The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-12

blouse and black belt, which he per
ceivee, too late, to have been worn by
his companion. The quondam FRIEND
bows derisively. Permit ME to intro
duce my friends. You have heard Of
us; we are the Apaches of BelleviIle."
"Sit down." orders the chief. The
captive cannot choose but obey, while
the rest of the Apaches, brandishing
cleaning blades gather round in g
ring.
"Now drink"
A quart bottle Of absinthe is forced
into the hands Of the victim and the
neck put to his mouth. AT the first
! gulp of the neat liquor the wretch
gasps. A vigorous kick administered
in his stomach warns him that no tri-
| fling will be tolerated here. Drink"
! the tormentor commands. And at eve
ny pause for breath and as the wretch,
| sinking more and more under the bale
full influence of the drug, let's the bottle
half slip from his impressive hands, the
kicks in the stomach are renewed, va
ried by pricks of poiniards in the chest
and back and blows from loaded sticks
and American knuckle- busters, become
When complete Inconsistencies has
come and the fatal bottle has fallen
crashing to the stones the arch-inquisi-
tors end their fiendish task by strip
ping their victim, decorating his body
with cuts and stabs, disfguring him by
opening his cheeks and cutting off his
nose and ears and tearing out either or
both of his eyes. Finally they thrust
through his lips a knife blade on which
they stick paper marked Les
Apaches." If 1t were not for the bloody
evidences and the ill-omened words the
first part of the story would pass as a
dream of the maddest dellrium of abb
sinthe; but the cases are well autbenti-
Gated and the statements of such vic
Tins as have recovered corroborate so
perfectly that their accuracy cannot be
questioned.
1t is, of course, only in their chosen
quarters and in the dead hours of the
night that the Apaches indulge in such
orgies Of cruelty. Under less propi-
tious conditions they content them
selves with visiting summary ven
geance on anything human. A cabby
has been murdered and, in attempting
to rescue him, three gendarmes inca
pacitated at four o'clock in the after
noon on the boulevard, because the cab
happened to stop near spot where
some Apaches were standing AS usual
the Apaches escaped unframed.
The chance Of Staying a gendarme,
the hated "flic," is often worth pro-
vocation. This was proved few
1iy1, tc u7yxy1 do Inf In,
the quarter of Belleville saw curious
procession pass consisting Of a partic
ularly handsome sofa on the shoulders
Of three particularly shady individuals.
The red damask Of the one did not har-
monte with the rough garb of the 9TH
ers. Furthermore, among the articles
Of clothing were the regulation cap,
blouse and belt. The gendarmes drew
nearer and asked the men what they
were doing with the sofa. For all re-
ply the Apaches deposited the piece Of
furniture In the middle of the street,
coolly sat down on it, one at each end
and one in the middle, and drew out
their knives and knucks.
1--WE stole the sofa" they remarked
Now come and take 1t
from u.s.
In Justice to the Partisan gendarrnes
1t must be said that they are no cow
ards. The system of their organization
nay be faulty, and in consequence
much may be overlooked that should be
and decisively dealt with, but
when one Of the force finds himself face
% face with duty he never falters,
hough he may be one against ten, and
le may know that 1t will be almost
certain death for him. In this case the |
yendarlnes charged the garrison on the
Iofa and engaged in a fearful combat.
And events have proved that to con-
end with an Apache is not over-pleas-
int Their principle is kick for the alb
lomen, cut at the eyes and, If that Is
lot enough, knife in the stomach will
10 the rest. One gendarme had been
and the other was hard
,ressed when relief squad arrived.
n vain the Apaches signalled for their
the band had scattered
vide, and, overcome by numbers, the
hree Apaches were for wonder cap
ured and put in safe-keeping.
When examined Apaches and men,
ers of the other bands who have been
aught in open violation Of the law and
esistance to it's agents manifest the
lost extraordinary glory in their feats
nd indifference to their future. They
OF only acknowledge the charges
rought against them, they proclaim a
undred other offences, the while stead
y refusing to denounce their accom-
Ices When, however, one is merely !
on suspicion or circum-
tantiaI evidence 1t becomes practically
npoesible for the law to prove his
uilt He can affirm his presence in
Ill ten places at the same time and |
nd witnesses to confirm each asser- [
on. AS for damaging evidence he can
ways argue 1t plausibly, or impose a I
at denial, which, repeated with suffi- {
ent frequency and assurance, be- I
,mes a cause of embarrassment for his :
ldges In these cases condemnation
ten follows the denunciation of an old
,mpanion who has since been caught
nd subjected to penal servitude. But
the convict who denounces an ac-
,mplice has his sentence shortened,
rovided his behavior has been good,
I'd as, moreover, a dangerous latitude
allowed for personal vengeance, pre-
buttons must be exercised in accepting
lch testimonies. In a murder case the
opposed assassin is Unexpectedly con-
onted with the body of the victim and
nine cases out of ten he will betray
8 guilt. Thus was the murderer Of
e Gendarme Mature trapped into
,nfession He had stolidly denied all
i 1n1 |