The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-29
The Terrible Original Bluebeard,

| Giles de Retz was the famous soldier.
alchemist, necromancer and murderer
whom comparative folklorists have
agreed to identify with the Blubeard of
nursery lore.
Giles de Retz was scion of one of
the most iIlustrioIR families in Brittany.
Born in 14e4, at the age OF eleven ne lost
his father. His mother remarked within
a year. He himself after having been en-
gagged three successive times with all due
pomp and formality. was finally. when
only sixteen years OF age. married TO his
third fiancee The young wife, Catha-
rine de Thouars, brought him a hand
some dowry. including the castle Of Tif-
fauges. The property and chateau OF
Machecoul came 10 him through his moth
er's family and the chateaux and property
Of Champtoce, with other large estates.
through his fathers. Thus he was enc
of the richest barons of the province.
But he had small opportunity for edu-
cation, save in the arts of war Before
he was twenty-fve-at the coronation OF
King Charles VII, at Rheims July H..
142e-he received his baton as a marshal
of France. He had served under Joan OF
Arc as Captain OF the Guard, and he now
accompanied her to Paris, which the En-
glish evacuated and left to the care OF
( the Duke OF burgundy
On his return from service he establish
ed himself in princely fashion on his es-
tates in Brittany. The interiors of his
chateaux were magnifcently decorated.
He maintained a small army. whose mem
bers were in his own pay. Psssionately
fond of music. he organized all sorts OF
musical competitions and displays. But
his most ruinous folly was in the pro-
duction of historic mysteries, the name
given to the primitive dramas Of the hf-
teenth century. Finally his brother
Rene, took alarm and succeeded in OBJ
tanning a decree from the king forbidding
any further wasting of the family prop
erty.
This Introduction proved embarrassing
to Giles. He was deeply in debt. He
was spending more than his income. In
hopes of raising money he fell into the
current folly of the age and devoted him
self to the study of alchemy and the
search for the philosophers stone which
was TO convert the baser metals into gold
His tutor in this science was Francois
Prelati, an Italian priest whose devotion
to the study of the occult had overcome
all desire for ecclesiastical preferment
GILES was now a changed man. He
separated from his wife, to whom ne gave
over the Chateau VI NHdltlplOtSs NAiiC AAC
and his retinue. including Prelati aiterna-
ted between the chateaus at Machecoul
and Tiffauges His personal appearance
at this time IS described as striking. Like
many of the Breton race, his complexion
WAS fair. His eyes were large and blue.
shaded by long black eyebrows and
lashes. His hair was long and black.
his beard soft and silky, the raven black
ness of which became shiny, taking on
tinge OF blue black. which may have
earned for him the title of "Bluebeard."
in the countryside.
About the year 1882 strange stories were
current in the neighborhood of GILES Pro-
vencal castles. Sometimes each day for
a week, sometimes not again for months,
reports arose of the disappearance Of
young children. and of boys and girls In
their teens. Without warning, apparently
without cause, wit = ut the slightest evil
dence as to the \ ans employed and
without leaving the slightest trace. the
son or daughter of a household would
suddenly be gone. All that the terror
stricken family knew was that the child
was here today and now he or she was
not.
Driven by superstitious terrors. the
peasantry coniured up all sorts of super
eApldildllODS. 1Oillt llouShN -
was the devil himself that was roaming
around in search of youthful prey. Others
declared IL was some monster Of the
vampire race which. by some sort of
resurrection, had changed its horrible
character so that II did not wait to prey
upon the dead. but made its attack upon
the living choosing children and young
maidens, and so timing the place and
manner of attack that not only was no
defense possible. but no opportunity for
pursuit or recovery.
Eight years rolled away. Little by lit
Il it became apparent that these ravages
were confined to a given district-a circle
of country of which the city Of Nantes
was approximately the center. Suspicion
gradually narrowed itself down until II
pointed to the two castles Of Giles de
Retz Rumors of his dealings with
magic had long been current He was
known 10 have many famliars engaged
with him in the practice of the black arts.
1t was only natural fhat the disappear
ance of the children should be traced to
his agency.
Apparently the first step-st least the
first step made public against GILES de
Retz-charging him with crime. and the
first paper forming part Of the ecclesias-
teal record in the archives OF the depart
,nent of -Inferieure lis the "Declar-
alton of Infamy against Giles de Retz
by the Bishop of Nantes. July 30. 1440"
Giles submitted calmly to arrest. Pos
eibly he may thave felt strong In the
knowledge that he had never personally
committed any Of the crimes Of abduc-
ton charged against him, and that they
could not be directly proved against him
These offences had been committed IN
all parts OF the country, always IN iso-
lated places. and Giles may have come
TO the ieonclusion during that long series
Of eight years that whatever might be
proved against his accompiices and ac-
tive agents, nothing could ever he proved
against him. He and his famillars were
thrown into the Chateau OF Nantes a.
prisoners. His trial took place before the
ecclesiastical court. presided over by the
Bishop Of Nantes.
At first Giles presented blatant and
defiant front to his inquisitors. but az the
evidence accumulated against him he fall
tered. The threat OF torture broke him
down altogether. He threw himself al the
feet Of the judges and. in broken accents.
with cries and sobs. prayed for leave -
make confession Of his crimes. The day
for the public hearing ~ this confession
was set for October - 1873 at two O'Clock
in the afternoon. Giles Acknowledged
that he had made away with one hun
dred and fifty children. Some he had or
fered as bloody sacrifices 70 the evil one:
others he had treated IN horrent fashion
before making away with them
The first trial ended II conviction 81 the
only crimes over which the eScicsiastiral
court had cognizance-to-vif herezy.
apostacy and Invocation OF demons. The
sentence was eXcommUnication. which
was lifted. however. az his earnest inter
cession and profession Of penitencs He
was then handed over % the civil court.
which condemned bin. with two q hfs
2 CO. Y, -lleae n Enafh n. ~ -zfrr -