Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-01-26
A Human Tiger ana whOlcsHi" MUIR
derer.

Prom the London Times OF December 2l
All are familiar with the stories oil the
man.eatInR tiger Of India. But now, from
France comes fearful record For some
time past one or two quiet agrlcuitural Nila'
ges between Boulonge and Calais seem 10
ha ne been kept IN state of constant alarm
by mysterious series oil outrages lhesh'
diary fires, robbenes, attempts 10 murusI,
actual murders, accompanied with brutal
nn,,laiione. were perpetrated year alter year
and month after month. The criminal
aIler each outrage, conirlved 10 retreat IN
oberved 10 his lair, but at length lIlnlnR
coincidence in connection with one OIL tue
robberies. threw suspicion upon the guilty.
person who has so long been the scourge OIL
the neighbOrs. ....
old when, in 1854, he was In service a. sse
farmhouse of Selles, and had won eohu'
dence bv his quiet conduct and regular
habits and since that date he IS believed 10
have perpetrated at least twenty'sevth
crimes many Of them OF the deepest dye
Tha dets d'dccusati0n will be iounu, as
usual in France, TO pretent vivid picture
of this career Of maignity, but lne ptlelest
and most prosaic summary IS sumclenuy up,
Mailing. In the autumn OF 1864, some STACKS
~ hrsns a house and shed, and again
some farm buildings, were on lhIee oSeas
ATOMS burnt down. No motive is assigned
in these instances, but the accident OF lie
mcttre having been seen near the spot, an1
anerward denying il, threw on him grave
suspicion, from which, however, he wa
protected by his general good character
Early in the next year, the farmhouse
the man who bad suspected him was orohel
into. and an attempt was made 10 sci II OF
Arc. and 1t may be presumed that IN al
these cases fire had been employed In orde
10 cover tho robbery. Lemettres masle
then died, and the history passes over a.
interval Of two years. Lemette, however
seems To have remained in the service oil hi
masters widow, and when in 1887, she wa
married to a connection OF his own, an
went 10 reside at neighborlng hamlet, b
accompanied them. At the end OF that yes
The course of outrages recommended, not
be again interrupted until LemelTe's a.
prehension
In September his fellow servant was ro
bed of 92Of Shots were fired at bis en-
ployers, and box full OF powder plac'
against the wall of their house. Lemeur
tits said, now admits that he commute
these oulrages in order TO lrlghlen MS ma
and mistress back to the old farm. ne
wear. 1865. was marked by murderous
sault on A brewers caTman, as ne was ]
turning from ApdTeselles with some mont
for his employer. A baTbarOus mutllauo
moreover. was Inflicted on the victim, viii
was repeated in some OF the subsequent on
RACES. In the same year widow, "
lived in farm house in AndIeselles, o.
who had received sum Of El2OO "
aroused al night hya man demanding y
money or her lille. sue was btutally staoo
and L.r house p.Iu4ly robbed. Once mo
in lie same year, 1.-The house OF me PHI
was entered dining midnight mass a
robbed Oh plate and M nty. LIE year &c
opened with two loOberies OF money ll'
the same felow.seryant who had been re-
bed in 1867 Lemetlle, about TINS tln
took house in Audreselles.
In the course of the summer young u
was found murdered and robbed, on
evening after he fair with his head close
the door of Lrmeltfe's house, and tue DO
exhibited the same horrible mutiation
the previous assault on tue brewer .
picion fell upon the owner OF wine th'
who however, was soon exonerated by De
himself found murdered win lhe sa
marks of brutality. The house hau d
robbed aud attempts made TO IRE H.
A fifth crime in this year was burgI
alta neighboring farm house. The year j
opeped with the murder Of man VINO
denounced the existence Of robbers IN
neighboGhoud, and another burglary
committed Lemttlrc was tAeu absent II
ONE tor SIX months, serving the va
Noble, and Gu ing lis absence tue crll
ceased. Immediately uu MS 4StuAH ~ -
1871, three successive burglarles, rdneN
the alarm and Lemellre began 70
watched. He himself, however felt suthc
tly secure 10 get married., aud to celeb
tie occasion with proiuseness which
doub: aggravated the thrifty peasants
pclOn.
AT length lie was observed one morn
by aman WHO had long suspect d him cr'
lug into a cures house, and was capture
the act Of robbery.
His house being then searched, aTi
stolen in previous r0bheries were loun'
his possession, AID he confessed 10 on
the murders AMI tue singular siml laTti
these crimes, coupled with the cilcumsta
now seem TO connect him with them,
cudes any doubt that he was tie pc
traitor of the whole series.
more horrible revelation OF the d
of degradation of which humanity is c
Bile, could hardly be represented than
il belongs to that class Of cases, lal
rare, in which the criminal seems 10 be
,tute Of any Susceptibility 70 ordinary
man feelings, and 10 possess no other
lectual faculty tuan a deprayed cunning
suDreme seliishuess.