New Britain herald., 1921-12-01
GUILL0TINE FOR
HENRI D. LANDRU
'BIuebeard Of GaInbaiS" Smiles
As Sentence Is Given
MURDERER OF TEN WOMEN
Prisoner Thanks Jury, Bows Politely
and Walks Back TO His Cell to
Await His Day of Justice-Asl1s No
Mercy.

Versailles, Dec. 1-(By Associated
Press.) )-Henri Desire Landru, 'the
bluebeard of Gambais." smiled last
night for the first time since his trial
opened. A tlickering expression of
amusement crossed his face as he list
ened to the words of Judge Gilbert
sending him to the guilotine for a
series of the most heinous crimes in
the history of French Jurisprudence.
"Thank You, Gentlemen
Thank you, gentlemen" said Ian
dru, flourishing his weather beaten
hat in a mocking bow to the jury
and he disappeared through the little
door leading to the Versailles Jail.
Encourages Counsel.
While the verdict was awaited, the
convicted slayer of ten women and a
boy spoke words of encouragement to
his counsel, NJ. Moro -Giafferi, who
tired and worn out after his strenuous
efforts to save his client from DEATH
was on the verge of collapse
Strange it is that a man standing IN
the shadow of death should console
his defender" Landru remarked at
one time to those sitting nearby.
Acted Queer.
He refused to be a party to a pc
tition asking President Millerand to
commute the sentence to life impris-
onment, which was signed among
Others by the jurors. Il refuse to ask
for mercy" he told the latter. "a
man like me wants justice, not
mercy! You think I am guilty; then
let me die"
His remarks after reaching the cell
were also characteristic of this strange
character, the record of whose grue-
some deeds as unfolded in the dingy
Versailles court room has drawn the
attention of all France and of thous-
ands of persons in other countries
1T has been a great show" he said
Il hope the public is satisfied I give
you rendezvous for the end of Feb
ruary or the beginning of March to
show you how an innocent man dies"
Crowds Await Decision.
The last hours of the trial saw one
of the greatest crowds at and around
the court room ever seen in Versailles.
Pickpockets began operations in the
press of the gathering, while the jury
was out, and three men complained
that their wallets had been taken.
If the trial lasted another day
would be unable to find seat my
self, Landru told the gendarmes as
he surveyed the throngs struggling 10
enter after the recess
Promises to Marry.
Landru secured his women victims
through promises of marriage. After
Turing them to his villa at Gambais,
the prosecution charged that he killed
them and disposed of the bodies by
burning them in small stove, after
first cutting them into small pieces
and crushing the skulls. The stove
was one of the principal exhibits at
the trial.
Robbery the Motive.
The motive ascribed to Landru was
that OF robbery, various entries in a
notebook being cited to prove that he
kept account of the amounts derived
from each crime. The victims were
mostly married women with small
properties who had been separated
from their husbands. The evidence
was principally circumstantial the
only direct testimony being about a
pound and half of bones some of the
fragments Of which were so small that
they had to be viewed under micro-
scopes.