davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1922-05-05

mine number one of the Tower hill coal
and coke company, ten miles from here
today. Fifty arrests we're made and the
prisoners are Neing brought here.
London, Aprl 29th. The city Of Lon,
don conservative association today adop-
ted Charles Grenfell, the noted fnancier
as a candidate Ger the seat in the city
left vacant by TIE translation of Sir Ar
thur Balfour 10 the House Of Lords.
Galway, April 28th.-Phe Irish Ropub-
Iican Army irrt rulars Yesterday occupied
the Customs l. Sc, the new docks and
the bonded warehouse on Duns island,
and also occupied the Free Masons hell.
the Orange depot, Lenaboy castle the
police barracks and the naval base, while
the official troops occupy the railway no.
tel. country club, post office, court house
and county gaOl.
Belfast, April 18th -Shooting broke
out last night in the Disraeli street region
one man being wounded.
Dublin, April 18th. The paymaster of
the great Western Railway, at Leixlip.
Just outside Dublin, was heldlup yester-
day by an armed Gar and robbed of over
eight hundred pounds. Irish Republican
army men last night prevented the pub
LEGATION of the Clonmel Nationalist.
Bucharest Rumania. April 30th.-Up-
wards of one hundred persons were killed
today in a mine explosion in the Lupenl
district in Pennsylvania. The bodies of
fifty victims were completely c~arbOpiz=d,
while those Of others were blown to pieces
Geneva, April Both. The executive
council of the League of Nations will
meet here on May eleventh, regardless
of whether the Genoa conference is ended
or not, and will be prepared to take over
such matters as the Cocoa conference
may refer to it.
London, April 30th.-An aeroplane
used by the Chill forces, while flying from
Paotingfu to Fergtai, dropped a bomb,
but without causing n damage, near a
train carrying a detachment Of United
States marines on their way to Peking,
says a despatch to the Times from Picking.
New York. April 30th.-A Despatch
received from Dublin announced the
death at his home near that city Of Mr..
Richard Croker, ex-cheiftain of Tam
many Hall.
Dublin, April 29th.-In the midst of a
discussion on a motion concerning the
appointment of a committee to endeav-
our to arrange for army unity, the Dali
Eireann adjourned yesterday until May
third.
Shanghai, April Both. According to
news published in the local and foreign
presses of the city, but which is as yet
unauthenticated, Sun Vat Sens Forces
have captured all the southern naval
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

He decided to rent It. and with
that object he, on the same eve
ming. saw Monsieur Trio, the
proprietor, and signed an agree
ment. paying three months rent
in advance.
To his landlord he represented
himself as an engineer, carrying
on business in Paris. and accord
ing to Monsieur Tric. he was
afterwards always most punctuai
in his p .yments. and indeed a
model tenant. Though an assas-
sin of women, Landru was an
amazingly shrewd and punctii.
ious business man, who paid
debts methodically and always on
the day they were due.
Within ten days of signing the
agreement, the goods which had
been removed from Vernouillet
were installed at "The Hermit.
age" An old woman whom he
brought from Paris assisted him
in arranging them, but after q
fortnight she left and was not
seen again.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

Landru, under the name Of Ere
minet, had taken a furnished fiat
In the Rue de Chateaudun. In
Paris, and having advertised that
he was a purchaser of second-ha
furniture for cash, received a re-
ply from Nine. Collomb, who lived
at Is Rue Rodier. In consequence
of his letter, Landru called upon
her, saw her furniture. and agreed
to purchase 1t.
Now Nine. Collomb was a good
looking, well-educated woman Of
forty-three, though she told Ian
dru that she was only thirty-nins.
She had been married to . mar
chant in Guatemala, who had died.
On returning to France. she had
entered the employ of an insur-
ance company and had saved about
three hundred pounds. which she
had placed In bank in Paris.
Her moral conduct, however. had
not been beyond reproach. for she
had a lover named Bernard. whom
Landru. with his presents Of flow.
ers and poetical speeches. quickly
replaced.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Tired By Journey

The pretty war-widow, Elise
Laporte. who so narrowly escaped
the fate Of Landru's other victims,
arrived from Genoa at the Care de
Lyon in Paris at IL o'clock at
night. but the long journey having
exhausted her, she drove to her
own apartment to rest, deterrnin.
ing to 60 to the prefecture Of
police, and relate her discovery,
early next morning.
Landru arrived at the same sta
ton. from Marseilles. only half m
hour afterwards. He saw that 10
cover his tracks was most essen
tial, therefore he drove straight to
an INSCRIPTIONS dealer in second.
hand furniture, named Caillard,
whom he knew-a man who was a
notorious receiver Of stolen prop
erty, living at Montrouee, and with
whom "Bluebeard" had had many
dealings. for to him he had sold
some Of his victims furniture.
The pair had met in the under.
world Of Paris on many occasions,
and they trusted each other.
MY dear Jules" declared Ian.
dru when cioseted with his friend.
who was rather surprised to see
him At that late hour. IL am
In Q serious troubie-a vind!ctivs
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Took Poisoned Orange

Tomorrow we will walk
in the woods, my dearest"
he said. Tonight you are
fatigued, and should retire
early. The woman who comes in
during my absence has, no douoT,
seen to your bed all right"
"Yes. 1t is all quite charming"
declared the gray-haired, overtoy'
ed woman. "I have already been
upstairs"
Take another orange. dearest"
he urged, handing her the plate.
They are very sweet. ! had one
when 1 was here the day before
yesterday" he added.
Thus tempted, she ate another,
and as she did 30 the great criml.
nal still watched her from beneath
his dark, shaggy brows. Would
Morganti's deadly culture act7 1t
was his first experiment with the
new preparation.
Half an hour later the woman
he had promised to marry and
whose signature he had secured
upon her several love letters. as
cended to her room, not, however,
before he had held her in his arms
and imprinted upon her lips q
death kiss.
Landru then remained below,
alert and watchful. He went to
the buffet. and poured out for
himself q stiff glass Of cognsc, and
then sat down, straining his cara
to catch any sound OF distress from
his victims room
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

written. 1t was truly a dramatic
moment. Landru's liberty, nay,
his life, in that second trembled in
the balance. A word from her to
the police. ami the revelation OF
his appalling crimes must inevi-
tably result
In one hand she held the papers.
and. bounding to the door, she
sought the electric bell.
But before she could reach IL.
Landru brought his heavy, bony
fist down full into the poor young
woman's face, telling her to the
floor, where she lay like a log. in.
sensible. His brutal blow caused
the blood to flow from a cash in
her cheek, caused by the ring he
wore.
Lie there. you little spitfire!"
he said aloud. with a low laugh, as
he snatched the papers from her
hand.
Then. going into the adjoining
room. he crammed a few things
from his Suitcase into his pockets,
including the velvet-lined case and
Its contents, and, lighting a ciga-
rette. strolled airily out Of the
hotel, as though bent upon a night
walk up the Via Roma.
Crossing leisurely to the station.
he discovered that the express for
the French frontier at Ventimiglia
He gave vent to a fierce impre-
cation. but, as the curse left his
lips, she sprang across to the table
and seized the documents he had
would leave in twenty minutes.
So. taking some Of his "wife's"
money, which he had found in her
purse before he left. he bought a
first-class ticket with wagon.llt for
Paris.
He little dreamed that five hours
afterwards his wife" was already
travelling with all haste after him.
by way Of Turin and Modane, and
that, as he was going via Mar
settles. she would reach Paris as
soon as he did.
1t was a desperate race for life.
Elise Laporte was determined, at
all hazards. to unmask the as
sassin.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

He sat In the salle-a-manger
with the door open, but he only
heard the sound Of his victim
moving about as she. retired to
bed. So tired was he and SO po.
tent was the cognac, that after an
hours vigil he fell asleep. and It
was not until o'clock in the morn.
ing that he awoke in chagrin and
surprise.
He tapped at madame's door.
but could not waken her. Then
he entered, and to his complete
satisfaction found that life was
already extinct.
He made his coffee. ate his roll,
and then. locking up the house,
walked into Houdan, where he
spent the day. About o'clock
he re-entered the dark house
wherein his victim still lay dead
in bed. and lighting the lamps at
once set about preparing to sf-
face all evidence of the deadly
effects Of Morganti's platinum
needle upon those luscious tan
gerines from Provence.
He quickly set the kitchen stove
alight. and soon had It roaring.
for that night across me plain the
keen wind swept wildly, causing
the stove to burn with a fierce
draught.
For five hours he worked to heat
up the stove to the temperature
he required. and then, just after
midnight, he carried his poor vic
TINS stiff body. in its night dress.
down to the cellar. where, with 4
sharp axe and q handsaw. which
he used to saw firewood, he quick.
ly dismembered the body and burn
ed It piece by piece in the stove.
At Vernouillet he had been sur
rounded by suspicious neighbors.
but there at THE Hermitage"
there was nobody either to watch
or to smell.
All night he worked, and half
the next day. 50 that by afternoon
all that remained OF the poor de-
luded widow whom he had 50 com.
pletely fascinated was a couple Of
scuttlefuls of ashes and calcined
bones. and the next night he ca.
ried them out into freshly plough.
ed field behind the house, and
there dug them into the soft, wet
ground.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

In the meantime, Landru was
living a respectable life with his
family. though his funds were
gradually melting. He therefore
looked around for another and
more secluded villa wherein he
might entrap Madame Heon-and
others whom in future he might
conquer.
One day early in November he
had occasion to drive his car from
Paris to Houdan, the quaint.
crooked little town with a ninth.
century castle and wonderful old
church, situate about forty miles
from the capital and halfway be.
tween the great Forest Of Dreux
and Rambouillet. He had con.
cluded his business at the old
fashioned Hotel de Plat obtain.
where he lunched at the long
table set In the bare room-the
table at which all travellers sat
at noon, as in the old inns Of
France-and re-entering his car,
took the road around the church.
which leads to Paris across the
forest by way Of Rambouillet
He was alone, ruminating as he
went along the straight road be-
tween the rows of bare poplars
and through the pleasant little
village of Maulette. when pres
emily he came to long straight
stretch Of lonely open road. two
miles In length, across q forest
clearing. On his left lay an iso-
lated church, while the only
other object prominent In the
flat landscape was a small clumP
OF trees beside the road, and
among then a modern red-brick
villa, upon which was a board
announcing that It was to let.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
She Is Fascinated

Landru pretended not to know
Of Bernard's existence, though he
was always well-informed Of the
pasts Of his victims, and by that
always held the advantage.
At the Rue Rodier. "Bluebeard"
was a constant visitor, and. as in
cases Of other women, Nine. Col
lomb quickly found herself fascin-
ated by the charming, but ugly.
black bearded lover. To her he
posed as a man Of considerable
means, although a furniture
broker. and instead of buying her
household goods he made her a
small advance upon them. she be-
ing in ignorance that the docu-
ment she signed placed him in full
possession If the small loan was
not repair upon the very day II
became due.
Landru was also scheming. as
usual. to obtain the three hun1"ed
odd pounds which the woman had
in the bank.
He spent Christmas Eve. 1916.
with her at her flat, and on that
evening he proposed marriage. and
was accepted, for the woman was
evidently much in love with him.
judging by Several letters which
she had previously written to him.
thanking him for his presents of
flowers and fruit.
He, on his part. wrote her sew
eral amorous letters-which he
copied from the effusions Of ..ickl,
sentiment which he kept for the
purpose, for in several cases we
find that love letters written to
Nine. Cutchet and Nine. Collomb
were couched in exactly the same
terms.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Widow IL Delighted

"If you marry me. my dear
heart" Landru said, you will no
longer require your furniture--or
that Of your poor daughter. ]
happen to know a most excellent
dealer. He will realise for you the
highest prices possible-out Of
friendship for me-" Such was al
ways his tale to his dupes.
The ugly, old. grey-haired
woman was raised to q seventh
heaven Of delight, and consented.
Much against Landru's desire,
however. she introduced him to
her friends and relatives as ber
charming and delightful flance,
repeating q fairy story Which he
had told her. namely. that he was,
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Effaced Identity

BY the early morning train he
Travelled on to Enghien, where he
took up his quarters at a small
pension near the lake. under the
name Of Fevard. He had thus
effaced his identity. had removed
his furniture from vernouillet and
stored 1t without trace, and had
also sold his nest of love" in the
Place Dancourt.
Next day. at noon. when old
Caillard arrived at the Place Dan.
court to remove the furniture, he
found a detective in charge, for
Madame Laporte had already been
to the Surete and made her state
ment. At once the old dealer pro.
duced his receipt for the purchase.
and as 1t was purposely dated
three days before, the police were
naturally puzzled, but were unable
to prevent the removal Of the
household goods Of Monsieur Du-
pont.
II bought them from q monsieur
whom had never seen before. He
simply called three days ago and
offered the furniture to me. as ne
was going to Belgium. I know
nothing more. paid the money,
and the goods are mine"
Landru remained for two days
at Enghien. and then went out to
Beauvais for night, afterwards
slipping back to Paris and return.
ing to his wife. He was a past
master In the art Of evading the
police. The latter never connected
Raoul Dupont, or the man Henri
Mignot, with Henri Desire Landru,
the respectable father Of a family
living on the other side Of the
capital.
The Jekyll and Hyde existence
Of this outstanding criminal could
never have been continued but for
his abnormal courage, his vanity,
and his demoniacai craftiness. He
pitted his wits against the most
expert officers Of the surete, and
he won every time. Again, lie
could lie as giibly as he could tell
the truth. and he could be dumb
and restrain the color from his face
even when accused before the evi.
dence Of his crimes.
No man in all history-even in
Guiding Caesar Borgia--was more
painstaking concerning a murde.
plot, more callous,- or more full Of
amorous sentiment and mock ro-
nance.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
She Annoyed Him

Furniture obsessed the great
criminal. One wofinan's life he
took for q gain Of only. twenty
eight pounds and two cheap nine.
carat rings-the amount which her
few poor sticks realised from old
Jules Caillard. Madame Heon
seriously annoyed him by compell-
ing him to meet her relatives,
which was entirely contrary to
his desire. To them all she de-
clared that her future husband
was so charming, intellectual, and
such a perfect gentleman"
In the first days Of December
Landru invited Madame Heon to
spend a few days at his country
villa, and much can be surmised
Of his intention by the fact that in
his famous notebook the assassin
put down on that day the price Of
one return ticket for himself from
Paris to Garancieres-the nearest
station for Gambais--from which
he had to take the old.fashionei
diligence-so out-of.the-world ives
the place-and one single ticket
for his guest!
On the night Of her arrival.
Landru's latest fiancee complained
Of being tired. They had dined
early in Paris, and It was already
nearly 10 o'clock. -.
Upon the buffet In the small.
but pleasant dinning-room. on the
right from the central entrance
hail, stood q dish Of tempting
tangerine oranges She fancied
one, and while Landru smoked his
cigarette, she ate and enjoyed It.
he watching intently.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Saw Lonely House

He had passed It a full mile ere
he became aware that It was
just the kind Of lonely house Of
which he had been lately in
search. So he pulled up. and
turning back. got down and
examined the exterior. The house
stood close to the high.road, with
a small rose-garden in front.
flanked by railings and a few
newly.grown bushes and laurels,
which enclosed It from the vul.
gar gaze. The garden--quite q
spacious one-ran back into Q
ploughed field, but was well en-
closed with a high fence, while
at the rear were some outbuild-
ings and a good.sized garage.
1t was quite a spick-and-span
villa, and its remote situation
appealed to him. Beyond the
church, which stood alone. sur.
rounded by its graveyard, there
was no other house in sight,
save far across the open land
was a small chicken farm. The
nearest village proved to be
Gambais, q tiny little place, but
from the house It could not be
seen.
The iron gates being locked.
Landru clambered over the rail
ings and made a good survey Of
the premises. The garden at that
season was, OF course, derelict.
But as he walked around the
premises he became impressed
that the house. well named THE
Hermitage" was Just the place In
which TO establish another nest
of love"
He stood at the end Of the
garden and gazed around. Not q
house was in sight. the place
being built, as II seemed. as far
off from any other human habita-
tion rs possiHa
The Washington times., 1922-09-17

after their marriage. taking her
to Tunis, where he had some
business.
Lapdru. with his innate cunning.
always spread abroad stories OF
travel. in order to pave the way
and render difficult any unwel-
come inquiry.
Within a week OF entering pos
session of THE Hermitage" At
Gambais, "Bluebeard" bought In
Paris a small. square. portable
kitchen stove; the culinary arrange.
ments being too primitive for his
liking. And from q local coal
dealer he ordered half q ton OF
coal.
Madame Heon had, Of course.
disappointed him sorely. He had
hoped to gain the money she had
in the bank. just as he had hoped
to secure that OF Elise Laporte;
but II had vanished. and tn only
prize now remaining was her
furniture.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Dined Happily

On the day following Christmas
Day. 1916, Landru conducted his
victim to Gambais, driving ~.
there in his car. so that tn.re
should be no trace Of her journey
by rail. 1t was 6 o'cluck
and already dark when they left
the Rue Rodier. Landru taking
good care that he was not seen
by the concierge.
On their way they dined happily
at little hotel at st. Cyr, and the
doomed woman was in the best Of
spirits, while her lover was full Of
bright pictures Of the future.
Little did she dream that she was
going gaily to her death.
On the arrival at "The Hermit.
age" It was dark. To the old
woman he employed he had given
a Christmas holiday, telling her.
that she need not come again until
New Years Day. when he would
come from Paris. She lived quite
q mile from the house. and. being
somewhat decrepit, the walk to
and fro was always q trial for her.
As he pulled up the car. the
exquisitely polite Freminet, the
gay lover Of women Of all ages,
apologized, saying:
MY needs, as a bachelor here,
are few. dearest. So / gave my
old serving-woman a Christmas
holiday. She does not return until
the day after tomorrow. We shall
have to do for ourselves. hope
she has left us something to eatg'
he added with a laugh.
With an electric torch he led
her through the gate and along
the graveiled path to the front
door. half Of which was OF glass,
Continued on Page 81
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Villain Is Trapped

81 mean," she echoed in a firm
voice. her face pale and set, that
you are not what you pretend to
be, my dear Raoul-or whatever
your name really Is! To my frien1,
Henriette Picard. you were Henri
Mignot, advocate! To me you are
Raoul Dupont. rentier-without
an estate! l have, since our mar
riage. set inquiries on foot, and I
know the truth. Now! Give me
your suitcase. with it's mysterious
little velvet-lined box with the blue
phial inside-or will instantly
ring for the police. You have duped
me. but I have laid this trap fof
you-my dear, false lover, with
those honeyed words upon your
lips" She laughed triumphantly,
with biting sarcasm. Your name
is not Dupont, but Henri Mignot.
escroc and gaolbird! Only yester-
day I knew the truth, and now
that you have betrayed your mo-
tive, I have resolved to call the
police, and have them arrest you!
They will be highly interested IN
the documents you have Just
drawn up! I have suspected you
all alons-and now my suspicious
are confirmed that you are an
escroc, and in that blue tube you
carry so carefully in that velvet
lined case is a poison by which you
intend to get rid Of me. so that
you can have my money!
you devilr' hissed Landru,
gritting his teeth.
"Ahv she laughed in defiance.
"Give over your weapons to me.
Confess! Or I will press this bell and
call the police. You are Henri
Mignot, alias Dupont. and hap
pen to know that the Surete ere
in search Of you under that name
and under others. Come, decider'
she demanded determinedly.
"You have unlocked my bag in
my absence" he cried reproach.
fully. "You!-my wife, whom, I
trusted"
mo! your wife whom you meant
TO kill after she had signed that
document" declared the young
woman. Once ne had fascinated
her. but now she knew the ruth.
and her love had turned to iouth-
ing.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Sang-Froid Absolute

Landru's absolute sang-froid
was wonderful. Even before he
killed Nine. Heon in such q heart
less manner, and disposed Of her
remains so methodically. he had
already two. fresh victims in view.
One was q certain Nine. Buisson
and the other Nine. Collomb.
He was the more interested In
the latter. The disappearance Of
this lady was a mystery which the
Assize Court at Versailles failed
to solve. but. In the light OF later
knowledge. I am able to here re-
veal the truth for the first time.
The Washington times., 1922-09-17
Had No Servant

The dealer in women's hearts
and furniture came and went at
odd times. never employing q
servant. He would come by car
on Saturday and stay till Mon
day. all alone, bringing his food
and living picnic style. He took
long walks alone in the woods,
which he>thoroughly explored.
In the meantime. however, he
was busily courting Madame Heon
--"Havre." as he called her in
his carnet-who at that time was
living at 165 Rue de Rennes.
Now that he had set the trap.
the alluring of further victims
was not q difficult task. Al
Vernouillet he had had neigbbors
on either hand. but at Gambais he
was far removed from anyone.
The bare, bleak churchyard and
the church planted on that solitary
heath were his only neighbours.
yet. Of course. the high-road to
Rambouillet and on to Paris
passed before the house-a road
devoid Of trees and hedgerows-
simply q broad highway across q
wide, fiat plain.
The courting Of that sixty.year-
old widow with a Past" was an
easy affair. She believed Landru
to be genuinely attracted by her,
and very soon disclosed to him
everything-even the distressing
fact that her small fortune had
been lost by speculation since their
first meeting at the cafe near the
Louvre, and that her only posses
sion OF value was the furniture Of
herself and her daughter, who
had recently died.