The Van Buren press., 1866-08-04
MlSCElLANY.
Career of a Murdoyess.


iinement ut Mazas, 1.-THE Paris Toombs) J
awaiting his trial for the preparation of
eighteen assassinations. The patrons of
our melo dramatic theatres complain that
the authors who cater to their peculiar
tastes, are deficient in imagination, and
are continually serving up to them the
same old play, with the same old incl
lsmts OF plot, only .rckashcd and trans
posed, with no more than change of IT,
tie. SO ii is with the Grimes of real life,
as well as those of the mimic scene
there is nothing new under the sun. The
wretch Probost no doubt seems to you in
America the most fcrocious incarnation
Of the sanguinary villain; but the French
man Philippe far outstrips in fagitous
cruelty the German assassin Of Philadel-
phia, and even Philippe is but plaigary
50 far as the number of his victims is
concerned, of a woman in Paris who sig
nalizcd herself in Paris, during the rule
of the Directory. One day, at the peri
cd mentioned, the proprietor of fur
nished hotel in the Rue dc rUnivcrsitie,
appeared before the Minister Of Police,
and informed that functionary that a muir
der had just been committed in his (the
hotel -kceper's) house. On the previous
evening, he said, a stranger had taken a
room, stating his residence to be Melun,
and his purpose to spend two or three
days in Paris. After ordering his bag
gage to be carried to his apartment, the
new conner went out giving notice that he
was going to the Odeon Theatre, and
should not return to the hotel until the
termination of the performance. Near
midnight he re-appcared, accompanied by
a young and very pretty woman, dressed
in male attire, who, he said, was his wife.
The next morning, at an early hour, the
pretended spouse left the house request
ing that her husband might not be distur.
bed until her return, which would be in
about an hour. At noon she was stillab-
sent, and hearing nothing stirring in the
room occupied by the gentleman from
Mclun, the landlord began to feel upea-
sy, and raped at the strangers door.
Receiving no answer from within, the hO-
tel-keepcr sent for duplicate key to the
apartment, upon entering which the un
fortunate man was found lifeess in his
bed. A doctor was hastily summoned,
lwho, after brief examination of the
body, declared that death had been pro-
duccdb by blow on the left temple, in
tlicted by means Off blunt instrument.
1t was evident that the assassination had
been committed by the woman in male at
tire, and every effort was made by the
police to discover her whereabouts, but
Intellectually. A month subsequently an
other murder was perpetrated under sim
liar circumstances, except that Oh this oc-
casion the victim, also traveller, had
gone to his room quite alone, AT a la
ter hour, however, an effeminate- looking
young man came down stairs, and was let
out by the porter of the hotel. who re.
membered the fact on the following NOR
ming, when the crime was discovered.
This affair caused great excitement in
Paris, and rcdoubled cxertions were made
by the police to ferret out the mysterious
assassin, but still without result. Eleven
days aftcrward q third victim perished in
the same manner as the preceding two,
and in the course of a few months, no less
than twenty men lost their lives by means
so exactly identical that no doubt was
entertained that the murderous blows
were all inflicted by the same hand.
Stung to the quick, Fouche, the Minister
of Police, set all his spies to work, and
offered large reward for the discovery
of the authors of these unparalleled
crimes.
One evening certain B., q member OF
the Secret Police, but who had the ap-
pearance Of q provincial gentlemen, was
passing through narrow street Of the
City, when he encountered q handsome,
equivocal looking youth, Is. stopped,
turned, and said to himself, "That's q
woman in male garb. II it should be
she!'
At the same moment tho handsome
stranger turned and smiled encourag-
ingly.
"rhat settles the question:" murmured
the delighted spy, Now, if ] manage
things cautiously, my fortune is made" +"
And retracing his steps, he accosted the
unknown:
~ have something very particular to
say to YOU" whispered B.. with know
ing leer, but it Is not possible for us to
talk freely in the. public street Might !
not invite you to accompany me to my
hotrl ~