The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-29
HUON GUMENE, THE DRIGAND.
A Desperate Outlaw Who Terrorized
Northern France,
From the Philadelphia Times.

n desperate OuNAaW w no 1eEEOTILeu
Northern France,
From the Philadelphia Times.
The Bretons, who inhabit the northwest
province of France, are a curious people.
Although of Celtic origin, they are stead
fast and resoute i'm whatever they under
take, but when called into action by
some great popular motive are hard to
control No people are so inveterately
bound by family ties, and it is fact
that il one member goes wrong, through
sheer sympathy the rest are very likely to
follow his example. During the troubles
of As in France, Louis Gumene had a
fight with Houan, the miller Of Ploermel.
The miller was a noted fighter after the
Breton fashion, kicking, biting, gouging,
etc. and young Gumene got much the
worst of it. He had five brothers who
took up his quarrel. One of these, Huon,
had just completed his term of service in
the army, and was a man of turbulent
character and desperate courage. He met
the miller, and after a hard fight killed
him and fled to the Heath" to avoid
the officers. This is a wild range Of hills
extending east from Brest covered with
stunted brushwood and heather and a
chOSEn refuge IOT ItlG OulldWS III the noTln
of France. Here he was Joined by two
of his brothers, and they began life of
active bHgandage.
In those days the government taxation
was not only severe, but the methods of
collection were harsh and unjust The
tax collector showed no mercy to delin-
quents. but sold them out at once, and
they were paid by fees. Those were null
tiplied and increased so that few years
in Office made collector rich man. To
this class Huon Gumene became a dam
gerous enemy and this made him a popu-
lar hero. OF all the tax collectors, M.
Daru of ST. Briene, was the most exacting
and severe, and in prosecution of his duty
he levied on the goods of the elder GU
meme and sold them out. A subsequent
investigation proved the entire proceed
ing illegal, but the old man was ruined.
M. Daru was the son of a notary of
Brest OF bad repute, but by dint of assur-
ance and industry he had won both wealth
AMI position. lie had a villa on the coast
near Matignon that once belonged to the
old family of st. Luc, all of whom were cut
off in the Chouan wars; and Daru, by
some chicanery, became the owner. One
stormy night In August, 18i9, he was sit
ting by his fire slipping a glass of wine as
Frenchmen do. The one living soul he
cared for was a daughter, his only child,
who was expected tomorrow, and his sor-
did heart was moved to pleasure at the
thought Of the meeting He had planned
"fete" and some of his friends from
Brest were invited. Suddenly the clang
OF the big knocker on the outer door was
heard, and presently the maid servant en-
tered to say that monsieur" had a let
| ter for M. Daru, to be delivered into his
hands only. Daru was no coward and
always armed, and one man could do no
| harm, so he opened the door of his sitting
room, and i'm the wide hall stood a short
| broad-shouldered man, dressed like Ash
| erman. He came forward, letter In hand
| NJ. Daru reached for It. Quick as light.
ming his arm was seized In steel-like grip.
| lie grasped his pistol. Too latel A heavy
| cutlass came down on his head, and in a
second he was fairly hewn to pieces and
| the man was gone. Curiously enough the
| first one to reach the dead man was an
| American, Mr.. G.. w. Haley, a Maine art.
| ist, who had settled In London and was
| making a sketching tour in Brittany. Ht
had been introduced to M. Daru and ac.
| cepted his hospitality for the night, and
| was In bed when awakened by the screams
| of the maid. Nothing could be done. Sc
| the police were sent for, and the body Of
1 the collector laid on the table which ter
minutes before he had left joyous and ex.
| ultant.
In the meantime three men were hurry.
ing across the country between the tall
| neuBefoWs, on lneir way TO the noun
/ tain. These were Huon Gumene and his
/ two brothers. And now commenced a SC.
| ries Of crimes that fairly bewildered the
| police. At points widely distant chateaus
| would be entered. diligences stopped
1 guards murdered. and every time the
| agency of one man would be evident
| Short, powerfully built, dressed as a Bre.
ton peasant and without disguise, Huon
| Gumene was recognized a score OF times
| Col. Delmas and his regiment Of light
infantry were assisting the police. This
| officer had made a reputation In Africa
and was active and daring. He stopped
| In Ploermel with a detachment Of his
| regiment and, stepping out Of his hote
| into the street at night, was never again
| seen alive. His body was found near the
| stables, still warm. with a knife thrust
| through his heart.
/ A reward of 5000 francs was posted al
/ every hamlet and cross road. This Is a
| fortune for a Breton, but II brought nc
returns. A noted Breton criminal, who
was life prisoner in the galleys AT
| Brest. was induced by the hope Of pardon
/ and money to make a mock escape and
i join Gumene's band This he did, but q
failed. One day Huon called him TO the
front, asked him few questions, and
shot him dead,
But treachery did its work az last. The