The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-03
CARToUCHE.
The Story of the Noted Partisan Ban
dit.-.A Long Criminal Career.


of o respectable, well-to-do wine seller,
was born at Paris in October, 1888.
Anxious to secure for his son higher
position than he himself occupied, the
father sent him to the college OF Cler-
mont; but his native instincts soon as
serted themselves he ran away and
Joined party Of gypsies. He was
adopted as child Of the band, and his
new friends formed the most sanguine
authorizations as to his future. Bold,
crafty, and inventive, he was nimble as
an ape, plant as an acrobat. TO an un-
conquerable love Of wandering, OF pleas
ure, and of idleness. he united a remark
able ability to endure, when necessary,
privation and fatigue. After he had re-
NAMED three years with the gypsies,
they were abruptly ordered by the
Parliament of Rouen to quit the pro-
vince, and, as Cartouche was sick at the
time, they left him behind. On his re-
recovery, he found himself alone and
friendless in the streets of Rouen, with
out single sou in his pocket.
By good luck he fell in with an uncle
who fed, clothed him, and sent him
home, thereby affording him another
opportunity for pursuing an honest
career. A domestic life, however, had
no charms for the ex-gypsy. After a
few months tranquility he dscamped
from the paternal mansion one moon
light night with his fathers money box
under his arm. He was then about
seventeen years OF age. Pocket picking
was the first branch of his future indus
try to which he devoted his talents. He
formed partnership with one Gaguis,
and, between them, they were reaping a
rich harvest, when one unlucky evening
Cartouche's comrade was arrested and
transmitted to Marseilles.
This misadventure led our hero to
turn his talents in another direction, and
he took to dice and cards. Haunting
the better hells, he used the skill &C.
quired among the gypsies to such pur-
pose that suspicious were awakened, and
M. Cartouche was kicked into the street
and debarred forever from that branch
Of industry. - . ... 80 =. s,.,
Become at last an Ishmaelite, his hand
against every one, and every ones hand
against him, it became his constant care
to impart to the skilled desperate band
which rallied around him an organiza'
tion and discipline appro1imating at
closely as possible to the military he
appointed lieutenants, sergeants, sen
tries, rallying and passwords, and spared
no detail to insure perfection of the In
strument under his control. This com
pleted, the campaign opened with nigh
skirmishing. Thus, some three or fou
of the band would pounce upon al un
wary citizen, whom blow on the heat
from loaded bludgeon reduced to tenn
porary silence. When the victim re
gained sufficient consciousness togive al
alarm, the troop was at safe distance
arranging the next affair. Paris wa!
regularly apportioned into districts
one of which was allotted each night tt
some particular detachment Of the band
It was in 1720 that the terror INSPIRED
by Cartouche's band reached its climax
They held virtual possession OF the capi
tai, especially by night. Their depre
dations wereoonducted with the militar.
order and precision so much inculcatet
by their great leader. A party woult
assemble before some rich mansion
Then some huge fellow-very freq1ent
ly one Simon Once, a brawny ex-porte
would offer his gigantic shoulders a
the base of living pyramid, which
formed of the lighter and more sgil
members Of the gang, speedily reache'
the lower windows. Some panes wer
adroitly removed, the apartments ente,
ed, and the most attractive objects be
| gan to glide down chain of ready hand
till the pillage was complete.
The gang hunted noble game. L
September, 1720, they invaded the resi-
dence Of the Spanish ambassador an
nearly stripped the chamber of the am
bassadress, seizing q magnificent pea,
necklace, a brooch with twenty. seve
large diamonds, rich table service 9
gold, and the lady's entire wardrobe. 1
the Palais Royal. then occupied by tn
regent, they stole two of his silver fam
beaux. At the Louvre Cartouche'
brother possessed himself of the swor
and mantle of the Prince de Soubise
while the regent himself was robbed on
night on leaving the opera. Here, how
ever, the laugh was on the other side, q
purposely, to deceive the robbers, b
had caused his sword hit to be richl
chased-in STEEL ,.-.
Now that the Inconvenience of such
state of things began to be felt in tn
very highest society, government set il
| self seriously to the task OF reform. On
May morning in 1721 some: laborer
came upon the body OF murdered man
It proved to be that of an, obscure poe
named Vergier. What could posses
any one to Kill poet, and so poor on
at that, was puzzle, till some suggeste
it was the regents work. Philipp
d Orleans was black enough, in al cor
science, but rumor painted him in sti
deeper colors. In, q series of rhyme
philippics he had been branded wit
every. conceivable crime. What NOR
natural, said the public, than. that b
should, employ Cartouche's band. I
wreak his vengeance on the poet VIII
had held him up to. ridicule and shame
To be sure, Yergier was not the one VIII
had written the verses in: question, lbu
the Cartouchians could hardly be as
n 4 &r H. t1o,,,iI;or Nth cuob r,ook,-