The Washington times., 1922-09-14
Landru Lured His
Victims With French Pastry

Pdris PoIice, NOW W WASH
ington, Says Arch Criminal
Found Cakes and Unusual
Flowers Entioing to Women.
Landru, the French Bluebeard,
guillotined recently for the death Of
at least twenty-six women who were
irresistabiy drawn to this most
da astardly criminal in modern police
annals, lured his victims through
tasty bits Of French pastry.
Brigadier Louis Riboulet, OF the
Paris police, who Is in Washington
making a study Of police methods,
said today It was the French pastry
that spelt the downfall of Bluebeard.
"Landru was a gallant" M.
Riboulet said. He knew just what
to do and when to do 1t: the psychic
logical moment when to appear with
a little gift. He was fond Of giving
boxes Of cakes and pastry and Of
presenting bouquets of unusual
flowers"
Advertised In Papers.
His ad in the Paris papers," the
Parisian police official continued,
asked for q middle-aged woman who
desired companionship. He was a
civil engineer, he said. with a coun-
try home and an automobile. Many
replies came from women over forty.
They were anxious to capture such
a desirable person and happy to meet
him, He knew how to act like q
man OF high position, and they were
Impressed.
"Landru was a 'rigolo'-full of
fun and repartee. He loved to go
off on picnics for a jolly day in the
country,
But at no time were women
with him in court. 1t
Is true that certain ones gained
access every day and watched rro-
ceedings with interest. but they
found him repulsive and felt, as a
whole, that he was not worthy Of
but what he got. d.
Kept Nerve Till Last.
Always calm and reserved from
the moment he was arrested until
the knife descended at the guilio-
tine! That was his main strength,
keeping his nerve under control at
times when the average person
would 60 to pieces.
When arrested he promptly de-
MED his identity. The charge was
not murder then. but fraud.
crime with a five-year penalty at
tached.
The guillotine horrible? Posi-
bly,, but we have found II sor-
rowful necessity. Yes. II may be
a fearful sight to see a human
head roll into a basket, but. after
all, Landru could not see 1t. And
he was the one most concerned,
is II not so?'
M. Riboulet expressed himself
delighted with the manner in
which Washington police kept down
crime and detect criminals
II am going to Chicago tomor.
row to see how the police In that
big city function" NJ. Riboulet
The Paris police official is a
small. nervous man, about five
feet three inches tall. He smokes
cigarettes necessarily and shrugs
his shoulders and elevates his eye
brows according to the approved
standard Of French visitors to this
country.
Visits Occoquan Wori<house.
Yesterday afternoon, NJ. Riboulet
visited the District workhouse at
Occoquan and the reformatory at
Lorton. He said he was pleased
to note how well the American pris.
oners were taken care of by the
Government.
NJ. Riboulet came to Washington
from New York, where he inspect
ed Sing Sing prison and talked
with two men held in connection
with the theft Of more than S75,.
900 worth Of Jewelry from the
home Of Albert r. Shattuck. a
New York banker.
A French butler in the employ
Of the Shattuck family Is said to
have plotted the robbery. After
the theft OF the jewelry the butler
fled to France.
NJ. Riboulet told the New York
police officials he would get in
touch with ;he Paris authorities.
and expressed the confidence that
the butler. II he was in France,
would soon be in the hands Of the
French police.