Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-04-13
L A DY G UIL FOR #.
TALE OF TERROR.

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TALE OF TERROR.
The following story is derived from the au-
thentic work of NJ. Peuchet. Les .frchires de la
Police de Paris. The period to which the mar
rative refers is that of the reign of Louis XIV.
Monsieur de la Regnie had filed for several
years, to the general satisfaction, the func-
tions OF Lieutenant General of Police, when
on sudden, terror spread itself through Pa
ris in consequence of the extraordinary disap-
pearance of several persons. In the course of
four months twenty six y oung men, the young
est seventeen, and the oldest twenty five years
of age, had been spirited away from their in
cOnSoable families. The most eXtravagant
and contradictory rumors in circulation
upon the subject, particularly in the Faubourg
st. Antoine, which had to deplore the loss of
four or live young men, the sons of rich and
respectable upholsterers residing in that quar-
ter oil the city. Among other goSsiping sto-
ries whispered about upon this subject, it was
pretended that princess, who was suffering
from dangerous liver complaint, had been
advised by some foreign charlatan or quack
doctor, to make use from time to time, a
means of cure, of a bath of human blood, and
that the unfortunate missing persons had been
inundated for the purpose. Another equally
horrible surmise was, that they had been made
away with by the Jews, who, out of hatred and
derison of the crucified Messiah, were accus-
toned to put Christians to death upon the
Cross. Fortunately for the poor Jews, this
latter opinion took no hold of the public mind.
Whatever the secret cause of these disap-
pearances might have been. terror and desola-
tion reigned in Paris. The Duke de Gevres
having mentioned the facts to the King his
Majesty sent for the Lieutenant General of
Police, and rcproached him with suffering the
existence of such a system of kidnapping,
which, in all likelihood, he added, must have
been followed by violent deaths, as none of
wards. Monsieur de la Rcgnie, in despair at
the displeasure of his Majesty, returned in
very bad humor to Paris, and sent Immediate
iy for one OF his most experienced agents,
named Lecoq, man whose services on many
difficult occasions he had good reason to value.
To him he made known The embarrassment in
which he found himself told him of the king s
answer, and held out to him the prospect of so
great reward that Lecoq, carried away by
his cupidity, exclaimed, s'Ah, monsigneurI
that, in order to take you out of trouble,
/ must renew the sacrifice of Abraham. | ask
you to allow me eight days, in which time l
hope to give you good account of the at
fair-' Lecoq said no more; and Monsieur de
Ia Regnie, who looked upon him as his best
agent, dismissed him with a sign which gave
him to understand that he had at his disposal
all the resources of the police. At that time
it was the custom in the police department to
make of mute signs extraordinary oc-
casons of this kind, the meaning of which
was known only to the principal and most con-
fdential agents.
Lecoq, who was not married, had natural
son, TO whom he was greatly attached, and o.
yer whose conduct and education be carefully
watched. This lad, called by his companions
L'Eveille from the pre- cociousness and spright-
illness of his disposition, was gifted with no
common intelligence. Though little more
than sixteen years of age, nature had not only
given him reason beyond his years. but had
also been prodigal to him of external gifts.
Young Eecoq, besides possessing handsome
face, was tall, and so we'll and strongly formed,
that he looked more like man of five-and-
twenty than a youth of sixteen. L'EveIlle,
whose real name was Exupere. obtained from
his father all that could fatter the vanity of a
young man for his handsome person was al
ways set off by costly and modish clothes.
He, however, quilted the house but seldom,
for the elder Lecoq knew but too well the dam
ger to which handsome young men like his
son were exposed in the streets of Paris; and
on the rare occasions when Exupere was al
lowed to go abroad, he was always accompa-
MED by one the other of the police spies
whom his father had at his back.
Lecoq, on returning from his interview with
Monsieur de la Regnie, shut himself up with
his son, and had long conversation with him.
In the afternoon of that day, Exupere was
seen quitting the house alone, and splendidly
dressed. Around his nat ana suspehoeu from
his neck were gold chains; he wore two
watches; and, from the chinking of his purse
as he walked, it was evident that it was filled
with good broad pieces of gold coin. But
what still more surprised the neighbors for
the profession of the elder Lecoq was unknown
TO them,) was to see the handsome and finely
dressed L'Eveille go and return home several
times during four consecutive days, without
being accompanied, as had always been the
case before, by his uncle Gin reality his faith
err or some friend 1t has been already sta
ted that L'Eveille, besides the remarkable
comeIiness of his face and person, was endow-
ed with lively intellect, courage, prudence,
and saroir fare The confidential converse
tion he had with his father had awakened MS
ambition; and he easily understood that ne
might acquire both honor and pront shoulu ne H
succeed in discovering, for the Lieutenah!-
s. General Of Police, the cause OF the extraoful'
nary disappearance of so many young persons
Accordingly, in the rich dress penlllns
young man of family, he walked apous .h .ne
streets, on the quays, in the gardens Oh tne
Tuileries and Luxembourg. and IN the oahs
des Pas Perdus at the Palaise de Justice, anu
in the galleries of that vast edifce, then .
favorite haunt of the gay and idle among the
Parisians.
Lecoq the elder had conjectured that the
young men who had disappeared had beer
ensnared to their ruin by the seductive charms
of some frai beauty and he foresaw that, 10y