The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25


phant Rcigp-Romnurc aud Ruin.
Somewhat as progress and improvement
ia srmor plate construction is following the
invention of guns and projectiles of hith-
cr.1 unknown velocity. the development q
iatdicaI science as il is now known was the
dir,c; result Of development in death-3e1l-
iug agencies There was prior to The gen
clal recognition of cures FOR poison, irr
example. whole catalogue OF poisoqs ad-
miui-iered 10 cause death This particular
phase Of immaturity ia science was pro-
longed iu Francc-Jho nation which has
since given the world advanced astrouomi-
cal and scientific theories. and it is inter
estiBg to note that the Pasteur filter TO
cite an instance. has followed i'm the wake
Of tbc most ingenious poisoning human be-
ings have ever known. IN the seventeenth
century. while the Stuarts and The Round
heads were developing theories OF civil
government in England the French Sub
jects OF Louis XIV were killing their quota
poisoned needles. and similar agencies.
Had Cromwell been q Frenchman instead
Of wearing a breast plate for protection
against his enemies he would have needed
4 filter and a magnifying glass
OF course there were apprentices, adopts
and master hands at the art Lucretia
Borgia is TO most minds the embodiment
Of true skill in the administration OF
deadly draughts. But France HAD also a
fglire for excellence. a genius 81 poisoning
with a-eareer Of rare interest ard am I'M
broken record OF yictims-the Narquise &c
BIinvillie.s.
when Louis XIV was born in 1885. a
writer on he New York Tribune" says.
Marie Madeline dAubray future Mar
auise de Brinvillcrs. was only eigh. year
old. But by the time she was live ne
bRseness of her character had declared IT,
self. in her seventh year she was a thor
oughly bad case; she ceased 20 be a child;
she was already the evil genius destined 20
cast deadly shadow across the reign Ct
the Grand Monarque" NJ Funck- Bren-
tano tells her story, one Of the most IN
cannily fascinating in the records of crime
70 leads him on TO other narratives IN
The preparation Ct which his scientific yet
unaffected enthusiasm has been supported
by his official labors in the classification
Of the archives OF the Bastile lie Drame
des Poisons" is based largely on manu-
script sources. It abounds in new facts.
as does the earlier work by the same 1u-
thor. "Legendes ct Archives de Ia Bastile
of which an English translation has just
appeared The Bastile book eXplodes mans
familiar theories and robs the famous
prison OF half its gloom lie Drame DIES
Poisous" intensifes the horror in which
the criminal annals OF The seventeenth
century ia France are enveloped. The
Marquise de Brinvilliers sets the key OF
this book and that means much.
Blessed With Accomplishments.
She was wen bern and beautiful Her
parents gave her an excellent education,
il that training could he called good which
LETT her moral nature TO take care Of it,
seIf. She could write a letter with cor
recthe-s. thing rare among the women
OF her time. Her mind was active. She
spoke Go the point. using few words but
choosing The right ones. A difficult sItua-
tidn found her cool and collected. Sic
confronted it with firm courage and came
swiftly 10 a clear decision. Her hand
writing was masculine. and SO were many
OF her traits.
Also she showed a feminine impuIsive-
ness at times. and was capable of splendid
fits Of fury. Proud as Lucifer, her rage
when she was opposed was terrible 10 see
7nd sim more terrible TO feel. When Do
her tWeuty-drst year she married The
Marquis de Brinyilliers she knew very
well what she wanted oi life aud Wa- Tee
solved TO have It,. She wanted pleasure
first ana last. and, of course. the money 10y
which great deal OF it could be procured
The desires Of her husband ran iu the
same direction. but this was far from 'e-
meutinr their love
With q Tasoally boon companion OF Ter
husbands enc Sant-CroiN, The Marquis
fen in love Her father. being q
man of honor and apparently expecting lit
tie from his dissipated s0n-in-laW. acted
also Win promptitude. and secured '-lct- !
ire de csck5t' which landed the lover in
the Bastille. Saiut-Croiy STAYED There less
than tEo months. When be emerged and
renewed his relations with The Narguise.
meuf Was prepared 90 undertake any re-
pI5sals As she wanted NOT only revenge
bur hcr inheritance. she thought of mGr-
der. From CHASER "A Swiss chemist in
Paris he lovers obtained the necessary
poison The formula was simple. Arsenic
WAS The prime agent
student ct Poi~on'> Effects.
Tic marquise frequented the hospital
and. under the cloak OF pious generosity
gave poisoned catablls 20 the patients. 20
study the effect. She cxucrjmeufrI also I
Or hCE aoWestics LiftIe by little She gG- I
uiri-tercG the arsenic to- her father Wi q 1
bis food and al last had The satisfaction I
o. safely killing him There was au aa- I
iopsy. lut medical science had much 10 /
learn. aud The doctors ascrlbel the 1-a.r ts I
natural causes.
other members Of the family. however. I