Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-16
THE ASSASSIN OF TEE PAS De CALAIS
A Remark able Series Of Crime.

THE ASSASSIN OF TEE PAS De CALAIS
a Remarkable Series Of Crime,
CONCLUDED
The machinery Of the law was imme
diately put into action, to perservc a sur
veillance over the movements and pro
ceedines of De Vernelle. 1t was foun,
that he was living in an apartment at
house near the Barricre de lEtoile; tina
he was in the habit of coming into tn
city in the afternoon of every day, an,
returning home very late, sometime
several hours past midnight; that he wa
constant freguenter of some of tn
gambling houses in the streets branchin,
from the Bouleyards; that sometimes hi
means appeared to be ample, and others
for weeks together, he was extremel,
poor, having hardly sufficient to procur,
him the necesSaries of life. 1t was fount
also that he had been endeavoring to sci
his property IN the country, but as ye
he had not been able to find purchaser
in consequence of the dilapidation ant
disorder to which it had been brought b,
years of neglect. Altogether, it was as
certained that he was living an irregula,
life, and that at the present time, his af
fairs were in anything but satisfactor,
state. NJ. Perrault, dressed in tie COS
tune ola fashionable idler, and disguise,
by pair of blue spec1acles, paid sundr,
visits to the hells frequented by De Yer
nclle, for the purpose of watching bis be
havior and the character of his associates
At three o'clock one morning, he saw hin
leave one of these places in company
with three or four others. There haC
been some strangers at the tables durin.
the ight, and, in consequence the habitue,
lad met with some luck. De Vcrnell,
was unusually gay, and laughed and
talked with his companions incessantly
As they were going out into the street, 8
handsomely dressed young woman stepped
INTO the house. "Ah. Aspasie is com,
to look after me ~ cried one of the group
"Au Diable :" exclaimed De Vernelle.
stepping forward with an air of mimic
bravado, and offering the female his arm
lit is for me she comes. Aspasie is o
lady of discernment 20 "No. no." re.
turned the woman, shrinking from him,
with an air of absolute aversion: Il d,
not like dreamers, especially when the,
talk all night long of bleeding throats ant
and bark like dogs" "Ah, ah =" laughed
De Vernelle, grimly; "to be sure tn,
nightmare is a very disagreeable sort q
thing; but it does not remain always will
one-only at times-only at times" H,
spoke somewhat confusedly, and thousl
he laughed loudly and affected greai
amusement at Aspasie's serious look, h,
soon became silent and distracted, an6
walked away presently, his head droop.
ing upon his breast. NJ. Perrault eau
tiously followed him, keeping at som,
distance, and on the other side of the way
All along the Boulevard, and up III,
avenue of the Champs Elysees, he kept
him in sight. There was somethins
in the appearance and behavior of th,
strange, friendless being which excites
the professional instincts of the agent O
police. He still preserved the broken
down look which had settled upon him a,
he left the gaming house, and walked al
the way at a slow, sluggish, dreamy pace
Once or twice he stopped for full minute
and turning his pale, haggard face thi.
way and sAat, looked eagerly on all sides
Favored by the trees, however, NJ. Per
rault managed always to keep himsel
concealed. .l-
De Vernelle was not far from the hous,
in which he lived when be stopped i,
this manner for the last time. As before
he looked around him. Seeing no on
and hearing no sound, te proceeded t,
scratch about, and presently picked up
broad flat stone. Then going beneatl
one Of the trees, where the soil was sof
and damp, he commenced scooping hol,
in the ground. He worked with grea
ea gerness, aiding the stone with bis
foot, and in very short time had succeed
ed in turning over two or three pound.
of earth. He then took from his poeke
a purse, apparently heavily laden, ;
gold watch from his fob, ring from hi.
finger, and a brooch from his cravat
These he put into the hole pressing then
down with all his strength, and thcr
replaced the earth carefully, and stampe,
and scuffed over the place to give it a
much as possible the same appearanc,
as the rest of the walk. After this, h
flung away the stone he had used, in sue
a direction that nj. Perrault narrowl,
escaped receiving a heavy blow. With
long, deep cash, like groan of agon,
and desperation, he continued to wal
slowly ON, tearing some small pieces {
paper into very minute fragments, an
! scattering them about as he went. Pres
| entity he took off his hat, crushed it be
tween bis hands, and flung it away int
the road-ur buttoned and threw open hi
coat and waistcoat-tore his cravat $
that it hung down from his neck, an
broke open his shirt front apparent
endeavoring to put himself into as vic
lent state Of disorder as possible. TIL
done, he took small pistol from h
pocket, and went, with hurried and pr
cipitate steps, into the middle of n
road, where, after seuifling and scran;r
about the dust with his feet he ssa
rs LIS .szlIGHo5zsI haE assf.aiss- M sltSl