The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-15
The Only Way to Treat Them, He Says,
Is to XIII Them Before They
Can Do Any Harm.
A MAN WHO HAD EXPERIENCE
HAD BEEN BODYGUARD AND KILLER
IN ORDINARY TO NAPOLEON Hi.
Grim Tales Told by Griscelli, Who
Saved Royal Lives Many Times and
Was a Terror to Anarchists.

Anarchists Of any kind is to go and kill
every suspected person and say no more
about it. OF course. no one likes to resort
TO such extreme measures, but rulers who
value their lives have to adopt them un-
less, perchance. the would-be assassin can
be bought off. which is frequently the
case"
This from Griscelli, sometime Napoleon
IT'S bodyguard and killer-in-ordinary
whom the writer met in Paris in the
winter Of 1894 shortly after the assassina-
ton of President Carnot. Jacques Francois
Griscelli, then a feeble old man, was the
terror of European regicides for more than
twenty years. He discovered a score of
plots against the life of Napoleon and, in
cidentaIly, saved Cavour twice. Cardinal
Antoneln seven times. Francis II of Naples
six times. and Francis Joseph of Austria
twelve times from death by Anarchists.
Hence his judgment in such matters ought
to be worth something.
1.-The Emperor Napoleon" hs continued,
was a game man, but, at the same time.
had the heart OF a woman. He loathed
bloodshed and never asked me for the de-
tails of my work. However, having full
power to act, L simply went ahead per-
forming my duty. Witness the result:
From November, 1853 to July, 1870, twelve
great cOnspiracies against the Prince
President and Emperor were discovered,
the number of persons implicated varying
between two or three and a full hundred.
These, remember, are official fgures-as a
matter of fact there were five or six would
be assassins for every one officially de-
nOunced- Yet my imperial master escaped
almost without a scratch, only in the Orsi-
nj omb-throwing affair January, 1859 he
lost piece of skin belonging to his nose.
KEPT CLOSE TO THE EMPEROR.
During my many years Of service 1 was
closer to Napoleon than any other living
man ever had been. L slept in front of his
bed and was present at hundreds Of private
interviews between the Emperor, his min
listers and foreign royalties. Sometimes my
presence was known, at other times L at
tended the Emperor in disguise behind cur
tains or secret doors that could be opened
by a spring.
when the Emperor travelled in France
the chiefs of the arondissements were or
dered to place their entire police under my
command for the time being. even the mill
tary authorities of the provinces had to
bow TO my will. When Napoleon visited for
eign countries the police were likewise in
structed TO take orders from me and leave
II
safety.
The public did not learn of so per cent.
of the attempts on the life OF Napoleon"
continued Griscelli. 1.-The facts were made
public only when it was impossible to con-
ceal them. Every regicide, you must know.
attempted or successful, procreates others,
inhames the minds OF so-called patriots
and lunatics. These assassins all hope TO
20 down to history. and the worst punish
ment that could be melted out TO one of the
crew would be 10 ignore him altogether.
KILLED, DEPORTED, BRIBED.
"Of course that cannot be done, but
whenever it could be done We made as lit
tie noise about the plots that were discov-
cred as possible. Many scoundrels, caught
almost redhanded, were executed OF the
spot on some convenient pretext or other,
many were shipped to the penal colonies,
the rest were paid to be good. or subdued
by threats and kept under constant sur
veilance.
In the beginning of 1853 acted for the
first time executioner of an Anarchist.
1t was soon after the coup detat, while
Petri was project of police. He a
COrsican like myself. and at once put full
confidence in me. Petri had information
that man named Kelch was about to
come 10 Paris TO assassinate Napoleon in
the imperial box at the Grand Opera de-
sired 10 receive the Emperor's own instruc-
tions about the case. Napoleon was very
kind 10 me, but did not refer to our
previous meetings. AS If he had known me
but a day. he said: L am glad you are a
Corsican. the Corsicans are the best friends
my family has Then he ordered Petri to
give me 1000 francs and place horses and
carriage at my disposal. L will ride TO the
Bots de Boulogne az o'clock tomorrow
afternoon, and will keep you posted as to
my future movements said the Emperor
as he withdrew.
AT the Office OF the president of police 1
learned mat Kelch was a man of hercu-
lean strength, a desperate who would stop
at nothing. He was living. at the time, with
brother at Baugirard. and the daughter
of publican, named Demant, in the Rue
de Tracy. was his mistress. Furthermore.
i learned that the man was a creature of
Mazzini. and could not be bought off,
1t would take many columns of this news
paper TO record Griscelrs vivid description
OF how he made the would-be regicide's ac-
quaintance. wormed himself into his con-
fdence and pumped him for all he was
worth.
KILLING THE ANARCHIST.
Only on the day before the Emperor was
10 fall by the assassin's hand. the great de-
tective dropped his mask and ATTEMPTED to
arrest kelch. The man showed fight. and
was promptly shot and killed by the Corsi-
can. The same evening the Emperor pre-
scented him with 1890 francs and the EN-
press, TO show her gratitude sent his chill
dren 10 the celebrated school of Ivory at
her expense. The minister OF the interior
NJ. De Persigny. appointed him the Emper-
ors official bodyguard.
Griscelli continued: I'm the beginning Of
1851 ] learned that a number OF suspected
characters were in the habit OF visiting a
house in the Faubourg St. Honore. which
the Emperor occasionally passed on his
rides about town. The house was owned bv
a former minister OF the late King Charles
y l shaved my mustache and beard of
clothed myself In the height OF fashion.
placed the red band OF the order OF the
Legion OF Honor in my buttonhole hired
the SWEETEST coach 1 could find. with a