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EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL FOR MURDER,
IN BELGIUM.
(From the Leed's Mercury, June 7.)
A remarkable case is now on trial before the
High Criminal Court of Hainault, at Mons.
The accused are the Count and Countess
of Bocarme, of a family stated to be
one of the oldest in Belgium. The crime
laid to their charge is that of havng
poisoned the Countess's brother, Gustave
Faugnies, in order to obtain his fortune. Count
de Bocarme resided at the chateau of Bury ; he
married in 1843, for her fortune, Lydia
Fougnies, the daughter of a retired grocer, and
got with her a sum representing £100 a-year of
English money. This, after all, was no great
sum, and as the Count was somewhat of a
spendthrift, his affairs assumed gradually a most
embarrassed state. His wife's brother, Gustave
Faugnies, had become possessed, by his father's
death, of considerable property, and as he was
unmarried, the Count and Countess had every
prospect of inheriting his fortune. Gustave,
though weak in constitution, and amputated of a
leg, determined, in November, 1850, to marry.
The state of Count Bocarme's exchequer was at
this time quite ruinous. He owed large sums to
his legal advisers, and had mortgaged most of
his property. Fougnies' 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, corres-
ponded also under a false name with a professor
of chemistry, and ultimately succeeded in dis .
tilling 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 was induced to accept an in-
vitation to dinner at Bury, it being proposed to
him to become trustee for the Count and Coun-
tess, during a voyage they intended making in
Germany. He came on the morning of the 20th
November, and after dinner on the same day, died
in the room where were present both the Count
and the Countess. It was found, on examination,
that death had ensued, not from apoplexy, but
from the forcible injection of a poisonous and
corrosive substance. There were marks of vio-
lence 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 exami-
nation 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 cer-
tain 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- alie
states, by order of her husbnnd. The floor had
been scraped with glass, but insufficiently to pre-
vent the marks of the corroding liquid, which
seemed to have been spurted all over the room.
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. The Countess then openly accused
her husband of being the murderer. She de-
scribed how, after dinner, her brother expressed
his determination to go home, and Bocarme went
out to order his horses. In his absence she and
her brother were talking together, when Bocarme
rushed in, seized Gustave by the shoulders and
threw him down. She fled, and did not return
into the room till all was over, and the body of
Gustave lay lifeless on the ground.
(From the Adas, June 21.)
After seventeen days of trial, the case of the
Count and Countess de Bocarme was brought to
a conclusion at the Assize Court of Mons on
Friday. After considering their verdict for an
hour and a half the jury returned into Court and
the foreman in a somewhat tremulous bnt firm
voice declared the finding of the jury to be,
" ou my honour and conscience, and in the pre-
sence of God and man," a verdict of guilty
against the Count, and not guilty against his
wife, Madame Bocarme:-The President then
ordered the accused to be brought into Conrt.
This time the Count was admitted first. His
appearance was calm and collected. Madame de
Bocarme had her veil down, but her step was
firm. On hearing the verdict of guilty a slight
momentary flush passed over the Count's face,
but he evinced no other sign of emotion. On
heanng not guilty on his wife, an expression of
internal satisfaction animated his features. He
looked affectionately toward-» his wife, who gave
no visible signs of emotion. She left the dock
with a firm step, without speaking to her hus-
band. The Procureur du Roi, having asked the
prisoner if he had an v thing to say, he replied
" No, except that I am perfectly innocent." He
then entered calmly into conversation with his
counsel. At eleven o'clock the Court pro-
nounced sentence of death upon Hippolyte
Visart de Bocarme, and decreed that the execu-
tion should take place in one of the squares of
Mons. The prisoner left the Court under guard
with a firm step.
BANK OF AUSTRALASIA.-Yesterday, the 17th
annual meeting of the shareholders of this Com
Ïany was held at the establishment in Austin
riars, City. Oliver Farren, Esq., having taken
the chair, Mr. Milliken, the secretary, read the
report, which was to the following effect:
" The current business of the bank during the
past year has been of a healthy, profitable, and
improving character. The bad debts of the year
have been unimportant, and all provided for ;
the profits have greatly increased; and con-
siderable progress has at length been made in
the realisation of the securities held against the
old dependencies. The greater part of the secu-
rities have been realised ; the loss on their rea-
lisation is shown in the financial statement ; and
the directors can assure the shareholders that
any further losses which can reasonably be ex-
pected to arise from the sale of those which re-
main will be more than covered by the balance
already at the credit of the profit and loss ac-
count. Notwithstanding these losses, the direc-,
tors are gratified to find that they were fully
justified in paying the increased dividend in April,
last, and although the current business of the bank
leads them to hope that a further increase may
ere long be made, the rate of 4 per cent, will be,
continued for the present, under the strength
ened conviction that It will not be .prudent to
increase it until all the.old dependencies are
completely settled. Little .doubt is entertained
that this will be accomplished in the course of
this year, and that the entire profits of the bank
may then be devoted« to| more remunerative
dividends, and to the establishment andaugmen
tation of such a reserve fund as will secare their
Îernlanency under all reasonable contingencies,
'he following- statement exhibits the result of
the business during the year now reported on:
Balance in profit and loss account at 15th of
October, 1849, £50,717 17s.'6d.; net profits iu
the colonies and in London, for^tbe year ending
14th October, 1850, after deducting all expenses
of management, £64,221 13s. 3d. ; from which,
are to be taken £27,000, poid to the proprietors
as dividends of 12s. per share, at April, 1850,
and October, 1850, leaving £37,221 13s. 3d. to
be added to the balance of October 15, 1849 ;
total, £87,93910s. 9d. Theascertainedlossonold
dependences to be deducted is, £51,683 13s. lid.
The balance at the credit of profit and loss ac-
count, at October 14,1850, is thus £36,255 16s.
lOd. The assets and liabilities at the latter
period, stood as follows :-Assets, viz. ; govern
ment stock, specie, and cash, £619,519 5s. ;
bank premises, £8,910 12s. 7d. ; hüls receivable
and other securities, £1,283,532 12s. 7d. ; totnl,
£1,931,962 10s. 2d.-Liabilities, viz.: Capital,
£900,000; circulation, 119,650; bills payable,
and other liabilities, £279,632 9s. lid. ; deposits,
£596,424 3s. 5d. ; profit and loss, £36,255 16s.
10d.; total, £1,931,962 10s. 2d. The arrange-
ment made with the Bank of Australia, for the
liquidation of their debt bas been honorably car-
ried out, and all anxiety respecting the balance |
has ceased." The report was received with great
applause.-The chairman alluded to the report
now presented to the meeting as a source of
gratification to himself, as well as to his col-
leagues. The only place where any uncertain
liability still remained was at Sydney and Laun-
ceston, whilst at Adelaide and Melbourne, Mait-
land and Hobart Town, it was not expected that
any loss would exceed the amount in hand at
present. The business of the past year was most
profitable, for they had made £10,000 more than
in the year before. Had they not been obliged
to provide for these old dependencies to such an
extent, the directors might have been in a posi-
tion to divide 6 per cent, amongst the share-
holders, besides adding a very handsome sum to
the rest. At Adelaide and Melbourne they had
made a large profit, and he wished he could say
the same of that at Sydney, bnt it was caused,
no doubt, from the evil arising from their old
dependencies in that quarter; and the same
might be said of Launceston. He hoped to
live to see the termination" of these old depen-
dencies, as it wonld be some gratification to
him, after so many years of trouble and anxiety
at the unfortunate losses of this bank (applause).
In respect to the Bank of Australia, he might
mention that their agreement to pay this com-
pany by instalments had been faithfully fulfilled
up to January last, except £4000, but this he
learnt from the last advices had been paid like«
wise (hear, hear). The chairman concluded by
moving that the report be received and adopted,
and distributed in the usual way amongst the
proprietors. The report was, after .some dis»
cussion, adopted unanimously. Thomas Hender-
son, Esq., D. O. Henriques, Esq, and Charles
Morris, Esq., the directors retiring, . were re
elected unanimously. Mr. Serjeant Gazelee then
moved a vote of thanks to the chairman and
directors of the company, which was seconded
by Colonel Mitchell, and passed unanimously.
Daily News, June 18.
SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH BETWEEN ENGLAND
AND FRANCE ?-We have great satisfaction in
learning, from a prospectus now before us, which
is authenticated by names that cannot fail of
commanding the confidence of the public, that
there is at length a definite prospect of this
great international undertaking being conducted
to a successful issue. The requisite concession
has been obtained from the French government,
guaranteeing to the projectors the -exclusive
right to the establishment and use of submarine
communication between the two countries for a
period of ten years from 1st of October, 1851 ;
and they have likewise procured a charter of
incorporation from the British crown, limiting
the liability of shareholders to the amounts of
their respective shares. The preliminary
arrangements are so far matured that the plans
of the contemplated works, nccompained by the
report of Mr. Cubitt, the consulting engineer
to the company, have been lodged with the French
goverment, and the neccessary amount of caution
money deposit. Tenders have been received
for the construction of the works, on terms
which would be fully covered by the amount of
capital intended to be raised (£100,000 in £1
shares), and the company's operations will be
commenced as soon as a sufficient number of
shares are subscribed for. The scale on which it
is proposed to carry out this enterprise is of a
magnitude commensurate with its intrinsic
grandeur and importance. It is intended to lay
down a considerable number of wires between the
two coats, enclosed in a protective of adequate
strength to ensure them againstaccidental injury,
and thereby to obtain numerous distinct lines
of telegraphic communication between Great
Britain ana the various continental countries,
with the view of eventually establishing a uni-
versal and instantaneous communication through-
out the whole of Europe." The following passage
from the prospectus will perhaps best explain
the scope and capabilities of the design :-" One
great feature in the undertaking is the advantages
it will offer to India and America. By the
agency of a single wire the news by the India
mail, on its arrival at Trieste or Marseilles, may
be delivered, printed in Roman type, simul-
taneously at Paris and London, and at Liverpool
in readiness for the departure of the American
mail ; while the remaining lines of wire may at
the same instant be conveying intelligence be-
tween Great Britain and the other countries of
Europe."-Morning Chronicle.
SLIGHT DISASTER TO THE ARCTIC EXPEDI-
TIONARY SHIP "PRINCE ALBERT."-Stromness,
26th May : The Prince Albert, Kennedy, ar-
rived here yesterday morning, having lost her
jibboom off Pentland Skerries. This has been
supplied, gratis, by our chief magistrate, Mr.
Strange. Lady Franklin, accompanied by Miss
Cracroft and Mr. Kennedy, reached Stromness
on Saturday evening, and the yacht will proceed
to-morrow morning. Wind at present N.B.,
fresh. The boats crew engaged by Mr. Kennedy
are all ready.-Aberdeen Journal. Lady
Franklin, it is feared by the Scotch journals, is
fast sinking under the weight of her prolonged
and terrible trial. Yesterday week prayers were
offered up in Stromness for the officers and-crew
of the expeditionary yacht.-Liverpool Albion,
June2.
PRUSSIAN STATISTICS.-A statistical work
just published states the number of Protestants
m the Prussian monarcy at 10,016,798; and
that of Papists at 6,079,613.-Leed's Mercury.
STEAK OK THE ATLANTIC-The New York
journals contain a challenge, signed "Darius
Davidson," and dated New York, April 8,
offering to construct an ocean steam-ship capable
of steaming 439 miles per diem, namely 100
miles every 24 hours more than have yet been
achieved by the swiftest Bteam-ßhip afloat.
Bell's Messenger.
A STEAMER BURNT ON THE MISSISSIPPI.-A
steamer, with 100 persons on board, took fire on
the Mississippi above Vicksburg, on the 21st
April, and was burned to the water's edge. Of
the whole number of passengers only about sixty
have been found : the rest are spposed to have
perished with the boat.-Bell'* Messenger.
Printed and published by RICHARD JONES, at
the "Mercnry Office," High-street, Wert
Maitland.
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