San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-13
PRADO'S CRIMINAL LIFE.
A CAREER OF INIoUITY WHICH WAS
ENDED BY THE KNIFE.

His Wonderful influence Over Women
His Fate Sealed by Those Who Had
Saved Him-A Deserted wife's Consistency.
The execution of Prado ends the most oele-
brated French murder case Of the age. Ths
crime in itself was ordinary Marie Agastan
was known in Paris as 1.-The woman with the
diamonds" The night of Jan. IA, IsS6, she
came home from the Eden theatre, where abe
had been displaying her brilliants to the
crowd AS she sat in her room her throat
was cut by an unknown hand Her desk
was unlocked and robbed of SIP 900 In bonds
and 81, 600 in money. Her jewels were car
ried away At daybreak the croupier of a
small gambling club entered her room. He
stumbled across an object which proved to be
Marie's dead body. The head was almost
severed from it. The servant remembered
that she had seen her mistress in company
with ian American"
"He came once before, said She land tried
to kill madam, but had taken his hat, which
had his name in it, and he evidently post
poned his intention"
"Who was the Americana"
Hardly a hundred yards from Marie Agas
tan lived Eugene Forester, who claimed TO
be married to a Mexican named Prado The
night of Maries murder he came home pale,
agitated, feverish- He kept on washing his
hands. He smelt them once or twice with
repugnance Then he handed Eugene
banl1note, which was cut almost In half. She
noticed scratch on his right hand
"A woman's nail did that, he said coolly.
81 cut her throat for her pains"
Then he went quietly to sleep.
In the morning, when Eugene left the
house. he set to work to burn his clothes and
boots. Eugene, suddenly returning, found
him throwing his shirt into the stove. She
noticed that it was stained with blood He
sent her out to buy all the newspapers. None
had line about the murder.
Who was Pradof
There never lived q man who wrapped
himself in so many titles. He passed as
Prado, Count de Linska y Castillon, Pablo,
Ribo, Crane, Mendoza, and as a dozen
others. He was born mysteriously He was
educated in Mexico His father and mother
persisted by tragic death. A yelled lady
watched over his childhood. AT IA, having
forced open hidden drawer, he learned the
terrible secret of his birth Thenceforward
he declared war on society.
His early years were spent in travel He
visited India, China, the United States He
was at San Francisco when the last Carlst
war broke out He went to the Basque
provinces to serve under Don Carlos He
was an officer at the siege of Pampeluna-
Wounded and taken prisoner, he was nursed
by young nun belonging 10 a noble English
family. He carried her away and married
her at Jerusalem, whittier she went to abjure
her VOWS She died in Italy. by the blus
waters of Sorrento
NJ. Guillot, the magistr ate, looked into this
romantic history. He was convinced that
part of it was true. Among other things
Prado claimed that at Madrid in 1879 he
married Dolores Garcia of Aarcillo, a de-
scendant of the ancient kings of Aragon.
This poor woman was found in a garnet at
Madrid, dying of hunger. She was the
daughter of a prosperous tradesman- She
had dowry of $50, 900 francs. Prado spent
it in four years Then he disappeared, leav-
ing his wife penniless. He was next found in
the Rue Taitbout, Paris, living on the earn
ings of Eugene Forester.
The morning after the crime he left France.
After short stay at Madrid he reappeared
at Bordeaux, where Eugene Forester has
tened to join him He there made the 90
quaintance of Mime. Couronneau, a widow,
and of her daughter, Mauricette. He prom
ised to marry the latter, who quickly yielded
to his destinations He took her, with
Eugene Forester, to the baths of Royan,
whore he robbed NJ Forgeril, jeweler, divid-
ing the plumber between Eugene and Mauri-
cette. In November, 1877, he returned to
Paris and took rooms in private hotel, with
a compatriot, Lorenzo, a diamond broker
One evening he offered Lorenzo a box at the
Chatelet theater. His offer was accepted
He entered Lorenzo's room and was making
off with box containing jewels when a man
servant surprised him He dropped the box
and fed. An agent Of police overlook him
on the banks Of the Seine. He turned and
fired twice, both bullets taking effect Other
agents captured him Immediately. Then
Eugene and Mauricette were arrested, and
from their confessions the case against Prsdo
was prepared.
The accused was brought into court He
was a small man, Of insignificant appearance,
sallow, emaciated, with dropping mustachs,
the last man in the court who would bs dssig-
mated as a lady killer. When be frowned he
looked not unlike a monkey. The women
whom he had duped regarded him with
scorn Eugene Forester, q years old, was
TALL dark and majestic. Mauricetts Couron-
neau, 81 years old, was small, graceful, and
exceedingly pretty. Prado made a grandilo-
quent speech when she gave her evidence.
The resentment of the lover" said he,
disappears in the affection of the father.
wish Maurcette to return to her child, and
keep it till am free"
You shall never have it, never" cried
Mauricette, with energy.
"You have nothing to say about it," said
Prado, calmly. You lost all right to the
child when you gave its father to the guillo-
tine "