Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-23

|. The Paris correspondent of The New
York Times, 10 his latest letter furnishes
the following history of one Of the most
fendish wretches Of the age. We copy
|, The wretch lProbst, no doubt, seems to
you, in America, the. most ferocious in
carnation Of the sanguinary villain; but
THE Frenchman, Philippe, far outstrips
Hin Aagitious cruelty the German assassin
of Philadelphia, aud even Philippe him
selflis but ~ plagiary, soiar as thenu
Der OF his unfortunate victims is con
cerned, of woman who signalized her
iself in Paris during the rule Of the Direc-
|itory " A ~ { ~ &hN "
One day, at the period mentioned, the
proprietor of furnished hotel in the Rue
de rUniversite, appeared before the Min
lister of Police, aud Informed that func-
stionary that a murder had been commit
ted 10 his. (hotel keeper 81 house. On
the previous evening, he said, a stranger
had taken room, stating his residence
to be Melun, and his purpose to spend
two or three days inlParis. After order
ling his baggage TO be carried to his
apartment, the newcomer went out, Civ
ling notice that he was going to the Odeon
Theatre, and should not return to the
hotel until the ,termlnation of the per-
Iformance. Near Aidnight be feappeared,
accompanied by young and very
pretty woman, dressed in male attire,
who, he said, was his wife.
X The next morning, at an early hour,
the pretended sposa left the house, re-
questing that her husband might not be
disturbed until her return, which would
be in about an hour At noon she was
still absent and hearing nothing stirring
in her room occupied by the gentleman
from Melun, the landlord began to feel
uneasy,l and raped at the strangers
door. Receiving no answer from within,
the hotel keeper sent for duplicate key
to the apartment, upon entering which
the unfortunate man was found lifeless
in his bed A doctor was hastily sum.
moned, who, after brief examination of
the body, declared that death had been
produced by blow on the left temple,
inflicted by means Of blunt instrument
1t was evident that the assassination
had been committed by the woman in
male attire, abd every effort was made
BY the police to discover her whereabouts,
but Incidentally A month subsequently
another murder was. committed under
similar circumstances, except that on
this occasion the victim, also traveller,
had gone to his room quite alone. At
later hour. however, an effeminate- look
ing young man came down stairs, and
was let out by the porter Of the hotel, who
remembered the fact on the following
morning, when the crime was discovered.
This affair created great excitement in
Paris, and redoubled exertions were
made by the police to ferret out the
mysterious assassin, bat still without re-
suit Eleven days afterwards, a third |
victim perished in precisely the same
manner as the proceeding two, and in
the course Of few months, no less than
twenty men lost their lives by means so
exactly identical that no doubt was en- !
tertained that the murderous blows were !
all inflicted by the same hand. 40
( Stuhg to tie quick, Fouche, the Minis |
ter OF Police, set all his spies al work, |
md offered a large reward for the discov- /
cry Of the author OF these unparalleled I
crimes it. -1.r1
One evening certain b., mem
Der Of the secret police who had the
appearance Of provincial gentleman,
was passing through a narrow street OF
The Cite, when he encountered a hand
some, equiyocal looking youth, B.
stopped turned, and said 10 himself |
! That q woman in male garh list
should be. she r.
At the same time the handsome stran- /
ger also turned, and smiled an .encour,
aging smile.
~ That settles the question, mnrmnred
The delighted spy =. Now, II manage \
ihings cautiously, my fortune is made,