Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-09
The Art Detective.

Il He Ara OCACCNANOs
Paris correspondence New York Herald
In Paris there is an art studied and
carried to 8 perfection unknown in any
other country l mean the art detective,
in the practical application Of criminal
jurisprudence. As a medical man, NJ.
T3dieu has accomplished in this respect
reA Amiraclas, tracing out the most mys-
teriSus and hidden crimes by indications
which remind one of the scent of the
savage or the inscrutable tact which he
displays in hunting a victim. This
difficulty in tracing crime, and its sue
cessful results, forms the greatest part OF
the interest which pOpularly attaches to
evil deeds and now that a murderer Is
more easily detected than of old, Grim
inals 20 more warily to work, and the
result is more terrible and more romantic
crimes than ever. There is preserved in
the Office of e COur d'assises de Cal
vados, a handkerchief which once IN
such an affair, cost two men their lives.
l will give the story as told in news
paper, Several years ago in Can the
shop of jeweler was robbed. The poor
man surprised them, gave chase, and
was brutally murdered by them in the
street. Everything was done to detect
the criminals without avail. The great
Detective Melin, who brought Char
pentier from America, tried and failed.
There was at Cen a central eommissaire
of police, q Monsieur Ducheylard,
brother-in-law of the Duke Of Malakof,
and this man applied bimself steadily to
the work. The thieves had left a jimmy
(rossigaoD, a simple iron bar, and a
handkerchief.
Some time after Monsieur Duchey-
lard found that in a low drinking house,
where rooms were aise hired. two men
had entered themselves as August
Chemist. merchant, from Mulhouse, and
Jean Graft, merchant, from Strasburg.
Their passports were perfectly right.
r Still it seemed strange to NJ. Duchey-
lard that two merchants, respectable
men, should board at such /" crib as
this was. Something was wrong. At
any rate 81 it would do no harm to take a
look" The writer once knew detec-
tive-a master of his art-gho always
had this phrase on his lips. So he took
a book. He found out the girl who
washed for these men, and showing her
the Handkerchief. asked her if she had
ever seen it before. She recognized 1t
at once as the property Of oBe of them,
even to a stain and a mend" The
clue vas obtained, and the men were ar
rested. Others we're engaged with them
all were caught in different parts OF
Paris, and the two we're guillotined.
No less singular is a case probably
without parallel. For two years past
the police in Paris we're accustomed to
receive notes in a carefully disguised
female hand, pointing out certain male
factors, or indicating crimes which were
contemplated or had been committed
Frequent intimations were given thai
the letters would be discontinued if any
effort should be made to discover the
writer, and places indicated where an
swers might be sent. This unknown
seemed to throw her whole heart into
the business, supplying the police witt
a cypher for the letters and aiding then
in every way. a circumstance at last
made it necessary for this eccentric
amateur detective to reveal herself Il
/ the chef de Ia police She proved to b
a young woman of excellent family anC
education, but whose uncomfortable tast'
for profigacy had thrown Eer continu
ally among the yilest associates. 4 keel
sense of right and wrong had, however
rendered her miserable, and caused fire.
qHent fits Of remorse, until she resolved
to do good by Furnishing the crime
which frequently came tG her knowledge
and to this end she had eonsecrated al
her energies and talents which ver
really wonderful. 81 She was the mos
wonderful woman | ever met said N,
informant. "She was as bold as an
man, as crafty as any woman, and as tru
as steel" From the day in which sh
became known TO the police she wa
never again heard of. Not that she wa
found out and murdered by criminals
but that she could no longer carry o
her strange work in such complete Sc
crecy as before.