The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-22
PRADO'S CRIMINAL LIFE.
A CAREER OF INloUlTY WHICH WAS
ENDED BY THE KNIFE.
Earty Childhood Of tho Sofed MURDERER
His Wonderful influence Over Women
HIS Fate Sealed by Those Who Had
Saved uim-A Deserted wife's Constancy'


Tho execution Of Prado ends the most cello
brated French murder case OF the ago Tue
crin,o in i.self was ordinary. Marie Asastan
was known in Paris es ''the woman with the
diamonds" Tho night Of Jan. "A, lSs5, she
cano homo from the Eden theatre, where sac
had been displaying her briiliants to the
crowd As she sat in her room her throat
vas cut by an unknown hand her desk
wasunlocked aud robbed Of $4,000 in bonds
aud ~ OoO In money. Her Jewels were car
ried away. At daybreak the croupier OF
small Gambling club entered her room. lilo
stumbled across an object which proved 10 ~
Marie's dead BODY. Tho head was almost
severed from il. Tho servant remembered
that she had seen her mistress in company
with ian American"
"Hecane once before said she, "and tried
70 kill madam. but had taken bis hat. which
he'd his name in it, and he evidently post
poned his intention"
"Who was tho American
Hardly hundred yards from Marie Agas-
tan lived Eugene Forester, who claimed to
be married TO Mexican named Prado. The
NIGHT Of Mario's murder be came home pale,
agitated. feverish He kept on washing hE
hands. He smelt them once or twice with
repugnapce. Then be handed Eugene
l,anknotc. which was cut almost in half. Shs
noticed a scratch on his right hand.
"A woman's nail did that he said cooly.
81 cut her throat for her pains.
Then he went quietly to sleep.
In the morning, when Eugenie left tho
house. be set TO work TO burn his clothes and
boots. Eugene, suddenly returning, found
him throwing his shirt into tho stove. She
noticed that i5 YVES stained with blood lie
sent her out to buy all tho newspapers. Mono
had line about the murder.
Who was Pradoi
There never lived man who wrapped
himself in 50 many titles. He passed as
Prado Count de I.inslsa y Castillon, Pablo,
Ribo. Crane, Mendoza, and as a doom
others. Ho was bern tnysteriously. He was
educated in Mexico. His father and mother
persisted by a tragic death. A yelled lady
watched over his childhood At Il, having
forced open q hidden drawer, he learned tho
terrible secret Of his birth. Thenceforward
he declared war on society.
BIS early years were spent in travel Ho
visited India, China, the United States. lie
was at san Francisco when the last Carlist
war broke out He went 10 the Basque
provinces 20 servo under Don Carlos ~
was an officer at the siege ~ ',,,,,,'i,,,,a
Wounded and taken prigos = -. -
nv vounr nun beloras ~-heI, nc ",'' hui 81
~ 4 Vu'i5 ''.' .ging TO a noble English
,'-Ni-J ~. 4 her away aud married
- - u. G..-salem, whittier she went to abJure
COWS. She died IN Italy, By tho biae
waters of Sorrento.
M Gulllot. the magistr ate looked into this
romantic history 10 was convinced that
part OF il was true Among other things
Prado claimed that of Madrid in 1879 be
married Dolores Garcia Of Alarcillo, a de-
scendant Of tho ancient kings Of Aragon
This poor woman was found in garnet at
Madrid, dying Of hunger. She was tho
daughter of O prosperous brakeman She
had dowry Of 900 francs. PradO spent
it In four years. Then he disappeared, leay-
ing his vito pennies. He was next found IN
tho Rue Taitbout, Paris, living on The earn
ings Of Eugene Forester
The morning after the crime he left Franco.
After q short stay at Madrid DO reappcarcd
at Bordeaux, where Eugene Forester has
tened to Join him. Ho there made the ac-
ouaintance Of Nine Couronneau, widow,
and of her daughter, Mauricctte He prom
ised 10 marry tho latter, who quickly yielded
10 bis destinations. Io took her, with
Eugenie Forester, TO tho baths Of Royan,
where he robbed NJ Foreeril, jeweler, diyid-
ing the plumber between Eugene and Mauri-
cetto. In November, 1871, he returned 70
Paris and took rooms IN a private hotel, with
a compatriOt, Lorenzo, diamond broker.
One evening he offered Lorenzo box at tho
Chatelet theater. HIS offer was accepted.
He entered Lorenzo's room and was making
or with a box containing jewels when a man
servant surprised him. He dropped tho box
and fed. An agent Of police overlook him
on the banks Of the Seine Ho turned and
fred twice. both bullets taking effect. Other
agents captured him Immediately. Then
Eugene and Mauricette were arrested, and
from their confessions the case against Prado
was prepared.
The accused was brought into court He
was a small man, Of Insignificant appearance,
eallow, emaciated, with dropping mustache,
the last man IN the court who would be desig-
mated as d lady killer. When he frowned be
looked not unlike q monkey The women
whom he had dupcd regarded him with
scoIn. Eugene Forester, q years old, was
tall dark. and majestic Mauricett0 Couron-
neau, q years old, was small, graceful, and
exceedingly pretty. PTado made grandilo-
quent speech when she gave her evidence.
The resentment OF tho lover" said be,
disappears il the affection Of the father l
wish Mauricetto 20 return 70 her Child, and
keep It till / am free"
You shall never have it, mover" cried
Mauricette, with energy.
you hav0 nothing 10 say about II" said
Prado, calmly. "You lost all right to the
child whom you gayo It's father 70 the guiIo-
tine"
Eugene displayed similar hatred
you are aware, said the judge, that you
GTe swearing away his life"
Il know it, she quietly replied.
Used you not 10 love hiInP
YES, bo was the only man / ever loved on
earth
Possibly sho loves mo still" remarked
Prado, With an ironical smile
But there stood IN court a woman who
sat among tho spectators. She was poorly
dressed and seemed prematmeiy aged. She
was Prado's wife, whom hb had deserted in
Spain
HE married mo-" she said, with papers
authentic or forged, showing him to DO Lin
ska de Castillonn
AN American
~ Mexican"
Had DO not a foreign accentr'
"Yes, certain buzz which Mexicans
/ have
"Was be kind 10 your
Exceedingly kind. never saw him out
Of temper loved him dearly
do sou loye him stinf'
"As much as ever
"In spite Of bis deSerting your
~ have forgiven him. When heard he
was In trouble | came to him. l know not
what he has been TO others. He was good TO
me.n
And when the death sentence was pro-
nounced, and Eugene Forester exchanged a
look Of triumph with MauFicette CogoRReau,
Prado's wife crossed 10 the prisoners dock,
took the condemned mans hand in hers, and
II Il.