The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
eSS

thereupon attempted to kill her. None
of the four pistol shots he discharged had
any effect, though he believed she was
mortally wounded, inasmuch as she had
fallen to the ground. Luckily for the in
tended victim of his fury, she had tainted
from fright, and suffered only the perfora-
ZION of her clothing.
1t would have been a good day for
France and a fortunate one for many poor
innocents Of the pastoral regions OF the
south had Vacher mpleted the last chap
ter ofthe tragedy he attempted. He did not
appear then TO possess the sangtrold and
steadiness of nerve which afterward made
of HIM such a slippery assassin, Tor the
two suicidal bullets he fired into his own
head failed to find the fatal spot. They
lodged in his Uranium, however, and
caused the partial paralysis of his face
described, together with a sinister defor-
nation of the left eye.
Vacher was adjGdged insane and COM
mitted to the Asylum of Dole, whence he
was transferred to that OF st. Robert. In
1S94-and who shall say that here was
not committed the greater crime ?-the
authorities of ST. Robert decided that he
was mentally sound and turned the Gun.
ming madman loose on France.
The unprecedented case of ''le Tueur
de Bergers" Immediately began, the
mutllations and erotic motive pecu-
liar to the numerous crimes he subse-
quently committed appearing in the case
of the shepherdess, Louise Marcel, whom
he destroyed four weeks after his liberia
ton.
The butcher of shepherds was detected
by chance, or rather through the clever
suspicion of NJ. Garcia, the examining
magistrate at Tournon, Ardeche, before
whom he was arraignad for the alleged
attempt at outrage His intended prey
was saved by the chance appearance OF a
gendarme. Vacher did, not seem to
have very bad antecedents. He was
charged with a simple condemnation for
vagabondage at Bauge, Maine-et- Loire,
which, considering the admitted manner
OF his existence. was not considered
grave offense.
In interrogating him, however, the
magistrate was struck by the singular;ty
of his appearance. He strongly resem-
Dieu d pIONiOl Va thO WIZ was
wanted by the prosecutors offices OF
Belley and Lyons.
The description was looked up and com.
parsons made. Allowing for few trif1ing g
discrepancies. the magistrate made up his
mind that Vacher was the man. He
asked the prisoner if he had ever tramped
through Ain. Vacher stoutly maintain led
that he had never visited the neigh bor-
hood.
Just the same, the magistrate advis ed
his colleague OF Belley, M. Fourquet. and
sent the suspected culprit to him for ex-
animation.
Shortly before arriving at Lyons, taking
advantage of moment of inat.en lion on
the part of the othcer who had him in
charge, Vacher made da.h for the door
of the compartment of the railroad car
riage in which they were travelling. The
train was running at the rate OF forty
miles an hour. He would have certainly
succeeded in precipitating himself head
long had not one of the guards tripped
and fallen on him just as the door gave
outward, while the other touched off the
stop signal to the engineer.
This at empt at suicide on the part of
WAGNER confirmed the worst suspicious.
Had it been successful most Of The hor-
rib e secrets Of his career would have per.