The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-18
MONSTER OF Iss0IR.
MYSTERY OF THE FOURTEENTH Ar
REIMBURSEMENT OF PARIS.

Spider.
For many years 1t is undeniably stat
ed that i'll tho fourteenth arrondisso-
1nont Of Paris-oalled the tomb of Issoir
IL number Of persons living in that
quarter had mystoriously and periodic
ally disappeared. Tho most careful TO-
searches, tho most minute inquiries the
most skillful agents of tho police had
failed to discover tho least trace of them.
Every year successfully somo inhab
itants of this quarter would suddenly
disappear, leaving thoir friends over
whelmcd with grief and anxiety. It is
also stated that these strange, inoxpli-
cablo facts always occurred i'll tho early
spring-from the Goth to the Last of
Marcl-and without regard to ago or
SEX
First notary disappeared 1t was
thought no had used his clients funds
and fled to parts unknown. Then all old
woman, returning lato ono night from
market, was the next victim, thon H.
borer going home from work Tho last
victim had boon q young girl-a flower
maker out lato delivering her goods.
From that time she Ind as completely
disappeared as if tho earth had opened
and swallowed her up Strange to say,
no children had boon among the VIC
tins.
This peculiar fact was accounted for
IN this way. These mysterious disap-
pearances always occurred late ut night.
whom the children were ut homo asleep
As the time was drawing near for one
of these periodical mysteries the chief
of police became very anxious and in
stitutcd strict surveillance, contiding
the matter to q number of the most skill
full of his assistants, hoping the COM
bincd efforts of so many jealous agents
would surely BIO crowned with success.
You will now see the result.
One night-thiS fact can DO verified
by applying to tho office of the profcc-
ture-a policeman about 3 o'clock in tho
morning heard Il distant musical song.
which seemed to come from the bowels
of the earth. IIc listened and fancicd
the sounds camo from an opening i'll the
center of the street, at the foot of al
enormous rock called the tomb of Is
soir, or tho Giants cave.
1t may be interesting to state That this
rock derived its name from 4 legend
that great giant had been buried there
many years before the Christian era.
and this rock had been placed there to
mark the tomb.
Surprised ut this strange discovery
for the opening had never been noticed
bofore--thc policeman waited, listening
to this peculiar song when he suddenly
saw young man approaching. He
knew from his costume that he was
countryman lately arrived in the city.
This young man also seemed to hear
the subterranean sounds, first walking
slowly with a peculiar wavpring step,
as if in cadeucc with this musical chant,
then faster and faster rs he drew near
the fatal rock, until no ran with such
velocity that In spite of the warming
cries of the policeman he was swallow
cd up i'll this mysterious opening. With
ont taking moment to consider the
policeman recklcssly followed, first fir
ing his revolver and giving ono or two
vigorous blasts on his whistle
AT this signal several of his comrades
quickly arrived The musical chanting
had ceased, but they could hear in the
dark, c;tvcrnous depths the muiilcd
sounds Of desperate struggle.
By the aid of ropes and ladders they
succeeded i'll entering this mysterious
chasm. The light of their lamps reveal
ed siclicning sight.
The countlyman was lying OF his
back writing in the grasp OF an un-
known monster, whose horrible aspect
froze the agents of police with terror
1t was as large Us full grown ter
ricr, covered with wartlikc protuber-
anccs and brlstling with coarse brown
ish hair. Eight jointcd legs, terminated
by formidable claws, wcro buried in the
body Of the unfortunate victim. The
face had already disappeared Nothing
| could be seen but the top of the head,
and the monster was now engaged III
tearing and sucking tho blood from his
throat
AS soon as they recovered from their
horror and surprise dozen balls struck
the body of this sanguinaly beast
He raised up on his legs, grccnish.
bloody liquid flowing from his wounds,
and, with Il frightful cry, expired
Tho first policeman, who had given
the alarm, was lying unconscious in one
corner of the cavern, where he had fall
! en-, IA distance of 30 feet
1t was with great difficulty they sue
cccdod i'll removing the two bodies and
| the unknown monster from tho cavern
The poor countryman was dead, but tho
| policeman was soon restored to life
The agents Immediately sent for the
commissioner of police, who summoned
naturalist i'll great haste
The first established the identity of