The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-18

EoeAa,Xll.An. POE:
Residing in Paris in 1S-, be-
came acquainted with M. G. Au-
guste Dupin, young man Of illus
trious family, but who, reduced
to poverty, had lost both courage
| and ambition.
He came to live with me and 1
found delight in his hobby-that
of constantly seeking to read the
minds and motives of men and to
face, through trivial circum-
stances, the trend and cause of
actions. The activities of his mind
he exercised for his own idle
amusement, until, on the occasion
of murders in the Rue Morgue, of
which 1 tell, he permitted his own
amusement to take the form of a
serious endeavor to unravel one
of the most remarkable mysteries
in the annals of Paris.
The tragedy came to our atten-
ton through the following para
graphs In an evening paper:
"This morning at o'clock the
inhabitants of the QUARTER st.
Roch were aroused from sleep
by succession of terrific
shrieks, issuing, apparently, from
the fourth story of house in the
Rue Morgue, known to be in the
sole occupancy of one Nine.
'Espanaye, and her daughter,
Mile. Camille L'Espanaye. After
some delay, the gateway was bro
ken in with a crowbar, and eight
OF ten of the neighbors entered,
accompanied by two gendarmes.
By this time the cries had ceased,
but as the party rushed up the
first flight of stairs two or more
| rough voices in angry contention
| were distinguished, and seemed to
proceed from the upper part of
the house. AS the second landing
was reached these sounds also had
ceased, and everything remained
perfectly quiet. The party spread
themselves and hurried from room
to room. Upon arriving at large
back chamber in the fourth story
(the door of which, being found
locked with the key inside, was
forced open), a spectacle present
ed itself which struck every one
present not less with horror than
with establishment.
"The apartment was in the wild
est disorder, the furniture broken
and thrown about in all directions.
There was only one bedstead, and
from this the bed had been re-
moved and thrown into the middle
of the floor. On a chair lay a
razor besmeared with blood. On
the hearth were two or three long
and thick tresses of gray human
hair, also dabbled in blood, and
seeming to have been pulled out
by the roots. Upon the floor were
found four gold coins, an earring
topaz, three large silver spoons,
three smaller of pewter, and two
bags containing nearly four thous-
and francs ($S0) in gold. The
drawers of bureau which stood
in one corner were open, and had
been apparently rifled, although
many articles still remained in
them. A small iron safe was dis
covered under the bed (not under
the bedstead). 1t was open, with
the key still in the door. It had
mo contents beyond a few old
letters and other papers of little
consequence.
"Of Nine. L'Espanaye no traces
xxyn Hxrk II
quantity Of SCOT being observed in
the fireplace, search was made in
the chimney, and horrible to re-
late!) the corpse of the daughter,
head downward, was dragged
therefrom, 1t having been thus
forced up the narrow aperture for
la considerable distance. The body
was quite warm. Upon examining
1T many bruises were perceived, no
doubt occasioned by the violence
with which It had been thrust up.
Upon the face were many severe
scratches, and upond the throat
dark bruises and deep indentations
of finger nails, as II the girl had
been throttled to death.
after a thorough Investigation
of every portion of the house,
without further discovery, the par
ty made its way into a small
paved yard in the rear of the
building. where lay the corpse of
the old lady, with her throat so
entirely cut that upon an attempt
to raise her the head fell off. The
body as well as the head was fear
fully mutilated, the former 30
much SO as scarcely to retain any
semblance of humanity.
ITO this horrible mystery there
is not as yet, we believe, the
slightest olew."
The next days paper had these
additional particulars.
THE TRAGEDY IN THE RUE
MORGUE.
MANY individuals have been
examined In relation to this most
extraordinary and frightful affair,
Ibut nothing whatever has trans
pired to throw light upon 1t. We
give all the material testimony
slicited.
Pauline Dubourg, laundress.