The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-02
MAN OK DEMON"

was locking 90 sec Frederic lomaitre in
a certain Crisly mCloGrama bearing the
above title Partisan dramatists have
always had a leaning 10 the CHASTITY In
mclodrama aud Partisan audiences have
encouraged that inclination. as witncss
ia Tour dc Ncslc Il Hotel &c Ia Iete
N0irc, and "a good many other plays Of
the grisly order but this psychological
mystery called Man or Demon" was n
new depart urc in tho rcrbid and the
Fhasily. and the auditorium q the an
bigu C0riQuo thrilled and shuddercd as
one man at tho performance Of tho great
Frederic There was touch q the gu
pcraatural in the play The damatisi
and tho actor had adapted tho old rla-
chlncry Of les Pilules du Diable" &c
tragical uses.
The story 4 the play was simple; the
plot turned upon ono CHASTITY pivot-de-
moniac possession. a physician. q man
Of science and enlightenment. refined. in.
tcllcctuci of biamclcss life and gracious
bearing. beloved and respected by the
world lie adorned, was possessed 10y dcv.
lis In the broad light Of day. In the ex-
ercise q his profession. in society. lie was
his own man. ali went well with him;
but with night and solitude the demon
came and took possession Of his victim,
aud impcllod him to deeds Of blood
Through the Garsened theatre there
thrilled silent horror that held the
crowded audience speilbound, as tho man
Of science flung handful Of powder into
his cruciblc, and. in the lurid light that
rose around him. was seen the awful
change from man TO monster. The tall.
slim figure Of the physician. graceful and
elegant In his neat evening dress, swcllcd
20 gigantic dimensions, Lrawny, muscu-
lar, tho fora Of savage Hercules, while
the fashionable modern dress changed to
the blue blouse and blood red cap Of the
sansculottc Tho face changed too, the
pale. refined features ,hickened the
brows grew pcnthousc-likc above the
iurid CLEAN Of tho malignant eyes, while.
with a cry that had nothing in it of
humanity, thc transformed creature rush.
ed forth 10 rcvcl in rapime and murder.
Needless 20 cXpatiato upon the action
of the play Tho later scenes rcekcd with
blood. the whole scheme Of the drama was
baselcss and Wild but the glamour Of
Lemaitre's genius held the audience in
state of brcathlcss interest, which tagged
not tin the fall Of the curtain. Tie play
was the greatest success the Ambigu had
known for many years.
One fact gave an additional and ex
trancous interest 10 tho performance
Those who knew tho celebrities Of tho
city were able 10 recognize the curious
and startling likeness which Lemaitre. in
bis make up as the physician, had con
triyed 10 present 10 one Of the princes Of
modern science, Marc Avalon tho cole
bratcd chcmst-a man who. az something
less than 20 years of age, bad reached the
very pinnacle Of professional success who
had given laws 10 science, and had made
discoveries which had advanced the prog.
ress of chemical experiment further in
his twenty Years Of labor than his pre-
dcccss0rs had done within q century. 80
striking was the resemblance as TO be at
once perceived and remarked upon both
at the first performance of tho play and
in tho public press il was even thought
that Marc Avalon would take cfCnec at
this appropriation Of his outward sem
blancc and possibly make it The subject
of q lawsuit, but the great chemist
seemed amused and even iGttcrol, when
ne read HE comments Of the critics upon
this particular feature of Lematro's char
acterization Hc went 20 see the play
was interested, went Ggain-saw Lcmai
ire In bis dressing room. and made various
suggestions. which intensified the grim
realism of tlo sccnc il the laboratory.
II was observed by and by that Avalon
was present nearly every night during
some period Of the performance. lie
generally occupied one particular ayant
scene and kept himself ysrdu, but those
few persons who vero able t0scc bis face
as lac sat in the shadow cf the curtaiD,
remarked upon ITS intent expression and
the keen delight he seemed TO derive
from tho actors mastery embodiment Of
u most unreal character
1t was during the run Of this play that
Pari1 was startled by o series Of murders
moro hidc0us than Guy crime that had
shocked society during tho reign CT The
citizen king; murders Which bore q hor
riblc resemblance in being 70 cll appear
aucc motiycicss. and the work Of a mon
ster whose sole desire was 90 steep himself
in the blood Of an un0fcnding victim.
Once. twice. thrice, within q period Of
less than three rouths was the city horri-
fed by revolving act Of butchcry; once
in tho Rue Ste Marguerite, where a
wrcicAcl inhabiiant of that human sham
blc3 was found stretched In tho gutter,
weltermg la her blood. another in the
Rue dc IA NiciIlc IMntcnc. third in the
Hue DIES lcvcs
Paris and q he police Of Paris were on
the alert. looking for the Chouriucur 1t
was by that grm name the murderer was
talked Of i'm those circles where slang is
the only language Day after day lLe
journalists Of tho gutter announced that
The Chour.ncur had been heard Of and
conycrsed with hero or there; had eaten
or drank in this or that restaurant. from
tho Bochcr dc Caucalc TO the Chat Noir
The whole dirAt Of cauaris were ca the
wing. and o,ory morning and evening
there was Now ono let fly upon Paris.
but those who knew anything 20 all /
about tic matter knew that, SO fer. the /
police were 10 fault No trace. no Clew, /
no hint q the Chourincur had yet been T.
obtained Cauler. the chief Of the secret /
guardians Of the public safety. had /
worked tin he was weary, weary Of his !
own false lights and failures, wearier Of |