The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-06
FRENCH ANARCHIST
DIVES FROM ROOF
TO TERRIBLE DEATH
Eluding Wardens, Lacombe
Bids Lawyer Farewell and
Dives Foremost Against
the Pavement Below

Paris, April 5.-Lacombc, notorious
anarchist bandit and murderer, commit
ted suicide today by jumping from the
roof of the prison De La Sante. His leap
to death was witnessed by all the prison
officials and guards. by Lacombes law
yer, the prosecuting attorney. and the
judge who had committed him to the
prison. All these spectators had been
summoned by telephone during the two
hours that Lacombe stood at the edge
of the roof arguing with the wardens
who sought to persuade him to return
to his CELL
Lacombe was awaiting trial on the
charge of assassinating M. Ducret. editor
of the newspaper L'Idee Libre. He was
also charged with numbering several
other people in various parts Of France.
He had been arrested in Paris on March
II, after the police throughout France
had sought him for several months. A
mob tried to lynch him while he was on
the way to the police station.
Desperate Criminal
He was known as one Of the most
desperate criminals in the country and
during his incarceration confessed to the
murder of Ducret, admitted killing a
postmaster at Bezons and a railroad
cashier at Les Aubrias, near Orleans. A
special guard was kept OH him In jail
and even during his daily hour of exer-
else he was closely watched
This morning while Lacombe was talk
ing with his lawyer in an enclosed court
yard inside the prison his guards stood
few yards Off Suddenly Lacombe,
who was an all round athlete and pro-
fessienal performer of feats OF strength
grasped the lower rungs of an iron lad
der leading to the upper part of the
building He had clambered past tier
after tier of cells and had mounted swift
~ to the roof before the guards recov-
cred from ther astonishment.
dozen wardens passed through the
prison and on to the roof by trap doors,
gradually surrounding him on three sides
He threatened to throw himself down
and the guards hesitated to approach.
A singular conversation then took place
between Lacombe, the examining judge
and the prosecuting attorney, who had
been telephoned for.
Lacombe's lawyer Georges Boucheron,
and others meanwhile gathered on a. bal
cony overlooking that part Of the roof
where Lacombe was standing,
Il Have Finished
Magistrate Drioux called on Lacombe
to surrender
1T is too late l have finished" he
replied.
Lacombe then complained OF the food
provided for him and of the lack of heat
in his cell. The prison warren shouted
to him that he himself would see that his
desires were supplied
..Too. late replied Lacon1te 1T is
finished"
He then said he woud like to talk to
Roucheron. who thereupon climbed down,
onnroached Lacombe, shook hands with
him and talked with him for half an
hour.
Now and then wiping tears from his
ewes Lacombe begged Bouchcron to look
after his mother and grandinotner. Irem-
hing with excitement he continued:
II was thrown on the world when
was years old. | tried to do honest
work. but fate followed me-
M. Boucheron urged Lacombe TO be
reasonable but the anarchist glancing
at n clock in a church steeple which
pointed at II: %, said
"At half past eleven all VIII be fin
ished.'' and at that hour raising his hand
to his forehead in salute, he shouted:
"It Is the moment. Tell my mother that
NV last thought was Of her. Farewellv'
He then Jumped like diver to the
stone courtyard far below and was dashed
to death. 4