NARROW ESCAPE or A PORTUESE LIBERAL—The following is an extract
of a letter received by a resident in this city (Hereford) from a gentleman of Gloucester, who has lately visited Oporto, and who humanely saved the life of a re. spectable merchant of that devoted town :—" You have probably heard that while we lay at Oporto, my vessel afforded shelter to an unfortunate gentleman, who had nearly fallen into the power of the agents of that blood-hound Miguel. For three days I concealed the fugitive between two pipes of wine in the hold ; in this situation we were unable to convey any food to him, and were obliged to watch for the moment in which we could safely give him a little wine, by placing the spout era tea-pot in the aperture of the boards. You may imagine our anxiety for our prisoner, especially while the police were visiting us ; they searched the cabin and every other part of the vessel, except the right one ! and thank God we effected our escape. During our stay at Oporto there were ten most respectable men decapitated, because they were suspected. The manner in which they were executed exhibits a picture of refined barbarity. They were dragged together to the place of execution, where they suffered consecutively ; thus forced to witness the savage exultation which would again be exercised when they should he immolated by the officers of justice to this modern Nero. Among the ten who were beheaded were the partner and book-keeper of the friend whom I saved ; judge then of his chance of escape. had not my vessel presented to him the means of concealment."—Hereford Journal.
STORM AT ROURDEAUX.—On Saturday week, a dreadful hurricane was experienced at Bourdeaux. The destruction of property was immense. In the valley of the Medoc no less than 10,000 pipes of wine are said to have been destroyed. The estimated damage is twenty millions of francs.
ROMANTIC MI/RUM—Some time since, the French papers gave an account of a murder committed on the person of a young girl, Catherine Gimrdot by her lover, Jean Baptiste Floriot, who, after shooting her with a pistol, turned its fellow against his own head, but was saved by the ball glancing from the skull. The deceased was much attached to Floriot, but, with a degree of self-devotion rarely witnessed, had been induced to decline his addresses in favour of a wealthier person, named Pitnis, purely out of regard to a poor and infirm mother and a young sister. Floriot being only a journeyman weaver, and knowing himself unable to support Catherine and her family, had most reluctantly acquiesced in the Measure, and, as appeared in evidence on his trial, which has just taken place at Chaurnont, even spent some hours tranquilly in company with his mb,tress and his happier rival on the very evening when the fatal act took place. At half-past ten he left the house, and was proceeding homeward, when he was most -unfortunately recalled by the sister of the deceased, who voluntarily offered to procure him a last interview with her who was the next day to be another's. It was indeed the last ! All the excitement which the unhappy young man had before with difficulty smothered returned with added violence, and in a moment of frenzy the crime was perpetrated. When placed at the bar. Floriot attempted neither denial nor defence. The fatal verdict was pronounced, and sentence of death passed upon him. At this moment the interest which his case has excited in all classes reached its height, the Jury rose, and in a body recommended the criminal to mercy : a letter, signed by all their names, was subsequently transmitted to the members of the deputation, requesting their intercession with the King; and one of the lcadingadvocates of the Court has since drawn up a memorial to the Crown, in which the mental aberration of Floriot at the moment of the deed is strongly insisted on. As its belle pinion is considered an excuse for every thing in France, a commutation of punishment is expected.
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