The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-12-15
HIS MANIA Was TO Stay.
Ex. RAo7OINARY CAREER cF .VAC3-
EP, MUR0ERER OF MANY PERSON =.

EP, MURDERER OF MA&Y PERSON
Els Series OF CsImes--TTeCtty 'hree Assss-
sinstiors F5.un2ht R2rneto Eina-R: coEd
ysithoue parancl-Bacd CT Strangers Ia
Ps,2s ard IL Chief.
There is nothing ia modern history
with which TO compare the sangulna
rv career OF the French siaDghIererr,
Vacher, SAYS the London correspond
ent Of The New York Sun. Tee Jack
the Ripper murders in L0nccn ten
wears ago are completely eclipsed by
/; It, and the revelation is still iHconl-
plete. Twenty three sssessln&1io-s
have already been brought home 10
mis- blood-thirs:y wretch. and sc1rsiy
dav pssses that another is not added
to the list. L is doubtful # the m1-.
derer himself knoTs the number o.
| bis victims. He noncaalantl7 tells the
story Of some fresh tragedy 10 the ex
iaGlDing magistrate from tlrGe &c ume
as the details recUr to MS diseased
micd Investigation in each casa Sc
far has produced fuil corr2DoraIioC O.
! the murdeTrr,s narrative. T5eSe c3sss
,nclu3a several crimes not heretofore
discovered bit The victims body has
lin eacr, i1s;auce been found ~aere IN
idicatsd-in 6 c;su lu well Or ioaeIT
.nicset
The story Of thiS man, who killed
;Iosrslc for;he sake Of killing, Should
! be made known Throughout: C1ristec-
com. tor ii constitutes tbs mss: start.
tjing warning Of modera tine against
! tbs criminal folly ot turning loose
Iuoor society en- in;:iviGuai subj c. to
/ its OF hcmicidal mania Escher, Who
is cnly shout 25 ye&rs old, was 2 p,a-
tsant jivi1s near Lyons. He served
F.. his military term II regiment oi
zouaves, and proved so good 9 so;&!sr
Icth2er. II wss complained o. hin
| that be was bsutaHy severe . the re
| icru;.s uader him. a youGg man, =
member OF renowned French faml,
! iiy, tells how Tacher once soaSed aim
Eso savaseIy while drilling him that
! he lost his temper aud spTang at lGe
lroung martinez. Luckily for ihe SOL
idier. his com2anioGS seized him De.
/ fore be had succeeded IL striking his
! itormentor, otherwise court martial
:snd sentence 70 death for asSa0l:iog
Ian officer might have bsen his fate
:urder the stern laws Of military dis
sciplire il France.
/ Rp+ there was no suspicion Or
iercund f5r suspicion OF Vachers san,
lity at that time. Just after com
pleting his service. Eacher was Ill IN
| the hospital fos several 8eaks. Dur.
! ing his confinement he attempted to
| blow out his brains With 3 revolver,
land he still carries the bullet some-
!; where inside his skull. The shot pro.
d1ced recure1s fts OF insanity OF 50
violent z character that be was coz
fined for time at the lUua.ic asylum
st Dole. d.. Gii0ert, the welI-kno8n
expert IN mental diseases, says tina:
the physicians at the asylum released
Vacher, although tke7 Enem ne was
not Fl. to 0e a. large, because the?
were afraid Of an outcfy IN tae press
sgainst the arbitrary confinement OF
citizen under the pretexs that he was
insane.
Thss was three years ago. Since
that tine Vacher has wandered
Through the country districts OF
France, leaving everywhere trail Of
blood, but un6etected, evea unsuspec
ted, until By mere chance he wss
caught almost red handed near Lyons
abe u; three weeks ago. Most OF his
victims were shepherd boys and girls,
whom he found ending their hocks
in lonely fields Or on hiis!deS, but
sometimes he killed men aad women.
In each case he seemed seized with
freI ~ after striking down MS victim,
and Gu: and slasned aud often dis
membered the body. He told the
magistrate one day that he considered
h;ms eli a &C 1ucge, sent by Providence
10 sill ct humanity. Blu; his motive
was often more rational and sor6id.
Oae man he kiLIeI because his victim
wore clea1-looking shirt which Va
cher coveted Sometimes, ne admits,
he killed because he needed money
and food.
The murderer was always remarha
bic clever in shifting suspicion rom
himseif Two years ago he killed
shepherd bov On country road 3 few
miles from Lyons. He hacked the
body almos: into pics and then
strolle6 On Within few minutes
the mu listed corpse vas discovered
sud there was Immediate search for
the murderer IN al dire c.iors. \ gen
dzrne mounted On bicycle soon
overlook Vacs e., and called upon
aini to produce his pa2srs He readl,
/ " nanded ever ais ciSca&rze troGl the
Iz.uayss as q non-connissi0ued Ctfl-
Ger
! why. that IS my ola regiment,
exciaims d the seadarme. Il am nun
tiug : m&u wao has jus. gu, 5 5oy's
; :1roat Have yCU ses4 shy suspicious
;caaracter a. you came along
F.! "Ca, e<, responded tee murderer
| Without the least SIN OF discomDosG.e.
III saw q man running across the
! GelGs to the north abou. : nile back.
| And the Seadai.ne hurried CH after
/ me jmaglnar? cllprit
; Occasionally by some lucky chance
g victim escaped hin. \ ooy OF 13,
named Rodi.r, vas herding COWS
near Ciermont Ferrand o2e day il
lOctober, year ago, when be saw an
irgly locking. Sr!nni1g fellow, aD.
progca. H. wss a Tramp, poorly
dressed, and carried : Big bag on his
back and g heavy stick IN his hand.
! The boy was frightened st th6 tramps
s&ppear&nce, and SIS the strange. cane
near, young Rodisr, under prc!ense
LOT minding his COWS, ran 8 g&y. Tae
stranger, Nacher, foIoTa0.
Its 5itlar colo" rs said when 5a
Ecame near Why doat YOU i!sl!
fire? II you wan: matches, c2a give