The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-09-19
BLUEBEARD NO MYTH.
A Smithsonian Institution Professor
Rakes Up Ancient History.

4 Smithsonian Institution Professor
Rakes Up Ancient History.
Children for generations have lis.
tened tremblingly to the horrible
story of "Bluebeard," and covered
up their curly heads with the bed
clothes after the light had been put
out and dreamed that the awful old
butcher had them in his clutch.
In after years they have laughed
at it all, and wondered how they
could have been so stricken
by a myth.
But Bluebeard was no myth.
The bloody things told of him in
the old French legend are more
than true. The crimes set down
in the chronicle are only q small
part of what the real Bluebeard
did. His authentic history has
been raked up from oblivion, after
the lapse of centuries.
Colonel Thomas Wilson, of the
Smithsonian Institution, has found
the true story of the true Bluebeard.
Skeptical about the genuineness of
the old tale, Colonel Wilson visited
the French city of Nantes, where
the records of the veritable Barbe
Bleue are filed. He found that the
dwellers in the old town were thor
ough believers in the story of the
monster. They knew all about
him. -
His true name was Giles de Retz,
and he lived about $50 years before
the time of Parrault, the story-teller
who first wrote the tale. His fam
lily was great one, and was allied
with many of the noblest in Brit
tany. The famous warrior Bertrand
du Guesclin was a collateral ances-
tor of his.
GILES de Retz was one of the
most fortunate men of his time.
He inherited numerous chateaux
and estates, together with immense
sums in ready cash. There was
scarcely any nobleman of Brittany
richer or more powerful than he.
His father died early; his mother
married again, and be was placed
under the guardianship of his ma
ternal grandfather, Jean de Craon.
Jean de Craon married his grand
son, GILES de Retz, to very charm
ing young woman whose name was
Catherine de Thouars. She brought
to him several valuable estates,
among them the Chateau de Mache-
coul, where he afterward lived and
where many of his horrible crimes
were committed. The chateau was
situated not far from Nantes.
The life story of de Retz is huge
contradiction. From a loving hus-
band he became a fend; though
the bravest of brave men, he was
yet a coward in superstition; al
patriot, yet he could murder limo
cent children wholesale and appar-
emily without remorse.
The old man Jean de Craon was
a gallant fighter, and be took his
grandson with him in his campaign.
When GILES was only Is years Old
the two took their seats together in
the great military counci!a Vannes.
Those were troublous days for Eu-
rope, when England was trying to
wipe France out of existence and
the Hundred Years War was in
full swing. From 1920 to 1924 the
grandfather and grandson fought
side by side. In 1924 came a me-
teor across France-Joan of Arc.
who landed at Orleans, not far from
the residence of Giles De Retz.
GILES became Captain of Joan's
own guard and did duty as her es-
cort through the siege of Orleans
and on the march to Rheims, where
the King was to be crowned.
On the occasion of the coronation
the baton of Marshal was bestowed
upon de Retz. He went back to
AlS estates In Brittany and lived
peaceful and happy life with his
wife and daughter. Unfortunately
his nature was restless one and
bis fondness for display excessive.
Though his fortune was immense.
his expenditures greatly exceeded
his income. Foremost in rank
among the mobiles of his province,
he considered it necessary to out
shine all rivals.
Religious superstition was firmly
grounded in the mans character.
1t was about this period that be
became engaged With the science of
chemistry, through the aid of which
he hoped to discover a means of
converting base metals into gold.
Success in the enterprise, he ex-
pected, would relieve him of his
financial endorsements.
With this end in view he brought /
from Italy two unfrocked priests
who had gained fame as alchemists.
The more renowned of the pair was
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