Evening star., 1900-04-21
TRACED BY PERFUMES.
Curious Instances of Criminals Who
Were Actually Scented" Out.

4 rom Answers.
So infinitesimally slight are some of the
clues that have led to the arrest and ulti-
mate conviction of notable criminals that
one may not be surprised to learn that by
the distinguishing and ineffaceable odor of
certain perfumes and scents murderers and
thieves have ere now been brought to book
for their misdemeanors
Probably the queerest case in this connec-
ton is that of a notorious burglar who was
arrested in Paris few months back solely
because he had a partialfty for eucalyptus.
The facts are these: An elderly lady awoke
one night to find that the jewel box at the
side of her bed was in the act of being
robbed by a burly and closely masked man
The lady had the self-control to feign sleep
and make mental note of the fact that
there was one Distinguishing feature of the
marauder. This was the strong odor of
eucalyptus that pervaded his garments.
AS soon as he had effected his departure
the woman rose and summoned a policeman
to her assistance by calling loudly from her
bed room window. However, her efforts
were in vain, for on the arrival of the police
1t was found that the burglar had disap-
peared with the lady's jeweis. Nor was the
man captured for a considerable period
Then. one afternoon, there called at the
office of a Hebrew pawnbroker in small
way of business gentlemanly looking man
who was desirous of pledging few articles
of jewelry.
Now. the broker had been supplied with a
list of the articles stolen on the occasion
and at once saw that the trinkets the pres
ent customer was intending to pledge were
nona of those that had been taken from the
lady's jewel box. But he had read the
story of the burglary and recalled the re-
marks of the lady anent the odor peryadins
the thief's clothes
Now. this mans garments also smelled of
the fragrant oil. One would hardly have
considered this similarity such as to war
rant the apprehension of the pledger but
paWnbrokerS are venturesome set of men
and the one referred to called policeman
and gave the customer in charge Nor did
he err in so doing, for the man proved tn
be notorious burglar and indeed the thief
OF the gems. The articles he was on the
point OF pleoging were the result of another
burglary, and the chances are that the mis-
demeanant would have continuously eyaded
capture but for the fact thai beInp
strangely frightened by the universal epi.
demic-infiuenza-he had resorted to a lib
eral use of eucalyptus OIL
An even odder case in point Is one which
halls from India. A merchant returning to
his home from Calcutta took with him
small flask of spikenard, a costly perfume
used in Hindu religious rites. The unfortu-
nate fellow never reached his home for on
the way thither he was attacked by gang
OF poisoners. who killed him. and after
throwing his body into river carried off
his goods, including the flask of scent.
Months aftarward the criminals, who had
come under suspicion for other crimes re-
ceived an informal visit from the police
when the strong odor of the costly scent
was detected In their abode, the half empty
flask bsing eventually unearthed beneath
stack of fuel In one of the rooms of the
house. The discovery led to the execution
Of three members of the gang.