davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1922-08-13
he had one bait-marriage,

he had one bait-marriage.
Sly. sinister. and seductive. he
knew that all the extraordinary
mistrustfulness OF the French
lower middle class woman van
ished at the magic word mar
riage." He had hit upon an easy
method of making a steady in
come.
Among the women whom he
made his mistresses and then
plundered was a certain Madame
Cuchet, an attractive widow,
aged thirty-nine, who lived in the
Faubourg st. Denis, and who had
a son, Andre, aged eighteen. She
had answered the following ad-
vertisement: ss
Widower, with two children.
aged forty.three, possessing COM
Portable income, affectionate, So
rious, and moving In good so
ciety, desires to meet widow Of
similar status, with q view to
matrimony. .. w..
BY return Of post came a let
ter dated from an address in the
Rue Barbette and signed Ray
mond Diard." In consequence,
she allowed the advertiser to call
upon her at the Faubourg st,
Denis. and a few days later he
presented two fair-haired little
girls as his daughters-children
who, by the way, were never
seen again after the night he
presented them. What happened
to them may, however, in the
light of other events, be readily
imagined.
Madame Cuchet found Monsieur
D.ard most agreeable and
charming companion. Her son
Andre was also struck by the
newcomers sincerity regarding
his mother. 30 the pair became
inseparable friends.
One day, however. the young
man was taken suddenly III after
dining with Landru. alias Diard.
at q restaurant near the Louvre.
Landru took him In a taxi Ia q doc
tor near hy. who declared that ~
The Washington times., 1922-08-13
he First Authentic Story of the French Bhaebeard
The Worlds Greatest Lover
AT Close Range

IN describing Henri Desire Landru, whose career
OF crime ended recently on the guilIotine, VIII
liam LIE Queux, World famous writer and Grim
inologist, thus draws his picture:
A little, bald-headed, spade-bearded man,
Uith deep-set ferret teyes.
Look at his picture on this page. There
IS nothing in the face of charm, of good looks, of
intellect.
Where, Hen did Landru's secret Eea
lay in his affable manner, his iuin1itabe gentle
ness in making lore to his victims, in the tic
influence of his peculiar eyes and in his ~ me
word, magic word to the French women he
trapped for their money; that word mas marriage.
"SIy, sinister, seductive" says LIE Queus, "he
had hit on an easy method of making a steady
income" S
And all the time he mas making love and Staying
his pictims he ,vas 1iping with his wife and four
children, who we're ignorant Of his true character
The Washington times., 1922-08-13

script he rose to the rank of
sergeant. -...
When he returned to civil life
he married Partisan girl and
had four children before he was
thirty. but poverty overlook him,
and. finding himself without en-
ployment, he formed certain evil
friendships In the Montmarte and
became a thief, a fact Of which
his wife was In ignorance.
Among his new friends was a
working jeweler. who was en-
gagged In unsetting and melting
down jewelry for a gang OF
thieves working" the interna-
tonal trains. He taught Landru
the art Of the blow-pipe and what
It could accomplish. And that.
slasl was Landru's first down.
ward step.
He was already an escroc and
. chevalier d'industrie. and in
1909 the police arrested him for
embezzlement and he received a
well-mertted sentence Of three
years imprisonment.
ALL SORTS OF CUNNING.
have before me a Gossier Of
that case-just an ordinary af-
fair. 90 ordinary. indeed. that the
Paris newspapers did not report
It. But when Landru had served
his sentence he at once returned
to his undesirable friends. and
then began career, OF crime
a career 80 clever that even by
the police It was remarked that
he was a person OF outstanding
cleverness and wit.
He swindled people in Paris,
Marreiiies, Avignon. Lyons and
Toulouse. by all sorts OF cunning
ruses, charming them b his eie-
CANT manner and plausible tales
until. In 1919. his father-an hon
est working man. filled with sor.
row at his sons evil career-oom-
mitted suicide.
This s the only fsct which
The Washington times., 1922-08-13

II was this conversation which
first interested me In the marvel
Gus escroc tswindler) who after
ward became known to the world
a. the French Bluebeard.
Since that day have spent
much time In following the In
duiries of the Paris Surete. In
itiating others. examining munich
pal registers and police records.
making unsuspected inquiries. In
terviewing relatives Of certain Of
the missing women. and reading
and copying some wonderful love
letters written by Landru-alias
Diard, Dupont, Freminet. Outlet.
and q dozen other names-to two
hundred or more silly women who
had been iured to meet him by
his highly-attractive matrimonial
advertisements.
AN OGRE IN HUMAN SHAPE.
I here confess that when I
went up and down the bouie-
wards. In the byways Of the Mont
unartre, and here and there In
the environs of the French capi-
tai, always In search OF the truth
concerning this mysterious Lu-
Glen Outlet, became moro and
more fascinated by his amazing
criminal career. Hence de-
termined to place upon record the
true life story Of an ogre In
human shape.
with the youth Of Landru we
need have little concern. Born
In 1859, he was the son Of honest.
working-class parents. His father
was stoker and his mother .
seamstress, though later he pre-
tended to Fernand Sagret that
his father was q wealthy manu-
facturer.
Az a lad he was OF exemplary
character. an excellent schooIboy
akd later was q sub-deacon Of q
church. He acted a. office boy
90 q firm OF architects. and dur.
ipg his military iife a. Q con-
The Washington times., 1922-08-13

dru had already POSSESSED himself
Of nearly the whole of his vic
tins fortune. Further. he noticed
that the young man Andre nov
held him In grave suspicion. be-
cause one day. while he was with
another fiancee. a dark-haired lady
narned Nine Labord Lane. they
had met accidentally in the Rue
De Riyoii. - : -. Z, s:,f
The lad had told his mother and
she had taxed Landru with TAX
ing out strange women. With his
usual good humor. however. the
villain laughed the matter off, but
from that moment the spirit OF
murder entered his heart.
He allowed neither mother nor
son to guess what was in his
mind. but four days later, while
he was In Paris on business, young
Andree Cuchet was attacked by a
sudden seizure. The doctor who
was hurriediy called pronounced
II to be due to a serious affection
Of the heart.
Late that night when Landru
returned to The Lodge he was
amazed and annoyed to find Andre
still alive. He showed himself
greatly concerned at his condition.
but. nevertheless, he decided that
neither mother nor son should live
to see the dawn. .
LEFT NO TRACES.
Landru had, In secret. already
prepared their end He had tn
that piIl6pe, the pherelotthal By
tDhtch. by the morrow, nothing
toopld be left Of the poor, trustfsl
tooman or her son. Everp trace
Of their eristenoe soould be blot
ted out forever.
With diabo.ical good humor he
insisted on uncorking q bottle Of
old Madeira.
'T have today entered upon q
piece of highly successful busi-
ness" he declared. you must
both drink to my good fortuneT
This they did. smiling at him
across their glasses, and all un.
suspicious Of the CHASTITY prepara-
tions which the heartless william.
who wore that imperturbable
mask Of kindly good humor. had
made. or the terrible fate i'm.
mediately in store for them.
The disappearance Of mother
and son is veiled In mystery, but
this veil am now able to tear
aside and reveal the truth con.
corning the man who was con.
demned by the Assize Court at
Versailles as the greatest mon.
ster and most unscrupulous as
sassin that ever lived.
Landru laughed merrily with
both mother and son until past
IL O'Clock.
Then, some hours later. O man
and his wife who were passing
noticed a lurid light in the win.
dow Of the kitchen Of The Lodge.
and saw that from the chimney
poured thick cloud Of black and
pungent smoke.
What was the dread secret of
the lonely house7
Ghastly deeds Of indescribable
fiendishness were that night com.
mitted within that small, insig.
nificant villa with the English
name. "The Lodge" at vernouiiiet
deeds which I hesitate even to
record.
But having determined to di--
close the actual truth concerning
the most inscrutabie man Of nys-
tery the world has ever known. I
The Washington times., 1922-08-13

madness In '.Bluebeard."
Landru had now become one OF
the most cunning and sly swim.
dlers In all Paris. He learned to
drive q car. and his speciality
was the bogus sale of motor
cars and garages. At one Of the
garages which passed through his
hands--and as rapidly out of
them at big profit-was an
oxyacetylene welding plant. Ere
quently he watched the bespec
tacled mechanic at work. and
seemed to become fascinated by
the long blue flame.
One day he put on the mechan
les darkened spectacles and tried
his hand at welding steel-an ex.
pertinent which proved fairly sue
cessfui. The generating of great
heat interested him. and time
after time In the 1days- that FOL
lowed he returned to the welder's
bench and watched the meta.
joints being made. What strang
and sinister thoughts were in
his mind at that time we shat
be able to guess as We read hi,
dreadful record.
It seems that about that perio
his criminal instinct becarse sud
denly more pronounced. for It /.
known that he purchased book
on poisons and their antidot'
and q number Of volumes deal
ing with great crimes OF the pas
all of which he studied most dill
igently, but In secret from his
wife and family. He was already
leading a double life. that OF
expert thief on the one hand and
a respectable father on the other.
HE TURNS TO WOMEN.
It was early in 1914 when he
turned his attention to women as
a source of profit. The idea OF
attracting women with property
by the medium of matrimonial
Advertisements occurred to him.
and. though he was leading an
apparently respectable life. yet
half a mile distant from his home.
in Paris, he rented a small fiat.
in which he entertained the
women who answered his alfur-
Ing invitations to marry.
His method was to meet by ap-
pointment any women who an
swered his advertisements, and
behave with great charm and
sincerity. and pretend deep ad-
'miration and affection. As illus
tration Of this 1 viii let one
of his victims, Madame Morel-
whom have intervlewed--tell
her own story of what occurred
to her.
In March. 1914, was living
in the Rue Joubert upon a small
income left me by my late hus-
band" she said. IT had a house
at Melun and some jewelry. In
consequences Of an advertisement
met Raymond Herbette, an
architect, who had a comfortable
fiat In the Rue des Petits-
Champs. and was apparently
very well off.
80 completely did I believe in
his honesty and so eagerly was
looking forward to my mar
riage that, at his suggestion.
entrusted him with the title
deeds OF my house at Melun,
my jewelry, and practically
everything OF value 1 had.
Judge my surprise when, on
going to the Rue des Petits-
Champs one evening. I discov.
cred Monsieur Herbette-who was
really Landru--had suddenly
moved. and the fiat was emptyl
And next day I found. to my
dismay, that he had sold my
house at Melun. while. az for my
jewelry. have never seen Il
SINGER
Landru's method Of approach
was invhriabie. Much has be.n
said about his hypnotic syes. but
The Washington times., 1922-08-13

ling. No hour passes but think
Of you. I see your face before me
in my dreams, and I look forward
eagerly to the day of our supreme
happiness when you VIII be my
wife. ] trust dear Andre is well
I fear he is very delicate and he
should look after himself"
The last was a sardonic touch.
Andre had good reason to look
after himself. had he but known
I. ..-.. .,... ..
But so cleveriy did Landru act
hat he disarmed all suspicion. and
even won over the good graces OF
his financee's sister. Madame
Friedmann.f who afterwapd de
clared to the police that. whatever
suspicious she might havs enter
tanned at first. they all disappeared
because Monsieur Diarh was suohl
n perfect lover and 30 devoted to
her widowed sister,
Landru's devotion, however.
had behind It one set. grim pur-
pose. . :
One day he came to Mime.
Cuchet in great distress. .....
MY dariingl" he cried have
sustained q great loss! I fool
ishly entered a speculation in q
cinema company. and in 1t I have
lost half my fortune. 1t is. Of
course, only a temporary set
hack but It has crippled by a.
nances for the time being"
Madame Cuchet grew serious-
She had recently become a little
too inauisitive regarding the
whereabouts Of the two fair-hair-
ed little girls who were his
daughters, and he had replied
they were living at Brest with
their aunt. Then Diard, crafty
fox that he was. and experienced
in pryins upon women's emotions.
declared with tears In his eyes
that he was not In q position to
marry her-at the moment. They
must part. ~.
Madame Cuchet saw the man
she loved slipping away from her.
Hence It was that at last she
consented to give up her fiat
In Paris and 60 out to Chaussee,
near Chantilly, where they lived
happily together.
Landru lived at his ease on the
poor woman's money. yet he was
at that moment engaged to marry
three other women In various
quarters of Paris! Somehow he
never liked Chaussee. The house,
he declared, was too small. and
very drafty. Besides, passers-by
could see into the windows. He
also set young Andre against 1t,
and together they induced Madame
Cuchet to rent. in December, 1914,
a small country house called "The
Lodge" at vernouillet, little town
In the Valley of the Seine, not far
from Nantes. 1t was the house
in which were enacted the first
tragedies of the series which was
to be continued at Gambais.
THE HOUSE OF DEATH.
Imagine a small. square. white
washed modern house Of two
stories, very inartistlc, with four
windows in front and flight OF
stone steps leading up to the front
door, which is on the first floor.
Below is the kitchen and tiny ga
rage, and. around. a garden with
fruit and lilac trees. 1t Is situated
In one OF the prettiest corners Of
the lie de France. and nobody
passing It would ever dream Of
the terrible dramas that must have
been enacted behind those walls
To this house Landru induced
the first victim Of his murderous
hand to remove her furniture. A
quantity Of new linen was pur.
chased. afterward found IN one
Of Landru's garages four years
after the mysterious disappear.
ance Of Madame cuchet and her
son.
AZ the beginning Of 1878 Ian
The Washington times., 1922-08-13
BY WILLIAM LIE QUEUx,
ny WIAIaiAM 1a6 VU6UA.
Famous Crmnoogist and Author Of "The Fifth Finger
.'The -Four Faces, " Tracked by Wireless" etc.
CHAPTERL
CHAPTER !.
The Worlds Great Lover.

TTENRI DESIRE LANDRU, Of whom the world has
heard much of late, Of the most inscruable
abnormal, and amazing criminals Of the present
OF any other century. sn fs .tr.
As who has, during lifetime, constantly studied the
psychology Of crime has placed his knowledge the
disposal of Scotland Yard and the Suree Of Paris
rally became highly interested when, in April 1919, little
bald headed spadebearded with deepset ferret eyes,
named Lucien Outlet living at 76 Rue Rochechouar in
Paris arrested for murder There strange snsp
cions concerning him. rx sE
My first ntimaton of this in letter sent by
Sld friend e1offoia Of the Prefecture Of Police
who wrotei -a -. .... ' ,-T.5- - ~ y p
"Here is very strange affair Come Paris and study
will let you have sight of this mysterious individuals
dossier, and it will, I know surprise you
In response to that invitation, called upon my friend
week two later, and sat with him in his the
Prefecture There he produced the dosser concerning
Henri Desire Landru, alias Lucien Outlet
''Wel, he asked presently "what do you think Of
the result of our inqures-ehf'
"It is beyond belief my reply.
"Mon cher ami! What you read there is, you know
only the absolute truth.
Fortunately, he under lock and key He arrested
named Fernando SECRET pity her. because she loves the
scoundrel Depend upon it, shall discover much
He is a criminal Of abnormal mind and innate
tning-a heartless, caous assassin Of We shall
The Washington times., 1922-08-13
WON HEARTS
OF 283 WOMEN:
KILLED MANY

The Astounding Career of the WORLDS Greatest
Love Criminal as Written by William lie
Queux, Who Has Compiled Story From the
Secret Police Archives and From the Slayer'S
!. "Black Book"-MoSt Sensational Case i'm
Annals of Paris Police.
The Washington times., 1922-08-13
MORE
ABOUT
LANDRU

A MOTHER install
ment of this re-
markable story of the
Loves of Landru will
be published in the
Washington Sunday
Times next week.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-31
AUCH0NS-LEGALS
Legal Notices-cont,nued

iirustees at Cambridge City. Indiana an
h tsSus OF eighty-five thousand dollars NJ
soI1 OF the school corporation Of JACK
These b BONDS VIII WINE be eGo count indiana.
aen ~, lszz In number of eighty of the
denomination of $500 each, in nunohaT
lion n nS s1to twenty of the denomina-
dred fifty in the denominetiono h re n s1no
&c each bearing interest at the rate
It.IE psLcent per annum, PAYABLE on tbe
s seun Gay OF January. A. D., 1928. and
selni,annually thereafter. anu
Said bonds shall mature as fo,1ous
1"o thousand dollars on July 15tb
-, 1873, and like sum each semi'an-
until july isr 18Th Paying date thereafter
naming shall become due and na 81
Sald bonds have been Issued h s1rIot
o ~ I with the laws of the state
board Of s pursuant to an order of the
Io anLed schools of Cambridge Civ and
55aChson township, WAYNE countV ~
lana T.. made and entered of record On
authoriain gay sac, Of February, A; D., 1924
the purpose of providing fI'nds s9 t .0r
shi corporation of jackson town
its pro mayne county. Indiana, to meet
OF new joint graded high school h,,iI5S
i; the remode1fng of one grade snhnoI
puiiding and building of new @raSa
ing u posto a. East Germantown, (Persh-
schools of Cambridge CITY and IacIsen
'oWWthshIp. Wayne county, Indiana.
Inc right is reserved to reject any
and all bids " ieJect any
panied with certified check for at
ieast . percentum of the bid,
sc SSigheT by Board of Consolidated
G. 4. KNIEsE. Pres.
A q. EHLE. Secy.
e. r. NUDDLESTON. Treas
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-31
Your New Home Today the Offerings Column
AUCTIONS-LEGALS
Legal NotIces-continued

II" Street Trunk Sewer to South
"G" Street.
Improvement Resolution No. 621,
1877 For the construction of Sanitary
Sewer on South 9th Street, from South
III" Street, to point north on said
9th Street, where the C. & o. Rail-
road crosses said 9th Street.
Improvement Resolution No. 622.
1922. For the construction of cement
roadway in alley between South 10th
and 18th Street, from South ."B" to
&C" Street.
improvement Resolution No. 624,
1922. For the construction of cement
roadway in LIST alley south of Main
Street, from South 21st to 22nd Street.
improvement Resolution No. 627.
1922. For the construction of Sanitary
Sewer in the LIST alley west of South
9th Street from South III" to South
81" Street.
All work done in the making of said
described public improvements, shall
be In accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Improvement ResoIu.
tons, as numbered. and the detail
plans, profiles, drawings and specifica.
| lions which are on file and NAV he
seen in the office of said Board OF
Public Works of the City of Rich
mond.
/ The bidders. in submitting PROPOSAL
TO make said described public inn
provements, must accompany each
bid with certified check in the SIM
OF 800, as evidence of good faith thai
the successful bidders will execute
within ten days from the acceptance
OF proposals, contracts and bonds sat
1sfactory to the said Board to do the
work of making said improvements. A
IaHure OF the successful bidders to en-
ter into such contracts and bonds nm
on the acceptance of such proposals
Will forfeit the checks and the sums
OF money payable thereon to the city
as agreed and liquidated damages fol-
such failure. ~
The Board of Public Works reserves
the right to reject any or all bids.
WALKER E. LAND.
FRANK R. MCCALL.
ROBERT NJ. HENLEY.
Board of Public Works.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-31
A. 2. EHLE. Secy
Y. II. hUDDLESTON. Treas
.NOTIcE or poND co.,,


2 24th day Of April. q. D., Is22 On at ths s
mfg etncs soi q; m m and each day thereafter
p pr; me consolidated schools of Cam
bridge City. and Jackson township.
sale at t iboun nffic lndfiaha will offer for
ttrustees at Cambridge City, Indiana. an
issue OF forty thousand dollars of bonds
81 sald school corporation of Cambridge
lily, wayne county, Indiana
These bonds will be dated Nav 18th
a. -, LIZ. in number of forty of the
d ei1t n III. of $500 each, in number
N number fifty of the denomination of
saQO each; each bearing interest at the
rate OF percent per annum payable
1923, and mi-annuaily thereaf ter
Sald bonds shall mature as follows:
1 n ,a anousand dollars on July 18th. A.
y, 1873. and like sum each semi an
nual interest," paying date thereafter
until July 18th, A D.. 1912. when ali
rem mar shall come due and payable
SAID bonds have been issued in strict
compliance with the laws of the state
OF lndiana, pursuant to an order of the
board Of school trustees of the con-
and Jackson township. Wayne county
Indiana made and entered of record on
authorizing said bonds to be issued for
the purpose. of providing funds for the
school corporation of Cambridge City,
WAYNE county, Indiana. to meet it's pro-
portionate cost of the building of a
new joint graded high school building,
the remodeling of one grade school
building and building of a new grade
building at East Germantown (Persh-
Ing postoffice) for the consolidated
schools of Cambridge City and Jack
son township, Wayne county, Indiana
The right is reserved to reject any
and all bids.
All bids should be sealed and accom-
panied with a certified check for at
least 5 percentum of amount of the bid.
Signed by Board of Consolidated
School Trustees.
C. A. KNIESE, Pres.
A. E. EHLE, Secy.
f r HIJDDLESTON Treas
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-31
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

914-s-3 So sth-12 rooms,
rental. investment, II per-
cent net .......$ 1000
"a State street, 7-room frame
with lots, 100x96; bar
32 Laurel-6 rooms. lot 36x210
electricity and gas ...$ 1850
1872 State Slot 42x140
rooms, hot air furnace $500
134 State St.-5 rooms. large
pantry, built in china closet S 5000
sos So. 10th-6-room frame
front and back porches .$ $500
322 So. 11th--6-room modern,
new paper and paint. 1000
1908 No. E. 1-6-room frame.
modern, soft water BATH.
1876 So 3rd-s-room brick, cor.
location ::........s $500
1880 Main-Duplex, u double,
II rooms .......$ 5000
80 So 1oth-12 rooms, mod
ern, convert to double du-
12o-22 No. 14th-High class
double. II rooms. modern $4,000
1923 Main-3 apartment house.
modern, ideal location .$1O,5 500
Also prize lots for building
at $500 to 5 5000
SHOWALTER
Member of Real Etate Board
923 Main st. Phone 6244