Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
HAPPENINGS IN PARIS
Active Campaign Against
Gambling Establishments.
MANY CLUBS TO BE CLOSED
Mysterious Spirit is Interviewed by a
Magistrate.
MIDNIGHT ENDED THE SEANCE
Russian Revolutionist Suicide With
out Any Apparent cause-Friends
Suggest Foul Play.
ENDED THE sEANCE


PARIS, February 23.-The French govern
ment has already taken steps toward the
closing of a number of establishments In
Paris which under the name of clubs are in
reality merely gambling hels. And before
very long a law is to be submitted to the
chamber by which such establishments shall
be closed altogether, and by which the
casions and casino clubs at French water
ing places shall be carefully regulated by
nominees of the government and taxed with
further 10 per cent impost on the gross
product of the gambling. which money 1t Is
expected the state will use for charitable
and hygienic purposes.
M. Lebon and his wife have already OK
pended over $4,000 on law in Paris in
wrangle over the possession of collection
cure divorce and everything had been ar
ranged amicably regards the division OF
their money and household effects. But both
were ardent philatelists and when the stamp
collection was mentioned M. LebOn claimed
it because he had started the collection when
a boy at school.
The courts have ruled that an expert is
to be employed to divide the stamp collec-
ton equitably, but up to the present time
the division has not taken place and it is
hard to tell just where the matter Will end
Interviewed Spirit.
A judge, an inspector of police and the
chief of the Grenobie detective force inter-
viewed a mysterious spirit at Grenoble last
Sunday evening. The ghost is rapping
spirit and 1t has excited Grenoble for some
time past. 1t frequents the fiat of an ell
derby lady named Nine. Massot in house
which belongs to M. de Beylie. the presiding
judge of the commercial court. 1t has wor-
ried Nine. Mascot SO much that she has
called on her landlord to allow her to can
eel her lease and leave the fiat.
The landlord thought that his position as
a judge made 1t necessary that he should
disprove the presence Of this tapping spirit
with the help Of unromantic men of the
police in and out of uniform. Finally five
Grenoble policemen were posted on the roof,
one was posted in every room Of the house
and Gordon OF police was placed round
the house in the street. In Nine Massots
drawing room sat Judge de Beylie, his ten
ant, Nine. Massot:~an inspector Of police In
uniform and the chief of the Grenoble de-
tective force.
Judge Had His Joke.
At 10 o'clock nothing had happened and
the authorities had risen to go. But as they
started loud rapping was heard which
seemed to come from both sides Of the
room at once. NJ. de Beylie turned little
pale, but in stern voice he asked the spir-
1t in reply to his questions. Are You SOL
der or civilian. you uncivil MANI"
joke. If you are soldier you may rap
twice; il civilian. rap once. but please do
not damage the wall"
Two raps answered the judges question
and further questions elected the peculiar
story that the rapper was the spirit Of an
artileryman, twenty-six years of age, who
had died before finishing his military serv-
ice and who was in love with Nine. Mas
sot's niece. Nine. Massot had opened her
mouth to ask another question to re-
monstrate when midnight struck. and the
authorities and the spirit all went home.
The mystery has not been elucidated yet,
and large crowds have collected round the
house During the afternoon Of one of these
crowded days believers and unbelevers in
the spirit came to blows and had to be
dispersed by the police, who did little rap
ping on their own account.
Revolutionist Suicide.
The suicide of the Russian revolutionist,
NJ Jean Tilbouchevitch, in Paris is shroud-
ed In deep mystery. His friends are talk
ing of foul play and hint that his death is
due to the hands of criminals. He was
found in his room with a cup of poison and
he had been dead five six hours. He has
a brother-in-law and a sister in Paris to
whom he was deeply attached and they as
we'll as his friends are surprised that he
left them no word to explain the motive
of his supposed suicide.
There is not the slightest ground so far
as known why he should have killed him
SELF. he was the owner OF prosperous
review, his means were sufficient for his
needs, and he was not only In the best of
health but also wonderfully cheerful and
in good spirits only day before his cath.
He enjoyed a widespread reputation as a
writer and linguist; was in close touch with
all of the leading revolutionary committees
in Russia, and looked forward to the duma
for the triumph of his ideas.
There was none better informed about
events in Russia than he. The treason of
Father Gapon was known to him before it
was published In any paper, and eight days
before the bomb was announced at NJ
Stolypin's house he had announced what
was going to happen. All of his efforts
have recently been turned toward prevent
ing the success of the new Russian loan in
France, and it was he who started and
maintained powerful press campaign
against it.