The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-16

of her husband, to read the forged letters
which he was writing her, who informed hel
that it was not her husbands writing, he haC
the audacity to tell her the tale of the wounded
wrist, which compelled the employment OF on
amanuensis. In short, that, growing boldel
| by success and impunity he went on from ono
step to another until he had knocked the entire
family on the head, and was prepared to fly tc
America, armed with all their evidences Of
property. Once there, he would, under the
name of Jean Kinck, forward to France powers
of attorney, accompanied by title deeds, for the
sale of the Kinck estates, and cause the pro-
ceeds to be remitted to him.
1t seems impossible that he. and he only, Is
guilty of these stupendous crimes but 1t Is
| not at all improbable. Although described In
appearance as an insignificant looking young
fellow of some eighteen or twenty years OF
age with dark hair, a sallow and muddy COM
plexion, and an aversion from regular and solid
| industry, he nevertheless possesses great phys
ical strength In moments OF nervous excite
ment, and Is, to the last degree, selfconceited
and consequential, vain of his person, proud
of his superior intellectually. The physicians
| called on by the authorities to examine his
mental and physical condition have pronounced
him entirely sound in mind and body, and
probably endowed with extraordinary gifts of
muscular and nervous capacity in moments of
passionate excitement. Their verdict Is con-
firmed by his own record. At the age Of sew
enteen, when O maddened COW rushed
ramping through the streets OF his VII
lage and the whole population had fled IN
fear to their dwellings, he sprang upon the
beast, seized her by the horns, ana Threw
her vanquished to earth. So much for his
strength of body. For his strength of mind,
it must suffice to say that, although he is des-
cribed as about as vulgar and ill-conditioned
little whelp rs ever was swamped in the dirtiest
ditch of manufacturing town, he has always
valued himself upon his comeliness. inc
Simon Tappertit of Dickens, the Tittleoat
Titmouse in ''Ten Thousand Year" may give
some idea of this young gentleman. Stunted
in person. repulsive in countenance, he i'm
agined himself as the most beautiful and brave
Of mankind. He Stunned the society OF his
fellow-workmen because of mis- self-attrlbuted
mental superiority. while thoy in turn rdi-
cued his pretentiousncss. and IN derlSion
nicknamed him "Mademolselle Traupmann."
There is something about the character OF
this wretched little monster Wnlch strongly
suggests q simitude to that Of Macmillan
Robespierrre; the same fatuous self-conceit,
the same over-weening self-confidence, the
same entire and litter disregard OF blood-spill-
ing. and the same cowardice, seem to exhibit
themselves as the prominent traits OF D0th
Ny own opinion is that Traupmann had &C
complices in the commission OF his crime. But
/ cannot consent to the arguments OF those
self, contend that it is unnatural to suppose
that one man could have committed so many
as eight murders, and that Of the seven OF
these eight which have so far been traced TO
the corpses of the slain, the wounds should
have been so numerous, so needless, so VIM
dictive. These arguments do not require TO be
met by any labOred refutation. The current
history of French crime furnishes parallels for
each supposed incongruty. Still, adhere TO
my opinion that Traupmann was not alone IN
the crime of which he was probably the origin
ator and contriver think that If ever the
truth be known, 1t will be shown that
he had comrades, and that these COM
ades were OF his own class and coun-
trymen And the system of French justice
is of such q nature that 1t Is altogether un-
likely that anything that wit of man can dis
cover should remain concealed. For instance,
take the case of this prisoner Traupmann:: He
is in q double cell at MaZas-a double cell being
simply two cells thrown into 0nc-and he Is
never for one moment left alone. Usually two
of his fellow prisoners are his companions.
Their business is to talk with him, make
friends with hlm--pump him, In short, and
%heii yShc their err place. Every tW9 or three Keepers
nn officer pops In with some carelluiy codisiu- da
cred but abruptly delivered question, and de-
monds. and generally receives, reply. Every
thing that the prisoner says Is put down at
once. and everything that he has said IS well
weighed In connection not only with ITSELF DllC
with what else may be known or suspected,
and If d fresh clue can be imagined, IL Is III
stantly pursued. All this Is SO utterly repug
nant to our system of criminal justice, ana
TO that of England, that at first blush 1t In
snired amazement scarcely less than disgust
Yet it works well. Some one has said that Eng
land was the best and France the worst place In
ali the world for guilty man to be tried In.
am not sure but that the assertion Is correct.
In England the law Is administered iOr tne
protection of the possibly innocent accused.
In France 1t is administered ior tne punlsn-
ment of the probably guilty. Imagine, now
ever. for one moment, how New YORK court
of Justice would receive the evidence (tor eyl-
dence more or less 1t undoubtedly ls) to De de-
duced from the circumstances OF Tralpmann S
conformation at the MOiSue with the corpse
of Gustave Kinck, which he had no IDEA hau
vet been found. His defence all along nad
been that he himself was out tooi IN tIe
hands of father and son, and he was utterly
IGNORANT of the spectacle to which ne was
a6ont TO be presented. The sight was too
much for him; he covered his eyes, ilrst win
his hands. then with his handkerchief, and
nearly tainted away.
"Oh. the poor fellow !" at last he muttered.
"Comc," said the officer" take away tnat
handkerchief and look at the body. You nave ave,
no need to pretend to weep over II. Do you
recognize the corpse?"
.'Yes, do. 1t is Gustave.",, :.
"A And il was YOU who killed him, was It
nosss .tys emo; did not His father must have
killed Rim for fear that his youth and his con-
| science might have led him 10 talk about thc
crime that they had commtted.
WWell. we'llsee about that" replied the off,
cial Wbut Won know we can't believe your
word" ,,,.,
"Oh - saliloquized Traupmann," "lf could
only be in his place J"
SIN whose place ?" o. ,o,d
Traupmann was here wise enough W n1iu .I'II
his tongue, and made no answer 10 this
adroitly-put question.
"Answer me-"
But no answer came.
Then the official tried another tack.
1tYou have written to your father!'
Yes" oo.,.
"Your last letter was on Monday. the 2oth.'
Likely enough" o,
1.-THE very day of the murder!
No reply. .,,o,
"And You sent him lot of money on thai
day. Did you not?'
| Noreply.
iBut You must answer me y
swell, did. Now do not ask me anoIhei
question, for won't say announcer "oia, Ie
| turned Traupmann. And everything luaI is
had said then and there Will, WIN eVerytnlns
of any relevancy that he mas said anywI,ert
else, be serviceabe in evidence against Mn
when he comes to stand his TRIAL: IL IS prooa
Bile that an American court would pronounce
all such testimony inadmissiDle, on the grouht
of its having been obtained from tlle accused
+t,nn ,n1tr Ot