Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-07-14
A Strange Story ''fcom thelFfench." ?"

An extraordinary tale grayely told
by Peuchet in his ''iamoireS Tires deS
Archives de In Police" has just been
made the subject of Il drama at one Of
the Boulevard theatres, unicr the title
of "Syrene de Paris" NJ the tim,
when IL. de- IN Reynie was Lieutenant
General of police under Louis XIV, Il
GREAT sensation was caused at Paris by
the mysterious disappearance of not
fewer than 26 young men, aged from
L. to25, belonging to noble ani wealth.
families. Among the common peo-
9,le the report was spread that the
youn. men had been murdered by
foreign princess, in order that she
might take baths Of their blood to cure
herself of a liver complaint! The mat
ter at last became SO serious shat Louis
XIV complained Of it to NJ de In Rey-
ME, anI the latter consulted one Of his
ablest agents named Lecoq. This per
son at once suspected that the young
men mnst have fallen into some snare
set for them bv female charms and he
employed natural son OF his own, q
handsome and Intelligent yonn5 man,
to try and discover the mystery. This
youug man, whose name was Exupcrc.
was sent splcndilly dressed every day
to the Tuileres, the palace Royale,
and the Luxembourg, were the palaces
of fashionable resort. At length he
saw in the Tuieries young woman of
marvilous beauty, attended by an aged
female, and his looks expressed his ad-
niration.
She seemed far from displeased, and
at length her attendant, accosted him,
said that she was polish princess OF
the name of Jabirouska, immensely
rich, and as she was much struck by
him, she would perhaps allow him to
viset her. Tue young man declared
that he had conceived a violent passion
for the lady, and after some conversa-
ton the attendant told him that if at
nine o'clock at night he would present
himself in front of the church of St.
Germain Z Auxerrois, she would meet
him and take him to her mistress. The
young man of course told Lecoq of
shis, and in the evening the latter
caased several of his men to be placed
in such way as not to lose sight of
Exnpere, and in the event Of his incur
ing any danger, to be able to render
him assistance. At the appointed
hour the young man was at the rem
devious, aud the old woman joined him
there. She wanted to bandago his
eyes, but he refused to let her do SO.
She then led him by various obscure
streets, to the Rue des Crtevres, and
there introduced him into small house
near the Chapel ST. Eloi. After walk
ing along dark corridor, the young
man was introduced into q sumptuous
furnished room, in which he found the
beautiful foreigner. She received him
so kindly that he forgot to give Lecoq
outside a signal which had been agreed
on.
After while the lady retiered, and
the young man, proceeding to examine
the room, found behind a screen a
glass case in which were 26 mems
heads, each placed in silver dish, and
each so skillfuly enbalmed that it re-
tanned the appearance of life H.
started back with horror but at the
same moment a whistle outside was
heard, being the signal of Lecoq, and
in few seconds after, the windows
were forced open. and the officer and
his men who had assembled the ladders,
jumped into the room. The soi disalat
princess, hearing the noise rushed into
the apartment, followed by four fe-
xocio US looking bandits but the police