Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-08-17
WHOLE NO. 93.

equally. Each member belongs 10 AT
ferent profession in lite. in order TO fur
tber their designs. From the lawyer.
doctor and minister they become pos
Esessed of secrets by which they levy
black mail from bankers. brokers and mer-
chants they keep cognizart of the con-
iition Of certain persons whom they may
wish to pick, either by ock-jobbing,
gambling, forging. OF house breaking ope-
rations. while from other members they
derive other useful information. They
are men who have sold themselves soul
and body 10 the devil and they do not
hesitate to shed blood when tits necessa-
ry to further their ends. The river
Seine, gorged as il is at all times with
human bodies, no doubt carries of many
of their victims to the sea.
One of the most curious operations OF
this Society was the manner which Il
adopted TO gain possession of the persons
| of females. An Office was opened in
fashionable quarter of the city for the os-
tensible purpose of making marriage con
tractsAa marriage brokerage IN re-
ality Il was conducted FOR the purpose OF
makino money out of tho male applis
cants. and something worse out Of female
applicants. Persons especially who have
| lived here and know the constitution OF
French society, viii see at q glance the
nature Of the operations OF this oiiice, SO
conducted, and by such a directofshlp.-
Two weeks ago, gentleman who had
been thoroughly heeced IN tins place,
both of money. and in spurious article
for a wife, took such -forcible measures
against them. that the police saw fit to
make descent upon the establishment,
when horrors were brought 10 light which
surpassesthe imagination The names
of hundreds of women were foundregis-
tered on the books, applicants Tor mar
risge, from every rank in society, even us
high up as Senator'S and Ministers
daughters. Evidences were brought TO
light, that almost every applicant, or at
least all such as were attractive, had be-
come the victims Of the band, instead OF
finding husband, and that in some in
stances private, and OF course false mar
I riapcs had been resorted 20, to effect the
object. Th. whole affair. thus managed
by a body oftwelye men, became as near
la self-keeping secret as any secret can be.
4 A large box full of letters were found,
principally from females, containing APP
Iplications for husbands, lovers, or occa-
sionalr friends, and with the true frankk
ness of French women, setting forth their
charms, their faults and, their condition,
! A well. known novelist has secured the
whole batch. have seen two of these
letters. and il they are a fair specimen OF
the whole, their publication would give
TO tho world the most complete cxposi-
ton of the subterranean curientof human
nature that has yet appeared. aa One of
them saws to the director that she is ee
years ofage, tall, handsome, and terribly
lin need of money she tells him, (confi-
dentiallyl that she has had three friends
! in her life, but can well pass for never lia-
wing had any, that IL he will'fnd her an
old or young fool. (though she hints
that old ones are the greatest foois) who
can advance hundred TO begin with, she
is ready 10 put her love and herahdelity
against the stake, &c.a HahHaeooBi Htfs
An American family. for some time
resident in Paris, has been thcyictims Of
the machinations Of this club in the most
affecting manner in which Rfamily can be
visited. The details. which sooner or
later must. by the force of ofcircumstanccs.
become public, will expose one Of the
most thrilling. and at the some time one
of the most atrocious romances IN real
life, which has ever seen the light. Itis
to be hoped that this band is about TO be
broken up, but in a city like this, il can
only give place 10 Others ofa similar
kind. ahiagsi isBla Il .na5sa
Four murders have been lately com
mitted about fifteen miles from this city,
near the Palace Of Versailles, which have
excited deep interest from the singular
circumstances attending them. They
were all executed on epublic highway.
on men walking along the road. and by
means Of hatchet, OF the same uniform
size. apparently. None Of the men were
robbed, and all Of them were Rcquaintan-
ces, which has gave rise 20 all sorts Of
surmises as 70 the cause of the deed
They were murdered at different periods
within the last two months, sssae
! After the second murder, a strange
man was arrested in the road, moi far
from where the murder was committed,
and only an hour after It's commission,
with bloody hatchet in his hand. which
exactly correspouded in size, 10 the cuts
on the murdered mans skull, Other
circumstances led the authorities 10 be-
lieve confidently that he was the guilty
man. He positively refused, and confin.
mes 10 refuse 70 say one word concerning
the matter. He will not give his name.
his residence or explain what lie was do
ing with the hatchet. while he maintains
the most naughty and sclfconiident air
Tuesday is market day in Versailles,
when two or three thousand persons
from the country around, collect in the
market places. The Judge ordered the
prisoner TO be ironed. and 70 be led, by
two cords, in the midst OF an escort OF
1 gendarmies, around all the market places