The Washington times., 1922-10-01
Continued from Page 81

nave pOtentlai source Oh means
for the future. Further, he had
already neglected the widow Buis.
son too long. He would have
called TO see her. only he dare not
re.enter Paris after what had oc-
CURED.
His acquaintance with Madame
Buisson was the fatal mistake he
made, and, as will later be seen,
proved his undoing. Had the bald
headed "Bluebeard" not met her, II
is doubtful whether he would ever
have been arrested.
Now the widow Buisson, who had
answered Landru's matrimonial
advertisement. some considerable
time before, had been in receipt of
many love letters from him. and
had met him occasionally, was a
wellpreserved. dark.haired woman
Of forty-four, inclined to stoutness,
but an honest. well-meaning per-
son. in possession Of 4 comfortable
little income. Landru had intro
duced-hinlself as a well-to do manu-
facturer who had fled from Lille
on the advance of the Germans,
but had managed to place a COM
Portable sum in a bank in Paris,
and was, therefore. in an inde-
pendent position. But he sought q
wife-and had found his ideal in
the trustful widow.
BLIND SON AT BAYONNE.
Much against his inclination and
to his chagrin, his fiancee, the
widow Of a hotel keeper, had one
day. at ~ Rue du Banquier. pre-.
sented him to her two sisters,
Madame Paulet and MademoiselIe
Lacoste. and had also told him
that she had blind son who lived
near Bayonne. The two sisters
found Monsieur Charcroix most
charming, and next day they had
all dined with him.
But Landru hated anybody's rela.
tions. He always held them in
suspicion as future enemies. and IN
this his intuition did not fail him,
as will eventually be understood.
Indeed. It was Mademoiselle La
coste's diligent hunt after her
widowed sister that fastened the
steel bracelets" upon Blue
boards" wrists.
In the famous black book Landru
indicated Madame Buisson as mo.
l." But there were already more
than seven victims.
The evidence given at the trial
concerning the sssassin's dealing
with Madame Buisson was very
vague and unsatisfactory, and the
dates given were only imaginary;
but in the light OF further dtsccv-
cry / am here able to reveal the
truth for the first time.
Madame Buisson had moved to
the Boulevard Ney when she re.
ceived an amorous letter from her
fiance, Monsieur Charcroix, asking
her to come to the hotel at Beau.
vais. and telling her that he had
been unwell. and that the doctor
forbade him to travel to Paris.
Next day she came. and they
met at the station. Landru being
wrapped up to the ears, and look
ing pale and worn, as though he
had gone through a period of con.
valescence.
BLAMED ILLNESS.
my darling" he said, as they
walked the short distance between
the station and the hotel. IT feared
that I should never again see you!
I was taken i'll suddenly in Dreux,
and l was delirious for three days>
Now that l am better. had to
come here to do some urgent busi-
ness. But the doctor insists that I
should go away for a complete
change. and I propose to go. But
cannot 60 alone. viii you 60
with me? You would be out Of
Paris and it's war alarms AMI dir
raids" he added.
She required little persuasion;
therefore that night she returned to
Paris to obtain her clothes, and
next day came back to Beauvais,
whence two days later, at her sug.
gestion, they set out by car by
easy stages for Bayonne, as she
wished to visit her blind son who
lived near there.
The engaging Andre Charcroix
had taken very good care before
embarking upon that journey that
the buxom widow would be able to
draw upon her banking account to
very considerable amount. 1t
was in his mind that his fat and
fascinated flancee should keep him
in luxury for few weeks, until h.
should be>able to return to Paris.
The hotel keepers widow be.
came daily more enamoured Of her
eleUant hal ii .haadad odr,irar Che