Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-04
How Charlotte Corday Killed Mara,


(Signed) s. T. ALBERT,
| u. s. Civil Engineer.
How Charlotte COrday Killed Marat.
David Graham Adee in The United Service
On Saturday morning at 8 o'clock Charlotte
hurried out of the Rue DIES Vieux Augustins,
and walking rapidly to the Palais Royal entered
cutters shop and bought a large sheath-knife,
with double edge and an ebony handle paying
three francs for it, and hiding it in her dress:
She then went straight to the Place DIES Vic
torres where she hired hack, telling the
driver. ITO the Rue DIES Cordeliers, Numero
44!' now the Rue de rEcole de Medicine,
NumerO 90 1t was the domicil Of Doctor
Marat. The anarch was living in quite hum
bic dwelling. in company with his housekeeper,
Catharine Evrard. whom he had declared his
wife, after the fashion of Rousseau, 10y proclaim
/ ing her such lin the face of the sun" She was
now known as Abertine Marat The citizen
was sick and could one, Madame
Marat came to the threshold CURLY TO say. The
/ visitor seemed disappointed, but quietly went
away. leaving no name or message. Returning
! to the Hotel de la Providence, she deliberately
tpeaned Marat the following short note:
IT, II have arrived from Caen. Your love for the
country makes me presume that you Will hear
with interest the unhappy events of that part Of
! the Republic. | shall present myself at your
house about / O'Clock. Have the goodness to
receive me. and grant me moments interview.
l Will put you in way to render great service
to France"
| There was no tremor i'm the lines nor hesita-
ton of language. and the great service she
| meant to make Marat render France is now OBJ
vious enough. Tothis note she received no an
swer. She accordingly wrote another message,
still more pressing. and set out with 1t herself
by coach. at in the evening. She was carefully
clad in a white dress. covered on the shoulders
by silk ttchu Her hair was confined i'm Nor
man co!fe, of which the falling lace touched
her pallid cheek. A broad green ribbon fastened
the cO!fe on her temples while a few curs. full
and dark, with auburn ends. lay OH her pearly
neck A handsOmer daughter of Normandy had
never set foot in Paris.
1t was the 18th of July 1898. yellow and sui
try. the anniversary eve of the fall of the Bas-
tile. The people were crowding the narrow
| streets without sidewalks of the ancient city,
recalling the momentous event. refreshing their
spirits at the fonts of patriotism, and wonder
ing. in their wonted way, who would be tum-
breled to death on the morrow. which promised
to be SO bright and warm and clear. little wot-
ting of the impending tragedy to-day. As Char
lOtte rode along she saw the cdbdreaS and creme
e'1es thronged with noisy groups of the middle
classes. who were loudly protesting allegiance
to the triumvirate. and approval of the popular
idea of ''ltbs1te. egae and frdternite," at safe
and decent distance from the unwashed patriots
of the pace She alighted i'm the Rue des Cor
deliers, in front of Numero A. unfalteringly as
cended the step. and when the door was opened
by housekeeper Albertine, ever watchful against
| rivals, politely but firmly requested to see
CHoyen Marat. Marat was in his bath in his
sitting-roOm, covered to the chin with sheet,
his ashen. furrowed face, crafty and cadayerous,
exposed, and wearing an aspect OF aSperlty.
| Theirs describes him az having a ''receding fore
head, high cheek-bOnes huge grinning mouth,
hairy chest. skinny arms and livid skin"
Not pretty pictu re. There Was plank
across the bath on which were lying papers and
letters and he had pen in his fingers. He
heard the voices in the hail. those of his jealous
mistress and the persistent stranger and croaked
out an order to admit the visitor. being attracted
! by the soft sweet music of her accents. Char
lotte at once pushed past the woman and stepped
nimbly into the room murmuring. " Citizen. l
am from Caen the seat OF revolt and want to
speak with YOU" Whined the " friend Of the
people" Now, what are the traitors about at
Caen!" Answered Charlotte, Nothing of con-
sequence" There was a scriyener in the room.
Laurent Basse, who looked up from his 0esk
and listened. his attention attracted 10y the pc
culiar tone of abstraction OF the lady. What
deputies are at Caen ?" asked Marat. Charlotte
| named a few of her intimate friends among the
refugees she had SO lately left. Screamed Marat.
in shrill. yet husky, tone. the voice of illness
| and passion unsurpassed, Their heads shall
be off within fortnight" This angry threat
was fatal to him. Suddenly snatching the knife
from her bosom. Charlotte plunged the blade
deep into Marat's heart, even to the hilt. the
sheath remaining in her dress. Cried Marat,
hOarsey, ''Amoi clte7e annie ," calling Catherine.
and sank back in the bath limp and lifeless,
dying, literally in bath of blood.
In an instant Laurent Basse had started up.
and Selling chair, felled Charlotte to the floor.
The chere annie few furiously at her. and stamp
ed upon her body. Then the neighb Ors and the
passers-by ran in. and an attempt was made to
secure the assailant, but she resisted, overturn-
ing table and chairs, and intrenching herself
behind this barrier, until the police presently
came in, when she ran behind the folds Of a
window Gu rtain, but peaceably submitted to ar
rest. Before she could be carried from the
scene characteristically revolutionary occur
renee had taken place, however. One LanglOis.
a stay-make r Of the Rue Dauphine, picked up
the knife, and waving it above his head, made a
speech, calling for the murder of the murderess
by the mob on the very spot of the commission
| of her crime.
"Poor people," exclaimed Charlotte at this.
| "1Ou wish my death, when you owe me an
altar for delivering you from wholesale assas-
SIM"
Imparting Information Under Difficult
| ties
From the Detroit Free Press.
1t was on a street car coming up from the
Union depot yesterday. A man with a very
hoarss voice looked across the aisle at q man
with country satchel between his feet and
said:
''Wintry day. isn't it,"
'Hey?" called the other as he put his hand to
his ear.
''seems like winter, doesn't it!' shouted the
man with the hOarse voice.
'Hey? hey?" asked the deaf man.
"He says" began man who was standing up,
| che says 1t seems like winter"
At this moment the hoarse voiced man rose
| up and slid out of the car. AS he did SO the
!. deaf man rose up. laid two parcels on the seat,
and called out:
1