Leader (1850-1860), 17th April 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 369

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  t , B is a mere passive agent . The Lord Chief Justice , kowever decided that it might he read , as being pertinent to the inquiry . The letter was then put in , and Sad by the Clerk of the Court , as follows : — " River Head , Kent , Jan . 1 , 1857 . —My dear Doctor Many thanks for the two slips , which I return e nclosed . I have not received any letters in reply to the / jommunications you proposed sending to the friends of Italy- I hope that some answers have been received in london . I am glad to learn that any difference of opinion is limited to a single point . Difference of opinion is inevitable , exists in every army , but unity in action jb necessary for success . However ,. I have every confidence in the future . The abominable miscreant of the 2 nd of December seems to have reached his culminating point . Have you seen the withering contempt with which Smith O'Brien alludes to the Queen kissing this nnconvicted felon , who is not likely to give much more trouble , even if he should escape the righteous retribution he so richly merits ? If I was in California now , I ffould at once double the amount offered by Landor to the man who should perform an act of justice upon that most wretched caitiff . It is a poor consolation to know that he is obliged to drink before going abroad to drown fear . He must be killed , and with him the system which he somehow seems necessary to keep up . I shall feel glad to hear from you as to Orsini ' s progress , and on anv matter in which you feel an interest . When I am next in London , I hope you will give me another evening , if it can be so arranged as not to interfere with your more important avocations . Be kind enough to assure Orsini of my warmest sympathy and affectionate regard and respect , with the offer of my poor services at ail times—I am , my dear Doctor , yours fraternally , T . Allsop . —May this new year see the first instalment of justice to the peoples—the dawn of life ^—true life to humanity . " Evidence was then received to show that Bernard had bought a certain quantity of absolute alcohol and pure nitric acid ; that these are two ingredients used in making fulminating powder ; that Bernard often talked about experiments in gas to a Mr . St . George Burke , whose children he was teaching ; and that , through that gentleman , Bernard obtained for Allsop , from a Mr . Mason , a solicitor in the City , a loan of 4500 J . on mortgage of some property near Reigate . This Mr . Mason was Bhown the letter from Allsop quoted above , and said he believed it was in the handwriting of the gentleman with whom he had the money transactions . Eliza Cheney , a young woman about six-and-twenty years of age , " dressed in black , who gave her evidence with some emotion , said she had been acquainted with Felice Orsini for about a year and a half . She was upper housemaid at the boarding-house of Miss Hockley , No . 2 , Cambridge-terrace , Hyde Park , where Orsini boarded . Bernard frequently visited Orsini there ; and , when the latter was away , Bernard would come to the bouse and receive his letters , except such as -were marked " Private . " Orsini left England on the 23 rd of November ; and the witness said she had since seen him in prison in Paris . When in England , he had worn a thick bushy black beard ; but in France that had been shaved off . The Attorney-General : " Can you describe Orsini ' s appearance ?"— " I cannot give you a better description of Signor Orsini than that whiclv appeared in the papers . " ( A slight laugh . )— " Was he a good-looking nan ?"—" He was a very noble-looking gentleman , about forty years of age . " In crossrexamination , the witness said : — " I saw Signor Orsini three times altogether in prison in Paris . He told me when lie left England that I was to give notice at Christmas to quit the house , because he should not require it any longer than March , as ho was to bo in Italy , and I was to go there and join his family . 1 had heard him speak of his intention to go to Italy . " When Dr . Bernard called for the letters , after Orsini ' s departure , ho often held conversations with me about Signor Orsini ' s going to Italy . I told the police that I had seen Dr . Bernard on the 17 th of January after the attempt of tho 14 th on the life of the French Emperor was known in London . " The next important witness was Joseph dc Giorgi , the keeper of the Cafe" Suisse , who deposed to taking the grenades to Brussels , at tho request of Bernard , ami to their being fetched away from that city by tho prisoner , who afterwards brought them back , nnd they Were finally taken away by Orsini , who said ho was going to Paris . Giorgi was given to understand that tho instruments were connected with a now invention in 8 « a . Orsini , boforo coming to tho cqfd , hud been spoken of as " the Englishman ; " but Giorgi recognizod him , na 1 ) 6 had known him in London . A waiter at tho Cafe " Suisse confirmed this evidence ; but neither could speak With certainty as to tho number of holes in tho shells . Tho Court then adjourned . Lord Campbell , previous to departing , intimated that tho jury might take exorciuo ¦ to- tlvo ' morfitnTfa ^^^ In tho course of this day's oxiuninutlon , Mr . Jnrnoa constantly objected to tho reception of various pnrts of tho evidence . LouU JKighcrzl , tho proprietor of tho Cuftf Siusho at wuBsola , gave evidence on Wednesday . Ho testified to the fact of Giorgi having brought tho shells over to Brussels , and said that a strange gentleman , who mentioned having como from London , and who spoko very flood . Italian , alluded to tho shells as a now invention in
  
  gas . He confirmed the other statements of Giorgi . In cross-examination , he said : — " The articles I saw reminded me of the form of a pear . The drawing I made correctly described what I saw . The small holes were on the top part of the . ball . I do not consider the article now produced to be shaped like , a pear . " Mr . James inquired whether the witness would state upon his oath that the ball produced was like those he saw at Brussels , or was one of the identical articles . The witness said he did not take particular notice of the articles he saw at Brussels . Mr . James insisted upon the witness stating whether he believed the ball , then produced , to be one of those he saw at Brussels ; but the only answer that could be obtained from him was , that it was similar to the drawing he made at the time , and he at length said he could not swear positively to anything upon the subject . Casimir Zeguerus , a waiter at the Cafe" Suisse , spoke to having seen the balls or shells , -which were like one ! he had been shown since . He was hired by " the En-! glish gentleman" ( Orsini ) to take'them in a carpet-bag to Paris ; and he did so , accompanied by the gentleman . After his return to Brussels , he saw Bernard there , and told him he had got safely to Paris ; and Bernard replied that he knew it . M . Lescroix , examined by Mr . Bodkin : — " I am the proprietor of the Hotel de la Monnaie at Brussels . The prisoner came to my hotel on the 25 th of December , and he gave me a passport . "—The Attorney-General called for the production of this passport , notice having been served upon the prisoner that it would be required . —Mr . Pollard , one of the managing clerks of the Treasury , who proved the notice to produce , said , in answer to questions put to him by Mr . James , that he believed the prisoner , when asked about his passport , said that the police had got all his papers . —The Attorney-General again called for the production of the passport . — Mr . James said they could not produce it . The police had got possession of all the prisoner ' s paprs . — The Attorney- General said he was prepared to show that strict searchhad been made , and no such document was discovered . —The Judges expressed an opinion that such evidence should be given ; but the Attorney-General postponed bringing forward the witnesses then , because one was absent . Mr . Isaac Hollis , a manufacturer of fire-arms , at Birmingham , stated that two persons purchased ) two revolvers at his warehouse an the 29 th of October . They were Pierri and Orsini , whom he had since seen in the prison of La Koquette , Paris . The revolvers were the same as those produced . —The son of this witness deposed to having sold a revolver to Pierri on the 23 rd of November . —M . Francois de la Salle , director of the prison of the Grande Roquette at Paris , spoke to the identification of Orsini and Pierri by Mr . Hollis , senior . —Mr . J . S . King , clerk in the service of the South-Eastern Railway Company , proved the despatch by Bernard , on the 2 nd of January , of a package addressed to M . Outrequin , No . 277 , Rue St . Denis , Paris , by the railway . He made a verbal declaration to the effect that the package contained two revolvers , and some samples of pitch ; and , in answer to some questions , said that he was going to Paris when " the other one " ( pointing behind him ) came back here . He also said , in French , pointing to a tricolor , " your good ally . "M . Outrequin , a silk commission agent in tho Rue St . Denis , Paris , testified to having had a correspondence with Bernard ( whom he knew > relative to the sale of some iire-arina , of Birmingham manufacture . Two cases of revolvers were sent him , nnd Orsini ( who was passing under the name of Allsop ) ultimately took one of the pistols away . During these negotiations the witness occasionally saw Pierri and Mr . Hodge , the English gentleman recently arrested in Sardinia . —Madnmo Outrequin snid that the other piatol was taken away by Pierri . Various police officers and foreign ofhcinls were next examined with respect to the passports of Bernard and Orsini . Tho evidence showed great confusion and laxity in the naturo and management of these ilocu- ments ; and , with respect to Bernard ' s passport , it appeared that tho police searched in vain for At after he was in custody , and that Bernard said it was burnt . Eliza Rudio , tho wifo of Cnrlo liudio , was tho next witness . Sho gave evidence with respect to Bernard relieving liudio in his poverty , aiul to his having had several interviews with Kudio previous to tho latter leaving England . After ho had left , Bernard told Mrs . Rudio , who was then living in London , to go to her grandmother ' s in Nottingham , and to live under her maiden name . " Bernard , " aho continued , " loft mo his direction before my husband went away . It was at tho Cafe Suisso . Ho nuked me if I hnd told anybody where ho lived , and I told him ' No . ' Ho said that wus quite right . When ho told me not to take any notico if I 8 aW , my-. h « abami : i 5 JJftm . <^ his name should bo in the papers . Ho did not nmkermo any answer at all . Ho mud , if any ono asked mo anything about my husband , 1 waa to say I know ho was very well . Ho did uot say anything more about it . I wont away for Nottingham noxt morning by tho train . I gave up i » y lodgings . While I waa in Nottingham , I went by tho proper nunio of Eliza Kudio . IJeforo I loft London , I hud a letter from my husband . I did not notico whether there wero « ny stamps upon it . Ono of
  
  the lodgers in the house read it to me . I do not know where it is now . The letter produced was sent to me at Nottingham , on the day I left for London . I do not know what day exactly . It was sent to London after me . " Evidence having been given to show that this letter was in Bernard ' s handwriting , it was read , after a protest from Mr . James , which was overruled by Lord Campbell . The letter was directed , " Eliza Booth , Poste Kestante , Nottingham , " and was dated ^ ' London , " and it stated that some benevolent people who knew her husband ' s family had authorized the writer to send her 24 s . on the Monday following . ( The letter was written on Saturday . ) They were resolved to give her and her child 12 s . a week for their support as long as she behaved properly , as she had done before . The moneyorder which would be sent for 24 s . would be directed , " Eliza Booth , Poste Restante , Nottingham—sent by William Thompson . " At the conclusion of this witness ' s examination , the court adjourned . During her evidence one of the jury fainted , and for a time was removed from the court . ^ Mrs . Rudio was further cross-examined on Thursday , and stated that since the present proceedings her expenses had been paid by the police . In being re-examined , she said that she petitioned the Empress for her husband ' s life , and had since learnt that his life waa spared . Madame Mechenheim , an Englishwoman , married to a Belgian , and now residing in Brussels , was next exaamined , and testified to Pierri having deposited with her for a time a parcel which contained something metallic , with a hole in it , and of an oval shape . Pierri took this parcel with him when he departed for Paris . —M . Mechenheim confirmed this evidence , but said that the parcel seemed to him to be of a half-round shape . Some clerks in the Bank of England , in the house of Mr . Spielman , foreign banker , Lombard-street , and at Robarts ' s , gave evidence with respect to the alleged conspirators obtaining various large sums . in gold in exchange for notes . Two foreig-n witnesses were next examined , and strengthened the case against Bernard , Orsini , and Pierri , -with respect to their possession in Brussels of the grenades and pistols . Mrs . Harriet Fay , ! the person at whose house the Rudios lodged , confirmed ! the statements with respect to the visits paid by Bernard to the place . ' A great many French witnesses were then examined , I to establish the circumstances in connexion with the attempt of the 14 th of Januarj ' . Frederick Williamson , of the detective force , next related the facts attending the apprehension of Bernard at Bayswater ' on the 14 th of February . On the premises were found a pistol and a ' knuckle-duster . ' Bernard asked to be allowed to go up into his room , but was refused permission . —Cross-examined : " Did not Bernard say , ' If I have done any crime against the laws of England , I shall suffer for it ? ' "— " He did not . "— " Will you swear he did not ?"—" I believe he did not . "— " Will you swear he did not ?"— "I will not . "—" Did he not say , ' If you had been a French kidnapper , I would have shot y 0 U ?• » — » He did not . "— " Will you swear that ?"" I will . " A letter from Orsini was then read . It was dated Liverpool , April 7 , 1857 . It began " Dear Bernard , " and was signed " Felice . " It appeared chiefly to refer to the business of the lectures then being delivered by Orsini , aad the expenses connected with them , and particularly to one which he had delivered in Edinburgh . The writer added : —" The propaganda of tho Red and Company is progressing with extraordinary rapidity ; " and he added that Mazzini-was everywhere doing-a great deal of good to the cause . Two French police orlicers having proved that several francs were discovered on Gomez and Rudio on being arrested , the Attorney-General said that the case for the prosecution was complete . Mr . James thorn said : —" The first point which I venture to submit to be reserved for the opinion of the fifteen judges is , that tho prisoner is not one of her Majesty ' s subjects within tho moaning of tho 9 th of George IV ., cup . 81 , sec . 7 , which is the act that gives your Lordships jurisdiction to hold this special commission . The second point is , that tho prisoner was not an accessary before tho fact to nny murder within the meaning of tho uforosaid statute . The third is , that 1 hero ia no proof of nny murder having bcun committed within tho meaning of that statute . Tho fourth is , that the murder to which tlio prisoner U charged by indictment to huvo been accessary before the fact in proved to havo been committed by aliens upon uii ulien within the empire of Franco , nnd not by any of her Majesty ' s subjocta or upon any of bur Majesty ' s subjects . 1 ' iith , that no evidence of " any acts done by tho prisoner on land out of tho United Kingdom and without tho Queens dominions , or of any act done by uny person in pursuance of any authority from him on land out of tho United Kingdom and without tho Queen ' s dominions , was properlyHreoolvttbtoJ » jftyMoHjBU ^^ the principal ollbiioo oC murdur charged in the first three counts is not alleged to lmvo been committed by nnv of hor Majesty ' s subjects . Seventh , thut tho letter of tho 1 st of January , 1857 , signed 'T . Allsop , ' waa Improperly received in evidence against tho prisoner , luglith , that by tho special commission thin Court ia only authorized to inquire into and to try tho prisoner on tho ounrgo of boing an accessary before the faot to a
  
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  w&ffifr' '•"• ¦ . ¦ . ••¦ . •¦ ' : -: I No . 421 , April 17 , 1858 . ] THE LEA PER . 369
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- Leader (1850-1860), April 17, 1858, page 369, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2239/page/9/

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