The sun., 1897-11-07

under ordinary observation. and therein of
course, lies the danger to society from creatures
with such propensities. The most disgusting
feature Of the whole frightful record is the fact
that criminal sane or insane, should be able
to go about for three years In q civilized, we'll
populated country. taking life atwill and in an
almost wholesale way, and yet be comparatively
free from the pursuit of the agents of the law.
It is the fashion in Europe, especially among
the uneducated, to regard America as q more or
less lawless wilderness, wheIe human life is
cheap. In the face of this revelation In a coun-
try which prides itself on the skill of its detec-
tives. America should be safe. for a time at
least. from the repetition of these slanders.
Paris itself 10 expressing relief from the In
Fiction of criminal scourge only less violent
than the work of Vacher, i'epentreur (the dis.
emboweller), in the southern districts. Tho
police have at last captured band of strangers.
nearly twenty in number, who have operated In
the outskirts of the capital for many months
past. Several murders and many robberies are
charged against them. In the lodgings OF one
member of the band nearly fifty stolen watches
and twenty pairs Of boots were found. Their
plan was to lie In wait for single pedestrians in
lonely streets. garote them. rob them of every.
thing Of value, including even boots and
clothes. and throw their bodies into tho Seine.
Since midsummer the police have been slowly
gathering In the members of this murderous
band but the capture of which they are proud
est 10 that of tho leader, who was put under lock
and key on Thursday. This leader is woman,
o very Amazon among women. who thoroughly
deserves the sobriquet by which she has long
been known. "The Terror of the Fortifcations." !"
Tho male members Of tho gang. from time to
time when captur, d, were induced to furnish
moro or less information about their male ac-
I,,S 81
fish whom questioned by the Juoe d'Instrrction
| about their chief. Most of them turned pale
| and trembled whom her name was mentioned.
| She was described as q creature Of phenomenal
| strength and stature, without fear. and iend
| incarnate when reused.
Despairing of all other means of detection, the
| police established q close surveillance several
| weeks ago upon O man who was reported to
have intimate relations with Marie Ret, the
real name of the woman stranger. The plan
| led on Thursday to her discovery, and half q
dozen policemen suddenly pounced upon her in
the Avenue des Ternes. She was almost a
match for them. even against such odds, and
| several OF them bear the marks of knife which
she managed to use freely before she was over
powered. She 10 only %. and she would be
| handsome II her face were not dishgured BY
| scars, the marks of several desperate encoun
ters. Several murders arc laid to her individual
charge, and the police expect to be able to send
her to tho guillotine soon after the next Assizes
Long ago the pot called the kettle black. Nor,
recently two distinguished knights, Sir Charles
Robins n and Sir John Donnelly, have been OK
changing compliments. 1t came about In thil
way: The administration OF the South Kensing
ton Museum became some time ago a publ,
scandal. The result was that select committe,
was appointed to inquire into the matter. Thi
committee issued portion of its report coupl,
of days ago. and in 1t appear some strang,
tales or these, the little quarrels of Sir Charlie
Robinson and Sir John Donnelly are the mos
interesting and edifying.
Sir Charles Is her MRjesty's surveyor o
pictures. belongs TO the Academies OF Fine Art
In Rome. Florence. Boulogne. Antwerp, Madrid