Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-03
TWO NOTABLE ASSASSINs.


execution, in Paris, of Charles Lemaire,
form one of the causes cele6res in the his
tory of criminals. Lemaine is the boy
of nineteen who killed widow, to whom
his father was engaged to be married.
On his trial, he confessed his crime, with
the most perfect GOODNESS, and stated
that he designed to kill two others. He
once said: MY father wished to marry;
and charged myself with giving him
nuptial benediction. The scatfold is the
touchstone of courage; try me and see
if it can affect me with single shiver OF
fear"
On the morning of his execution, he
was informed that his time had come.
"Ahl" said he, it is well. Here, at
last, is the end have so long expected;
| have been here since eight days" After
having risen and half dressed himself, he
solicited of his keepers, says French
letter, permission de ,faire une opera
ton qui, dit IL ne peut etre remiSe r
Among his last utterances were some
that afford key to his character. He
said: 90 In ten days more | should be
twenty years of age" and "as for me, |
shall die on the scaffold, and my crime
will make me immortal.
When, to these final utterances, we
couple the fact that his victim was one
against whom he had not a particle of
enmity; that be contemplated the mur-
der of others equally innocent of ofense
that he confessed and glories in his
crime and insisted upon condemnation
that he eagerly anticipated death, and,
| finally, wien he stood face to face with
it in the gloom and chill of a March
morning, he regarded the skeleton and
submitted to its embraces without
trace of fear-we must conclude that
Lemaire was one of the most remarkable
criminals known of record, and that, as
such, his character is worth examina-
ton.
We think that the advent of j. Wilkes
Booth marked the beginning of new
era in crime 1t is well known, or, at
least, believed, that Booth contemplated
assassination or some great crime, not
as means of carrying out political
wish or to avenge political wrongs, but
to secure renown. Nobody can believe
for mement that he had any personal
ill.wil against his victim. No dispas-
sionate person can believe that he was
the instrument of political conspiracy.
He alone organized the plot; and while
he secured few subordinates as neces-
sary accompices, he reserved to himself
the position of the grand central figure
leading actor-in the tragedy which he
contemplated.
The cases Of Lemaire and Booth mu-
tually throw light upon each other. The
utterances of Lamaire, subsequent to
his crime, show that his ruling passion
was vanity Mon Gfaire aura an
qrand reimbursement" Such was his
final utterance. Booth once intimated
to prominent theatrical manager IN
this city that Immortality awaited the
man who should kill the President He
remembered and applied the renown
which clings to the destroyer of Diana's
temple.
The cases of Booth and Lamsire seem
TO prove that new class Of crime IS
making its appearance, 1t is a crime
which seeks notoriety at an expense the
most enormous and dreadful Vanity
lay at the root of the crimes of both OF
these men. As such things are conta-
cious, it is not illogical to prophesy that
they will have their imitators. Antici-
pating such an increase, there ought to
be some method of providing remedy.
There is, perhaps, no Complete remedy.
In this age of enterprising and com
peting journalism, the criminal who
seeks notoriety through assassination is
sure of the object of his search. Journal
ism confers upon him the desired i'm
mortality; and priests give him free
pass to eternal glory. With the prospect
of everlasting happiness above, and ever
lasting renown below, there are strong
inducements for vain souls TO commit
some such atrocity as that undertaken
by Booth and Lamaire. = Chicago Times