Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-05-25
! FORTUNATE CRIMINAL.
IN Connf 80 TolsTol.

By count Leo 4olSIGl.
Transators Note.-Guy de Maupassant
in his Sur FEau." allCdes to the Incident
r1iaIcd by Count Tolstoi. ana says In
the archives of the principality may he read
the decree obliging the knave To leave the
country, and on thar condition awarding
him pension,
On the shores of the Mediterranean
there lies between France and Italy the
little kingdom OF Monaco. 1t numbers
fewer inhabitants than a large village
in all T000-and is in extent SO contracted
rs not to boast more than do"ble thar
number oe acres. But, on the other
hand, it has a rural prince. who POS
sesses a palace. mas Il court. ministers
bishops, generals and an army Not, TO
Be- sure, large aTmy-siXty men-Still
an army; nor is the revenue large Dn-
ties are, indeed, as elsewhere. imposed
upon wine, alcohol and tobacco: but al
though the people cOnScientiOusly drink
and smoke there are not enough of them.
and the princeling would certainly be
unable to feed his cOurters and himself
had he not the special resource Of a gam
bling house.
There people lose or gain, as the case
may be, but the keeper always profits,
and. therefore, pays heavy dues to the
prlncelng. He can well afford TO do SO
as his establishment is in Europe UNIQUE.
Similar places formerly existed in some
of the German principalities: but years
ago on account of frequent cataStrophes
they were suppressed. A player carried
away by excitement, would lose all his
own money, and sometimes even that of
others, and then commit suicide. SO the
Germans forbade their little princes to
Keep gambling houses. but no one could
forbid the potentate of Monaco and that
Is why he has a monopoly.
therefore all the lovers of trente eft
quarante rush to his kingdom, and for
toll does not enrich" says the Russian
proyerb. The princeling knows that the
spring from which he drains is imnurp.
but what can he do? 1t would not be
more honest to increase his income by
raising the duties on alcohol and tobac-
co; A man must live! So the princeling
relSns IN peace, makes money, and like
a real sovereign lives surrounded by
courtly ceremonial. He rewards. nun
lShes, reviews his troops. holds councils
and promulgates laws, just like other
rulers, only on a smaller scale.
Now, some years since a serious event
took place in the kingdom. A murder
was committed. The inhabitants of
Monaco are peaceable folk. and nothing
OF the sort had ever before taken place
among them. The judges met, and. as
was proper, set about Judging. All was
iiaWyer, Jury, long and conscientious de-
bates. Then. in accordance with the
law, they condemned the assassin to
death. SO far, so good. The sentence
was submitted to the princeling and after
his ratification all that remained to be
done was to execute it. But an impedi-
ment presented itself. The country Dos
sessed neither guillotine nor executioner.
After mature consideration is was do
clded that to obtain the loan of a master
ly cutter-oH of heads. together with his
apparatus, the French government
should be addressed, and that at the
same time inquiry as to the cost OF the
move should be made Eight days later
the answer was received The French
government consented to send the gull
lOtine and the eXecutioner. As to the
expenses, they would amount to 10000
francs.
The matter was referred to the prince
ling. His majesty thought the assassin
was not worth the price. Sixteen thou
sand francs fer the neck of Il rascal All,
no. indeed, 1t would in that case he
necessary to increase by francs yearly
the taxes Of each citizen. The people
might resist.
A council was held and i was decided
to address the same request to the King
of Italy. France is Il republic. and re-
pnblicS do not respect Caesars. but the
King of Italy, a brother. might be less
eNtortiOnate. The reply was immediate.
For the consideration of $4,000 francs.
which would also cover the expense Of
transportation, the Italian government
declared its willingness TO lend the APP
paratus and specialist.
This was cheaper. but yet too heavy ali
expense to incur for such wretch. 1t
would still be necessary TO taA the ,iti-
Gems. Again the council met. At great
length they debated as 10 how the natter
might be more economically settled.
Way. could not they employ a native sol
dler and behead the rascal at nome?