The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-01
THE SLAYER OF MARAT
Charlotte Corday and the Act
That Made Her Famous.
HER PLANS FOR THE MURDER

Act Of the Brutal 1sadsman.
Among the instances Of fanatic zeal |
for country and people the act OF
Charlotte Corday. who was born at
st. Saturnin. France. July p. 1s6S.
and who was beheaded at Paris July
II. 1898. stands out in tragic force.
Her childhood aud early youth were
full OF privation. although she was OF
noble family. She was educated at
convent in Caen and then went to
live with An aunt In the same old town
Of Normandy.
She had a serene and lofty beauty.
was tall and graceful, and her manner
was full Of dignity.
She spent all her leisure in reading.
and her books were always those that
related to heroism and devotion to
country. When the revolution broke
upon France. Charlotte eagerly took
up the reading Of politics and public
questions When the Girondists were
obliged to ny from Paris they went to
Caen and began to hold meetings and
form plans for future operations In
Paris.
licans and got their name from Gil
ronde. as 1t was the deputies from
this district that had formed the Re
publican party In the national assem-
bly,. The mass cres had terrified them,
and they had tried to stop the violent
measures in the reign of terror.
Charlotte felt a very madness Of en-
thusiasm as she listened to the fiery
eloquence OF these men who de-
nounced Marat Danton and Robe
sphere escaped much Of the censure
due for their share in the frightful
work Of cruelty aud death. 1t was
upon Marat that the Girondists poured
their eloquence. for it was he who had
pursued and ordered the death Of their
leaders In Paris. In the depths OF her
heart 4 purpose was formed to save
her people from this monster and at
any cost to herself.
Into Charlotte's life a tender and re-
spectful love had come to add its In
f1uence in these days Of strange tumuit
and calm purpose. She and a young
man named Franquelin had been writ
Ing each other. and she had given him
her portrait and told him that he might
at least love that. When this lover
marched away to Paris with the Giron-
dists and the neighboring volunteers.
she babe him a calm farewell. for she
knew she was going to save him.
After her execution FranQuelin went
home to his native village in Nor
mandy. In the tender care of his moth
er he gradually failed. for his heart
was broken the day his love persisted.
When he came to die he requested that
Charlotte's portrait and letters be
buried with him. and his grave holds
them sacredly.
Charlotte began to prepare for her
Journey to Paris and the tragedy she
had planned. Every effort was made
to hide the appearance Of a concealed
purpose When she arrived at Paris
she at once set about her plans to find
| Marat. AS a preparation she went to
one OF the shops of the Palais Royal
| and bought a dagger shaped knife. pay
ing for it 60 cents. This she hid in the
| folds Of her dress. Her plan had been
where she thought the deed would b<
avenged by killing her on the spot.
| But Marat no longer went to the con
vention. He was Ill with disease tina,
was slowly killing him. and hts body
was in a state Of disorder and irrup
ton that gave him an agony Of sui
fering. He was only comfortable wher
in the warm water Of his bath. HI
lived on the first door Of a house IL
| hn rnrHoJiorS c0nnoNfof
with his home were all the affairs O
his journalistic work and from here al
his pamphlets and journals were sen
out.
After writing two letters asking TO
an interview. in which she would Civ
him some important news about sus
pected persons. she got no reply. TheI
she took her way to the house, insiste,
that she must see him. and when for
hidden entrance by Marars wife sh
still urged the importance of her er
rand. Marat heard the sound Of thei
voices and shouted out for a reason o
the noise that bothered him. Whe
told that it was the woman who ha
twice written him he babe her come IL
The wife. against her will, let her pas
Marat WIS in his bath. wrapped i
an ink stained sheet. and was writin
on a board laid across the bath. Ash
ing her errand. he took down all tn
details she gave him. When he ha
the name Of each Girondist who wa
at work in Caen he told her that in
week they would be brought to til
guillotine Then as she stood besid
the bath she plunged the knife int
his heart, and he died with a cry I
his wife to come to him.
Just before her execution she wrot
to the Girondists at Caen that she Al
ticipated happiness with Brutus
the Elysian fields" after her death. an
she also wrote tender and loving far
we'll letters to her relatives IN
friends.
When she had suffered death the e,
ecutioner lifted up her head by II
hair and struck it a brutal blow Wit
his fist Just at that moment a glea
Of the sun so fell upon it that thel
was the effect Of a blush upon Il
dead face.-Boston Globe.
q Property has its duties a. wen n 1
b rights.-Drummond.