davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

save the important exception that he Is
not known to have been caught, although
1t is altogether probable he has perlshed.
Five of his eleven crimes-those OF OXFORD
street, st. Georges alley (two), Mitre lane
and Castle alley-were committed within
radius of few hundred yards and almost
at the back door of police station. -Four
of these murders occurred within l1neal
distance of 100 yards. In some den of this
densely inhabited focal point of White
chapel the Ripper" undoubtedly lived
unneeded and unsuspected.
Vacher on the contrary had no attach
ment for locality, no hiding place whence
he sneaked in the night to crafty his
thirst for blood. Ever restlessIy moving
on. now assuming the melancholy air OF
an unfortunate to whom the fates had
been cruel and again playing the part of
light-hearted troubador, seeking the while
with his baleiuI eye the innocents he
might secretly devour, Vacher's entire
career has been uniquely that of noma-
die assassin.
1t is very evident from the earnestness
of the scientists concerned and the SYM
pathetic interest in the movement ex-
pressed by the statesmen and lawmakers
of France that the Vacher case will be
made the starring point of an investiga-
ton, far-reaching in its purposes, under
the auspices of the Medico-Psy chologic
Society.
The entire pathogenic problem of crimi-
nal antecedents is likely to come under
review by practical and exhaustive pro-
cess of inquiry, which will traverse In each
instance not less than three genera.
tions.
While Lom broso has accomplished a
marvellous work in this field of research,
much territory remains to be explored be-
fore the summation of photographed
facts will be sufficient to compel the anti
criminal legislation manitestly reserved
for the lawgivers OF the next century.
Civilized government and the society of
which it is the expression shrinks more
and more from the life-for-life doctrine.
| The public gibbet and the guillotine,
which once raised themselves behind the
blind symbol of justice, are become dis
tant shadows in the background of the
scene where sentence of death is pro.
| nounced-the realities OF them are rele-
| gated from the public presence and con-
fined to out-of-the- way places where only
a few especially invited observers may
witness the execution of the laws decree.
Morbidity of interest in all that per-
! ta1ns to the prosecution of extraordinary
criminals is come to be shared in by the
| this lies in the growing consciousness
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

daily, land am not responsible. l have
accom- pIished mission. When the i'm
pulse sezes me | must kill, and then l
feel great relief. l do not seek my vic
tins. So much the worse for them if
chance, or the Providence whose DEGREES
l execute. places them before me-"
Not long after his arrest Vacher asked
permission to write to his parents, and at
the head of his letter he Inscribed in large
letters:
'Godl Justicel Dutyl"
During the investigation, continued
diligently for weeks by NJ. Fourquet, the
Mayor of Beaufort, Vacher's birthplace,
sent such information of the assassin's s
antecedents as discredited the theory that
his mania was the result of the cerebral
wounds received in his attempt at suicide.
The facts furnished by the Mayor show
that from earliest childhood Vacher was
erratic, peevish and perverted. While
working as q farmland in the neighbor-
hood, before be entered the army, his
manners and conduct were wicked and
shameful. He was from infancy of fero-
cious disposition, and constantly harped on
the idea that the flow of human blood
would be an edifying spectacle to him.
Often he repeated, 81 have no fear OF
the sight of blood, and if any one allowed
himself to speak i'll of me l would kill
him"
Vacher never had trade or steady oc-
cupation. He was always an idler.
An uncomfortable passion seems to have
dominated the creature and OF his inter
mittent demoniacaI obsessions he ex-
presses full consciousness. In making his
primal confession to the magistrate he re-
lated his butcheries, in ali their revolt ng
detail, with a mnuteness that proved his
perfect consciousness of the manner, i'm
pulse and infamy of his deeds. All this.
he said, was done in despite of his will
power. "My victims have never sui
fered," he added. with one hand have
grasped the throat and with the other
did the work for them with knife / will
describe to you later"
The monster persistently insisted that
he was delegated by the Almighty to
com nit these atrocities; that his victims
have been delivered to him by chance,
and that he has never gone out of his
way to seek them. Meanwhile, it should
be remarked that he never attacked any
one capable OF self-defense; that the
unfortunates were children or feeble per-
sons, and that he systematically haunted
those places in the fields and cattle pa tbs
where he was certain to find unprotected
and unsuspecting boys and girls. More
over, all the precautions he took and the
great number of crimes he committed
without attracting suspicion denote OH
ton.
Such were the precautions Vacher took
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

added, compIacently, 81 have furiously
bitten my victims like a mad dog, after
having slaughtered them"
This is not true. 1t simply demon
strates his fertility of invention in paving
the way for his return to the insane asy
lum, where he was never known to dis
play any murderous tendency of mania
or lunacy in any form. In fact he was re-
stored to liberty under the presumption
that he had not been contin ed for cause,
so sane and we'll balanced did he seem
to be.
Here is a great subject for the psyche
graph.
Nacher gesticulates while talking,
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
From LIE Journal UluStre. !

soning hatred and brutal determination
TO be revenged on the first person accused
under the merest shadow of circumstan-
tial evidence, might be related. A num-
Der of innocent individuals were dis
trained of their liberty for weeks, and
when released because of the fiimsiness of
the proof, found themselves ostracised
and under the ban of public contempt.
An outlay of money not to be approxi-
mately estimated at this time will be re-
quired to complete the record of Vacher's
offenses. He was an indefatigable rover,
and recrossed his crooked trail from one
department to another throughout France
like rabbit trying to befuddle the hounds
on its scent. Once he made all excursion
into the Pyrenees, and would have gone
to Spain but for the encouragement he
received from the crowds of Spaniards he
met who were fleeing from the conscrip-
ton for the Cuban war. The idea of i'm
press sment for military service in Cuba
was not to his liking, so he retraced ais
steps.
As the authorities are bent on rounding
out his itinerary to the last detail, to the
end that solution of most Of the mystic
rious brutal murders of the decade past
may be found and many innocent persons
rescued from the odium of suspicion,
months may be consumed in sleuthing
him, and hundred on hundreds OF wit
nesses will have to be examined by the
magistrates and parQuets OF the provinces
before the official story OF lie Tueur" can
be written.
Once his presence is proved al given
time in the neighborhood of crime it is
a matter of no difficulty to determine
whether he was the perpe.rator. He is
his own unimpeachaDle witness against
himself, for the marks of the only Vacher
are there just as distinctiyely as were
those of the unknown branded on the
Magda Aliens of Castle alley anc Mitre lane
The throat wound, the occasional decapi-
tation with the knife and dsmem ber-
ments, the chest AID stomach slas hin gs
and the final touch of Apache-like bar
barity, these constitute silent volume of
testimony needing the corroDoratiou of
no living witnesses. 1t is the dead that
identity Vacher.
In passing it is curious to note that
Vacher was unlike botn Dumollard and
Jack the Ripper IN this respect-he had
no base of operation, no center of attrac-
ton. Dumollard, who was exceptional in
that he had a woman for confederate as
depraved as himself, never got beyond
the agricultural suburbs of Lyons, and
was irrasistibly drawn from time to time
back to the village of Montleul where he
finally was discovered and expiated his
offenses.
So it was with the terror of Whitechapel,
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

the comparative feebleness of his victims
and the deliberateness with which he con-
Quoted his butche.ies that he never
received so much as a scratch in the death
struggles. His clothing was rarely stained
with b ood, so deitly did he perpetrate his
atrocities.
In trying 10 fathom the psychologist
peculiarities and the physiological genesis
of Vacher's mania, it is interesting to
ascertain what was the official summary
of conduct set against him in the records
OF the regiment in which he served. Here
is the extract taken from the report OF his
colonel, filed during his term OF service:
"Vacher has been in the regiment OF
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

first confession Vacher, few days later,
told the magistrate that three weeks prior
TO the crime of Courzlen he had butchered
3 boy Is years old, not lar from Lyons
and thrown the body into clstern' lie
accurately described the locality OF the
Cistern, after having related the slckenlhR
details of the outrage. The remains
after the water of the cisiern had been
drawn off, were found on the property OF
Madame Delmate, at the hamlet OF Demi-
Lune. and proved TO be those OF FRANCOIS
Bully. The body was dismembered.
Rocks we're used 10 keep it at the bottom
Of the cistern.
Vacher butcheries have been committed
also in the neghborhood OF Ealence, but
the names of the victims and the particu-
lars have not yet been presented to Mr..
Fourouet He is remembered there as
tramp, who traversed the department,
carrying an accordeon and sack. In his
tyall were several mysterious disappear
eAuCes and murders, the latter notable be-
~ OF the Vacher mutilations.
and this monster has an extraordinary
fondness for music. While undergoing
examination one day, and after having
added another chapter to his confessions,
he espied his accordeon mixed with q
number Of objects that had been emptied
from his sack. His request 10 be per-
mitted to play the instrument was granted,
and he manifested the liveliest pleasure
in touching it. Afterward he was allowed
to take the accordeon to prison with him.
1t is apparent, in despite of Nacher's
clever stimulation of epileptic mania,
that he is conscious of the frightful re-
sponsibility of his butcheries. The pre-
text he urges strenuously is that ii was the
refusal of the young woman of Baume les
Danes to become his wife that crazed him !;
that this jilting experience aroused all the
mad dog in him against society: that the
cruelties he witnessed in the insane asy-
Ium intensified mis- madness. HIS anxiety
10 dodge the avenging knife OF justice and
to enjoy the benefits of a verdict OF in
sanity is manifest.
To justify such merciful Intervention
on the part of the Iunacy commission
which is to investigate his case, after the
record against him has been compiled
and filed in the court of cessation, he is
striving TO esta blish the fact that the
mania for murder did not overcome his
will until subsequent to his temporary
confinement for insanity. This would
compass his crimes within three
years. Prior to the attempt to murder
his oae-time fiancee and then to put him.
self out of the way, he avows that nothing
IN the nature of a homicidal Offense can
be placed to his account.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

shrugs his shoulders indifferently when
reproved for his atrocities and never
ceases to mingle the name OF God with
his recriminations against society. HIS
exclamations are stereotyped.
What does it matter 10 me y
"My victims have not suffered y
"a little blood and it is all over with
them"
He boasts of his exploits of butchery
and approves himself extravagantly be-
cause he never killed to steal.
Possessed by an erotic-religious mania,
he claims that he was inspired by the
Creator to give the world new martyrs.
He expresses himself well, though often
speaking in aphorisms.
1.-The Almighty has melted me to kill. "
is his blasphemous assertion, repeated
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

fined fifteen francs. Since that day the
hatred of the populace against the un-
happy man has increased. 1t is impos-
sibe for him TO appear anywhere without
suffering vicious attack. When Vach-
er's confession, which acquitted BANNER
completely, was read as proclamation to
the commune, the people refused to credit
the veracity of the actual assassin, and
instead of abatirg their cruel persecution
declared they would never be satisfied un-
til BANNER was hanged.
How pitiab bic and pitiless is the malice
of human nature
Several similar occurrences, wherein
the people of The communes and the
prosecuting officers developed an unrea-
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

fectly known, as we'll as his name, for he
had passed the night with farmer close
by and shown his military passport.
He was met by gendarme named
Pandore. who was seeking the assailant on
the highway. Have you seen such
marauder?" asked the gendarme, giving
the name and description OF Vacher to the
assassin himself.
Eyes, indeed, and you will have to make
tracks without delay to overtake him,
be replied, pointing in the opposite di-
rection and assuring the gendarme that
the fugitive was speeding across the coun-
try on crossroad.
The gendarme, impressed with the cool
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

Another time while he was at work in
his field boy came up TO taunt him, in
the popular refrain, and he threatened to
pull the boys ears if he didn't move on
and be silent. The boy related that Ban
nier had threatened to kill him. mum
Der OF men called on him Tor an explana-
ton, among them the witness Chevalier,
who, without provocation, struck him IN
the face. BANNER, a powerful man,
knocked his assailant down, whereupon
the whole crowd fell upon him and
mauled him brutally. Chevalier, who
was the aggressor, fled information
against BANNER for having threatened TO
kill the mlsch levous boy, and BANNER was
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
A MUCH WANTED DRUMMER.

A Starch Salesman Who Proves to Have
Been ~ Smooth Forger. :
TACOMA, Wash. May 4.-From Mon
tana to the coast efforts are being made
to apprehend the'psuedo drummer who,
while pretending to represent the Os-
wego Starch factory Of Oswego, n. Y,
has cleverly swindled merchants of the
Northwest of sums estimated at several
thousand dollars.
Two weeks ago he, went to Anaconda
from Butte and after selling bill of
goods had c. G. McKinnon cash 3
draft for $500 few minutes before the
train started. The. draft was re-
turned unhonored few days ago.
Officers were Immediately set upon
the forger's tril, and coast towns were
notified. It it learned that the swind-
Ter has operated in Butte, Helena, Spo-
kane, Salt Lake, Denver, Tacoma,
Seattle, Bismark, St. Paul and nearly
every city of Importance in the West.
In Anaconda, he went by the name OF
A.. E. Barmore and had complete
drummer's outfit from the starch COM
pany with several letters, one of which
gave him authority TO draw on the
New YORK Office. He is described as
35 years old, slim, weighs 1870 pounds,
has sandy hair and moustache, blue
eyes, is smooth talker, and excep-
tionally neat In his dress.
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
SMOlENSkl POPULAR.

Regarded as tire Hero of the Campaign
for the Victory at VelestinO.
ATHENS, May 8. -There'are numerous,
indications that the Ralli ministry in-
tends to assume greater direct military
and naval control and no longer to di-
vide the responsibility between the
ministry and the court.
The news of the victory at Velestino
has increased General Smolenski's pop
ularity and he is now regarded as the
real hero CT the campaign. A foreign,
officer who saw the fight says that the
Turks numbered 1000 and the Greeks
5000.
It is believed that the decisive con-
fict will be fought at Pharsalos soon.
A dispatch from Colonel Manos
explaining the retreat of the. Greek
forces in Epirus says that the morals
of the army was somewhat affected by
the news Of the retreat from Larissa
The entire loss of the Greeks IN Epirus
is estimated at 200.
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
THE RESULT IN DOUBT.

Vote on the Arbitration Treaty in the
senate Promises to Be Very Close.
WASHINGTON, May 4.-The senate
has resumed business in earnest and
the week bids fair to be one of impor-
tant results. According to agreement
a vote will be taken on the arbitration
treaty on Wednesday. It is also quite
probable that the committee vacancies
will be filed and that the tariff bill
will be reported to the senate.
For the rest the sundry civil appro-
priation bill may be passed and Sena-
tor Hoar has given notice that he will
move to have the committee on rules
discharged from the further considera-
/ ton of his amendments to the rules for
the limitation Of debates.
Fate OF the Treaty in Doubt.
There is great uncertain as to the
fate Of the arbitration treaty, and it
now looks as if the margin would not
exceed two or three votes, whatever
the result may be. There are a few
unascerta aimed votes which will decide
the result. a canvass sho VS. 40 votes
certain for the treaty and % votes GER
tainly against it. TWenty- nine votes
in opposition are sufficient to defeat it,
but the opposition do not know just
where these four votes can be found.
There will be consid erable sparring
over the treaty before the vote is taken
but no prolonged debate is respected
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
CONDITION OF WHEAT.
The Winter Variety Vergins Upon the
SensatiOnally Low. X

The Winter Variety Vergins Upon the
SensatiOnally Low.
CHICAGO. May 1.-The Orange Judd
Farmer report of wheat condition
throughout the country was. bullish as
regards winter wheat and bearish con.
corning spring. It indicated winter
wheat as yerging upon sensati0nally
low condition, but the spring wheat
area promising to exceed by 1850, OOG
acres that o. the previous season. II
was considered, however, as on the
whole sbullish. The visible supply was
also a favorable presentment for the
bulls. The reduction for the week was
4 ,789, 600 bushels, compared with 2, 49,
600 bushels on the similar days a year
ago. The decrease last week, although
so much smaller than last years, was
larger than expected.
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
THE DIPLOMATIC SITUATION.

No Request for Mediation Has Yet Been
Made or Offered.
ATHENS, May 4.-The diplomatic sit
uation may be summed up as follows !:
No request for mediation has been or
will be addressed by Greece to the
powers until the ministers of war and
marine report upon the state OF the
Greek forces at Pharsalos and else
where. The powers have not offered
mediation, although they do not con-
ceal the fact that request for inter.
vention will be highly acceptable to
them.
The minister foreign affairs, NJ.
Skouloudis, says the military situation
has greatly improved in both Epirus
and Thessaly and that the victory of
the Greeks over the Turks at Velestino
was brilliant,
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
GREEK JOAN OF ARC.

She Creates Much Enthusiasm on Her
Departure tn the Front
# LONDON, May L. The correspondent
of The Daily Telegraph at Athens has
had an interview with Helen Constan-
tinides, the 19-year-old girl who is
about to start for the front at the head
of a large band Of irregulars. She is
an excellent shot Her brother will
accompany her She declares that she
will fight in the front ranks and has
no fear of death. Her depar ture was
witnessed by thousands Of. enthusiastic
Athenians, who hail her as the Greek
i Oans Of Arc
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
Annexation 60 Greece or Death.

annexation TO Groeco or Death. .5
s5 GAMBIA, Crete, May 4. The admirals
commanding the fleets of the foreign
powers in Cretan waters had con-
ference with the insnrgent leaders at
Paleok astro. The Cretans were prom
;ised complete autonomy, ncluding the
condition that the nomination Of their
ruler should be subject to the ratifica-
ton Of the Cretan assembly. The in
surgent leaders, however, cut the dis.
cussion short and reiterated that their
motto remained Annexation to Greece
or Death ;, III
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
.E 3 Pasha Said to Have Pro
posed an Armistice to Prince
G Constantine.
Turkey Has Not hing to Gain by
Further Pros cution Of
the War.
No Proposition Yet Made Look
ing to Intervention BY the
Powers.

LONDON, May "A special dispatch
from Athens announces that Edhem
Pasha has sent an officer with flag Of
truce to the Greek headquarters asking
for an armistice Of FIVE days.
Another dispatch from Athens says
that it is again reported that Bulgarian
irregulars to the number of about 200
men have crossed the frontier in Mace.
dOnia.
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
NOTHING MORE TO GAIN.

Turkey Is willing to Terminate the War
49, at Any Time.
CONsTANTINOPEE, May Ain influen-
tial Turkish circles the opinion is ex-
pressed that the war with Greece will
soon terminate. It is pointed out that
while Turkey was forced into the war
by Greek aggressions, and the councils
of certain OF the powers, she will not
gain any advantage by crushing Greece
for the. benefit of the Slav element i'm
the Balkans. It is held that the sue
cesses attained by the Turkish troops
in Greece are all the Turkish govern.
ment could desire.
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
RElNvADED EPlRuS.

Greek Troops Occupy PhilippIadia for
q II hird Time.
ARIA, May e a fter emaining in-
active for two days the Greek troops
have reinvaded Epirus. The Sixth reg
iment advanced and occupied Philip
spiadia for the third time without fight
ing The Turks are still 10 Pentepiga-
.dia and Imaret has been fortitied, the
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
Kaiser Strongly Criticised.

BERLIN, May 4. "A great sensation
has been caused by a circular issued at
Emperor William' s instigation to the
magistrates Of the princi pal towns COM
pairing the state of the German feet IN
1866 with its condition now, and de.
.claring that unless new ships are put
on the stocks in large numbers Ger
many will be compelled, and perhaps
suddenly, to reconstruct her cruiser
=fotilla and to devote very large amounts
for that purpose. The opposition pa
pers criticize the circular severely
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05

WISCONSIN Beet sugar Company Assigns.
MMwAUKEE, May The Wisconsin
Beet Sugar company, which has just
completed plant at Menominee Falls,
has assigned. The assets are estimated
2at $2i5, 900 and the liabilities are IN.
known. Tt is thought probable that
the bond olders will get the plant and
continue the business
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
POPuLACE STILL ANGRY.
Feeling at Athens Strong Against the
Government.

LONDON, May q The Athens corre-
spondent of The Daily Mail says Both
the fleets remain idle. The populace
continues indignant at the filling Of the
railway carriages with Crown Prince
Constantine's baggage in the flight
from Larissa, despite the protest Of the
railway officials. The people say they,
have been cheated and betrayed. They
are also angry at the neglect of the gov
eminent to call out the exempted re-
nerves, who are for the most part rela-
tives Of ministers, deputies and aristo-
Gratis. obs ss ISL
New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1897-05-05
.zERTucHA UNDER ARREST

Weyler Orders Macso's Physician De-
ported to : Penal Colony.
New YORK, May IA dispatch to
The journal from Havana 4ys: Dr.
Maxine Zertucha,. Antonio Maceo's
physician, who's alleged to have be-
trayed the Cuban general to the Span
iards, was arrested at his home near