‘I can see no more with it than I could before.’

‘What!’ said the juge de paix, ‘did you really imagine that you would be able to see with a glass eye?’ ‘Did I think so?’ retorted the angry dame, ‘certainly I did. Will you be so good as to tell me what eyes are for, but to see with? I ordered the eye for use, and, until M. Tamisier makes me one with which I can see, I will not pay him a sou.

‘I wear a wig, which is quite as useful as natural hair. I have three false teeth, which answer as well as those which I have lost, and why should I pay for an eye which is of no use?’

The juge de paix endeavoured to convince Madame Pluyette that glass eyes were for others to look at, and not for the wearers to look from them; but, finding all appeals to her reason of no avail, he condemned her to pay the plaintiff the amount of his demand.

When the defendant heard the decision, she became furious with anger, and, after dashing her glass eye on the floor, she rushed out of court amid the laughter of the crowd.

The Leicester Journal
, October 9, 1846

A Murderer Hunted Down by a Woman

A remarkable arrest has been effected at Oklahoma by a girl. In November last two men named James Heath and Walter Hargood quarrelled over a young woman, and in the course of the dispute, Hargood shot his rival.

Heath’s sister, intent on bringing her brother’s murderer to justice, donned male attire, and otherwise disguised herself, and after much hardship, succeeded in tracking Hargood to this vicinity, where she gave information to the police. Hargood was at once arrested.

The Yorkshire Evening Post
, April 25, 1892

A Wife Beater

An inhabitant of a village near Coleford recently beat his wife and threatened mischief to his child. A neighbour, overhearing the strife, rushed in and took from him a knife with which he vowed he would wreak further vengeance.

Another person started for the police, but protection was nearer at hand. The news having spread, about forty women waited on the wife-beater. As soon as he saw this display of ‘reserve forces’ he bolted upstairs, but was soon compelled to come down.

Then, in a manner unmentionable to ears polite, these Amazonian women administered the punishment so familiar to English boys, and in no respect less severe or mortifying in its character.

They next carried their victim to the millpond hard by, with the intention of immersing him. He begged hard for mercy, and was at length let off with a few buckets of water thrown over him. After this he solemnly fell on his knees and promised that he would never molest his wife again, and was then allowed to depart ‘a sadder and wiser man.’

The Citizen
, Gloucester, August 16, 1878

WAGERS