Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-09-28
MONSTER OF ISSOIR.
MYSTERY OF THE FOURTEENTH AR
RONDlSSEMENT OF PARIS.

MYSTERY OF THE FOURTEENTH AR.
RONDISSEMENT OF PARIS.
Singular Disappearance of Many Inhabit.
TINS With sIusic-Death of the Giganti.
Spider.
For many years it is undeniably stat
ed that in the fourteenth arrordisse
ment of Paris-called the tomb of Issoi:
"a number of persons living in thai
quarter had mysteriously and periodic
ally disappeared. The most careful re
searches, the most minute inquiries, th'
most skillful agents of the police hat
failed to discover the least trace of them
Every year successfully some inhab
itants of this quarter would suddenly
disappear, leaving their friends over
whelmed with grief and anxiety. 1t i.
also stated that these strange, inexpli-
cable facts always occurred in the early
spring-from the goth to the last O;
March-and without regard to age OF
sex.
First notary disappeared. 1t wa
thought he had used his clients fund
and fled to parts unknown. Then an OLE
woman, returning late one night fror-
market, was the next victim. then la
borer going home from work. The lasi
victim had been a young girl-a flower
maker out late delivering her goods
From that time she had as completely
disappeared as if the earth had opened
and swallowed her up Strange to say,
no children had been among the vic
TINS
This peculiar fact was accounted 70,
pearances always occurred late at night
when the children were at home asleep
AS the time was drawing near for Oh
of these periodical mysteries the chic
of police became very anxious and in
stituted a strict surveillance, confidin:
the matter to number of the most skill
full of his assistants, hoping the com
bined efforts of so many jealous agent
would surely be crowned with success
You will now see the result.
One night-this fact can be verified
by applying to the office Of the prefec
ture-a policeman about 3 o'clock in thf
morning heard distant musical sous
which seemed to come from the bowel;
of the earth He listened and fancief
the sounds came from all opening i'll the
center of the street, at the foot of al
enormous rock called the tomb of Is.
soir, Or the Giants cave.
Tt may be interesting to state that thu
rock derived its name from 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 at this strange discovery
for the opening had never been notices
before-the policeman waited, listening
to this peculiar song, when he suddenly
saw young man approaching. He
knew from his costume that he was g
countryman lately arrived i'll the city.
This young man also seemed to hear
the subterranean sounds, first walking
slowly with peculiar wavering step,
as if in cadence with this musical chant,
then faster and faster as he drew near
the fatal rock, until he ran with such
velocity that in spite of the warning
cries of the policeman he was swallow
ed up in this mysterious opening. With
out taking a moment to consider the
policeman recklessly followed, first fir
ing his revolver and giving one Or two
vigorous blasts OH his whistle.
At this signal several of his comrades
quickly arrived. The musical chanting
had ceased, but they could hear i'll the
dark, cavernous depths the muff1ed
sounds Of desperate struggle.
By the aid of ropes and ladders they
succeeded in entering this mysterious
chasm. The light of their lamps reveal
ed sickening sight.
The countryman was lying OH his
back writing in the grasp of an I'M
known monster, whose horrible aspect
froze the agents of police with terror.
1t was as large as a full grown ter
rier, covered with wartlike protuber-
ances and bristling with coarse brown
ish hair. Eight jointed legs, terminated
by formidable claws, were 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 in
tearing and sucking the blood from his
throat.
AS soon as they recovered from their
horror and surprised dozen balls struck
the body Of this sanguinary beast.
He raised up on his legs, a greenish,
bloody liquid flowing from his wounds,
and, with frightful cry, expired.
The first policeman, who had given
the alarm, was lying unconscious in one
corner of the cavern, where he had fall
Ell, distance Of 80 feet.
1t was with great difficulty they sue
ceeded in removing the two bodies and
the unknown monster from the cavern.
The poor countryman was dead, but the
policeman was soon restored to life.
The agents Immediately sent for the
commissioner Of police, who summoned
a naturalist i'll great haste.
The first established the identity of
the victim; the second declared the
creature lying before him was a gigantic
spider. The species had been considered
extinct for centuries-ever since the
days before the deluge. 1t was called
''Arachne gigans" and was said to have
the power Of enticing its victims by
peculiar musical song. None had been
seen OF heard of for ages but it is now
believed some Of these sanguinary
beasts still exist in the deepest gal
leries of the catacomhs.
The dead body Of the spider was con-
veyed to the Museum of Natural His
tory, where it was carefully prepared
and stuffed and is now Oh exhibition
Once a Week