Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-11

Darznc. "He IL too cunning. He Is n
man who has always escaped you and
whom you have long searched for in
vain. If he did not succeed in out
whiting me he can yet easily outwit
any police. This man, who four years
ago introduced himself to the police
and became celebrated as Frederic
Larsan, Is notorious under another
name-a name we'll known TO crime
Frederic IArsan, NJ. President, Is Ball.
meyer"
"Ballmeycr" cried the president.
'Balmeyer" exclaimed Robert OAR
FAC, springlng to his feet. "Balimeyer!
1t was true. them
"Ah. NJ. Darzac. you don't think I
MN mad now!' cried Rouletabille.
Ballneyer. Ballmeyer! No other word
could be heard in the courtroom. The
president adjourned the herring.
Those OF my readers who may not
have heard Of Ballmcycr will wonder
ut the excitement the name caused.
And yet the dolngs of this remarkable
criminal form the subject matter OF
the most dramatic narratives of the
newspapers and criminal records OF the
past twenty years. 1t had been report
cd that he was dead and thus had
Guided the police as he had eludcd
them throughout the whole Of his ca
rcCr.
Ballmcycr was the best specimen OF
the high class gentleman swindler."
He was an adept NJ slcight Of hand
tricks, and no bOlder or more ruthless
crook ever lived. He was received in
the best society and was n member of
| some OF the most exclusive clubs. On
many q his dcprcdatory expeditions
he had not hcsitated to use the knife
and the mutton bone. No difficulty
stopped him, and 10 Operation" was
too dangerous. He had been caught.
hut escaped on the very morning OF
bis trial by throwing pepper into the
eyes Of the guards who were conduct
inG him to court.
| He left France later to "work" Amer
lea. The police there succeeded in once
capturing him, but the extraordinary
! man escaped the next day. 1t would
need volume to recount the adven-
4
this was the man Rouletabille had al
lowed to get away. Knowing all about
him and who he was. he afforded the
criminal an opportunity for another
laugh at the societv he had defied.
could not help admiriEg the bold stroke
Of the young journalist, because felt
certain his motive had been to protect
both Mile. Stangerson and rid Darzac
Of an enemy at the same time.
The crowd had barely recovered
! from the effect of the astonishing rev.
! citation when the hearing was resumed.
, The question in everybody's mind
was. Admitting that I.arsan was the
| murderer, how did he get out of the
| yellow room?
Eouletabille was Immediately called
to the bar and his examination con-
tinued.
You have told u.s." said the prcsi-
dent, that 1t was impossible to es-
cape from the end of the court. Since
I.arsan was leaning out of his window.
| he had left the court. How did he d.
that
He escaped by a most unusual way.
He climed the wall. sprang on to the
terrace and while we were enga ged
with the keepers body reached the
gallery by the window He then had
little else TO do than to open the win
dow. get In and call out to us. as If he
had Just come from his own room.
To man OF Ballmeyer's strength all
that was mere childs play And here,
monsieur. IS the proof of what | say
ROulctabile drew from his pocket a
small packet. from which he produced
a strong iron peg.
This. monsieur he said. lis a
spike which perfectly fits hole still
to be seen in the cornicc supporting
the terrace. I.arsan. who thought and
prepared for everything In case of any
emergency. had fixed this spike into
the cornicc. All he had to do to make
his escape good was to plant one foot
on Il stone which is placed ut the cor
ner of the chateau. another on this
support, one hand on the cornice OF
the keepers door and the other on the
terrace. and Larsan was clear of the
ground. The rest was easy. His act
ing after dinner as If he had been
drugged was make believe. He was
not drugged. But he did drug me.
OF course he had to make it appear as
if lie also had been drugged so that no
suspicion should fall ON him for my
condition. Had | not been thus over
powered I.arSan would never have en-
tered Mile. Stangersons chamber that
night and the attack on her would not
have taken place"
A groan came from Darzac, who APP
peared to be unable to control his suf-
fcring.
"You can understand" added Roulc-
tablle. that Larsan would feel him.
self hampcrcd from the fact that my
room was so close to his and from a
suspicion that | would be on the
watch that night. Naturally he could
not for moment believe that sus-
pected him. But might see him lcav-
ing his room when he was about to go
- nile. Stangcrson. He waited till
wac asleep and my friend Sainclair
was busy trying 10 rouse me. Ten
minutes after that mademoiselle was
calling out Murder"
How did you come to suspect Lar
SAM" asked the president"
"My pure reason pointed TO him.
That was why l watched him. But l
did not forcsee the druCriug He Is