davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

the thrill of finding himself, although
reformed, yet superior physically to
others. And partly it was his par
ticular nature preparing himself for
that career of crime which was TO
give the Paris police so much trouble
when Abadie came to maturity
w -
DIT IL was not merely as thiev-
- ine Young animal that Abadie was
~rowins up. That avid mind OF MS
which learned to read from street
signs and theatrica posters soon
found itself hungry to read. he 1eo
on scraps of newspapers ana oio
ma Magazines; discarded reading mat,er
found in the gutter; hooks OF lsns
tales he snatched from Well'careo,nor
children In the gardens OF the III
ileries when their nurses were not
lacking: books he stole@from the littie
omen air stalls on the left bank OF the
Seine.
Abadie devoured these as raven
ously as he devoured food, which was
ravenously indeed, for he was a
creature of powerful greeds.
Youngsters Of yAbadie's age reaa
dime novels, thrill to them then go
hack to their marbles and tops. Aba
die read them, thrilled to them, ana
went on to play them out In real life
TO the extent that lay in his power.
Through some twist In his nature
or was 1t because life had twisted
him soto him the villains OF the
dime novels he read were the heroes,
while the heroes of these stories. I'M
pressed him only as people who dfd not
deserve to win. He, Abadie, meant to
be a hero himself, the kind VINO
nreyed on others and would not be
frustrated by any goody .goody nero:
He began on small scale. AZ II
one has to begin on a small scale IN
such a career as Abadie dehnltely
chose for himself, He had long ago
thrown off his career as assistant beg
gar by the simple process OF robbing
the beggars who last owned him
and running off to shift for himself.
This he did by petty stealing by DAY.
and living in cellar with several
young thieves by night.
Rapidly his stealing outgrew the
category of petty larceny. Soon ne
learned to break into stores and
homes. BY IS he committed his first
full -fiedged burglary and had the salts
faction Of knowing that the police
had slight description OF him and
were looking for him,
BY Is he had three youths calling
him Leader" and acting as subordi-
mates in small hurglaries he planned.
BY fs he and his gang-which now
counted half a dozen--perpetrated
their first assault, knocking uncon-
scious a night Waterman who came
on them as they were looting q ware
house.
BY II Abadie got his biggest thrill
when he plunged his sharp clasp
knife into the ribs of detective who
was stalking him. The detective did
not die. But Abadie, like young
tiger. got his first taste of blOod-and
liked 1t.
Meanwhile his voracious mind and
imagination were devouring riches as
avidly an he was footing. He found
his way to jungle philosophy as natu.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

Abadie's ugliness and masterful belief
in himself She told him one day that
ketch had cOnfided in her his inten-
ton Of putting an end tc him soon
and assuming the leadership vt the
gang. Whereupen Abadie waited one
dark night till Ketch showed up at
a rendezvous with Annette. From
the dark he plunged his dagger into
his lieutenant's heart.
MEANWHILE Abadie twas bringing
into play an leader the imagina-
ton he was so richly feeding through
reading. He and his new lieutenant,
GILES. q fiery youngster Of 1S, drew
up q written constitution. written In
cipher code invented by Ahadie. There
were IS articles and a penal code in
case of the violation of any OF the pro
visions of the constitution.
Then they held a solemn Ceremony,
at which blood from the wrists Of the
nine members Of the band was mixed
In cup with the hearts blood Of their
latest victim, a jewelers. assistant
they had killed In a burglary. With
this CHASTITY ink they signed the con.
stitution and swore allegiance. to 1t.
The death penalty was prescribed for
the violation OF any Of seven of its
articles. Among the provisions were:
1T In forbidden for any of the band
to have a sweetheart for a period
longer than one month. 1t breeds dan n.
gerous attachments. Any woman &c
lected' by a member Of the hand for a
period of less than one month must
pass her time AZ servant In the house
hold OF the chief, subject to his sur.
veillance.
AT the end Of the month. even II
she proves to hs trustworthy, she
must be dismissed, and no other mem
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

ist philosophy. In days to come when
the police found all the records of the
gang they also found Lebiez's me
moirs, from which I have selected the
following passage as TYPICAL:
such 10 fecundity Of nature that
four or Ave animal or vegetable
species would be sufficient to cover
the surface Of the earth. But as Nal
thus has pointed out in his classic
demonstration which has taken on the
inevitability of natural law, there is
not enough food for all. There are not
merely five species of animal and
vegetable propagating their kind on
this earth, but many times Ave.
This means that great masses
must perish. Equilibrium exists but
only by the grace of innumerable
hecatombs of slaughtered weak mem
bers of the different species. This Is
well defined by Darwin, who calls ii
the struggle for survival and the
survival of the Attest In France We
call it the vital rivalry
"All this fight is for a place in the
sun. at the feeding table. But at the
banquet of nature there are not GOV.
ers enough for all. Each must fight
for his place. Each strong must stifie
the weak. Dog eats dog
Between Abadie and Lebiez they
devised what they called their coup
de cornet" in killing with the dagger.
Abadie described it thus in his jour.
nal: You plunge the knife into the
throat and turn 1t right and left. The
wound Is always fatal"
\ y
WHEN Abadie was 20 the police
were at work running down his
band. The detective In charge of
the hunt was a young man named
Martin.
Martin was brilliant youngster
who. like many of his fellow detec-
tives of the Paris police. had imagi-
downright virtues Of patience and
doggedness of the Scotland Yard
man. With these qualities he pre-
ferred to work on individual initia-
tive rather than with a team, to gam.
BILE rather than to invest conserve
lively.
His imagination had been en-
crossed with the shadowy figures of
q band of burglars who did not hest
tate to murder, who had foiled de-
lection, who were rolling up a long
record Of unpunished crime and
seemed to have brilliant leadership
and organization.
OF the leader OF that gang there
was only the vaguest outline in the
minds OF the Paris police. From
spies among the underworld, from
glimpses by terrified householders
whose homes were robbed. from the
little that detectives up to then had
been able to gather of the band, there
was some. sort of cripple or deformed
man at the head Of the band, a man
who combined keen mind, savage zest,
and great skill in the technique of
crime. More than that the police did
not know either of the leader or of
his fnIIowers.
Maiein asked to be assigned work
In bringing that hand to justice. He
had = Man, ~ toid his chief. which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

| had stolen for the occasion. In Alb
aides hands were the keys to the
house. He and Francois strollsd I'D
to the front door chatting In a matter.
of-fact way. Two policemen on bi.
| cycles rode past, looked at the two
fur-clad. top-hatted gentlemen admit.
| ting themselves into the cabinet min
| listers house with the air OF being at
home. The agents OF the law must
have seen nothing wrong In this. for
they pedaled on without another look
Abadie knew from the servant Just
! where the Waterman would be at
that hour and entered the room with.
out a sound. The watchman's re-
| volver would not speak. for the serv-
ant had quietly distracted the bullets.
| So Abadie had little fear. His black
! jack was IN his hand as he opened the
I door. Francois was at his hack, HIS.
| revolver out and ready. =
The Waterman was browsing in his
chair an Abadie opened the door.
Abadie crept up TO him. But sud.
denly the Waterman leaped up.
| whirled and seized Ahadie's wrist.
With twist that almost broke Aba.
dies slender wrist, he tore the black
jack out of his hand and hurled Aba
die against the wall. Even az he was
| toppling backward Abadie whipped
out his automatic.
| To his horror there was only a
succession of clicks. Something was
wrong with the trigger.
xiii him. shrieked Abadie TO
Francois through q red mist of rage.
But Abadie failed to hear the sx.
| pected drum OF revolver IRE. He
saw Francois standing by the watch.
mans side, looking down colby At
Abadie. There was now something
policemanlike about both the watch
man and Francois that sent q shock
! through Abadie. He leaped to his
feet like a cat and crouched against
| the walr From his inside coat pocket
he whipped out his sheath knife. His
l'teeth flashed in his dwarf face, his
dirty gray eyes cleaned.
Partners. are you?" he snarled.
! Then come and get me-
Francois turned his head and over
his shoulder called:
Come in.''
Five heavily built men trampsd
into the room, revolvers In their
hands. Francois impatiently ex.
claimed:
80 much artillery show for 3ust
one rat! Have you no pride! I'll
take care of him."
Abadie shrieked. do you think
my Dan0 Will let you liver
Francois advanced slowly to Aba.
die. his revolver pointing straight at
the pit of his stomach. his finger on
the trigger, his eyes on Abadie's dag
ger. open your fingers, runt, or
Ill shoot where 1t won't kill but will
mess you up. badly"
| y y.
| A BADIE'S hand few up like q cats,
the dagger shot through the air.
missed Francois heart by inches
| and stuck in the wall. Francois.
| flushed with anger, stuck the revolver
back into his pocket and grasped the
hunchhack with one powerful hand
about the slender throat.
| 1T will give me pleasure to break
that crooked back Of yoursi" he
| gfowled; and Abadie felt iron closing
about his windpipe. In the hands Of
| the young giant he was like doll.
When he had given himself up Al lost
| the hand let up for an instant. He
caught q bit Of breath.
'I'll make a deal"' Abadie whim-
pered.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
THE people Of the United States ar

THE people Of the United States are
the greatest consumers of choco-
late Of any people in the world. 1t is
said that in single year we import
more than SEQ, 100000 worth of the
material, this value representing some
thing In excess of $50 ,000. 900 pounds
Of crude beans and 1850. 900 pounds
OF the prepared and manufactured
chocolate. The demand for chocolate
is. however. steadily and rapidly in
creasing throughout the world.
1t In reported that a single candy
factory In this country uses more
than $50. 600 cacao beans ia q year.
This factory usually keeps In stock
as ma ny as is varieties of these beans.
fine chocolates being prepared in care
fully adjusted proportions.
Necessarily, the immense demand
for chocolate has brought about a
corresponding extension of the cul-
which produces it. Vast tracts in va
rious regions Of the tropics are plant
ed with the cacao orchards, and our
own Government. not content to en-
courage to the utmost the industry in
the Philippine Islands, some time ago
introduced 1t into Porto Rico and
Hawaii.
Commercial cacao Is exactly the
same thing as chocolate, without any
sugar aud with two-thirds of the fat,
or OIL removed from 1t by pressure.
This fat IL the familiar cocoa butter"
which has In a measure taken the
place of cold cream. From the press
the cocoa comes out In the form of
dry cakes, and these are reduced to
powder, which Is poured by automatic
machinery into cans and sealed and
labeled all ready for the market.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

rally as a beast of prey finds it's way
To it's own kind Of food. The savage
side OF the philosophy OF anarchism,
of Nietzsche, of each -for-himself'and-
the -devii-take-the- hindmost. was good
red meat to him. Then he would
write out his philosophy in a journal
the police eventually found.
At Is he wrote: Life Is battle.
strike down whatever opposes me.
Society IL divided into two camps:
those that have and those that have
not. Cut off the heads Of those that
have in order that we may have our
turn at having. The strong eat the
weak. 1t is for the police to count
the dead"
econ after that the police began
i their count. Abadie, who was a jeal-
GUS chieftain, had lieutenant by the
name Of Ketch, 4 youth little less keen
and deviiish In courage than Abadie.
Abadie suspected that ketch would not
die OF sorrow if anything happened to
Abadie, M ketch was ambitious to be
leader himself.
/ In their world TO wish for the death
OF some one In more nearly equal to
the deed than elsewhere. So Abadie
watched katch and chance held his
dagger ready.
/ Ketch has a sweetheart who plea sed
Abadie's taate. for. hunchback though
he was, AbAdie considered himself
something Of q connoisseur In women.
! Annette IN turn waa fasctaaksd by
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

'TM give the band UP" Abadis
began. 49,. .u -.
the police station when you get there"
Abadie's agitated eyes took on
crafty look.
But you haven't got much of
case against them or me. ltn take
| you q devil Of q lot of effort to make
1t guillotine affairs for then-without
my help"
Francois pretended not to hear and
ordered Abadie handcuffed and taken
to the prefecture Of police.
| But several weeks later, while
preparations for trying the band were
taking place, one OF the prosecutors
visited Abadis In his cell.
What are you willing to do to save
your neck?" he asked.
| Abadie squinted at him. Tell you
| enough to send the rest of the crowd
to the guillotins-provided I'm not
sent there myself"
The bargain was made. Abadis
cleverly arranging II so that the honor
of the French court In trying the hand
was involved to insure his escape from
death sentence. To draw forth such q
promise and bargain Ahadie told bits
1 Of information which served well az
l SuHlPICS. uC kOOuS Ac was aCHN8IAnk
seemed worth the promise, and Abadie
| got it.
| The hand was then tried. But at
the crucial moment of the trial Ii was !,
| found that the promise had been
bought with faxed goods. Abadie's
| information did not stand the test Of
REORGANIZATION. He had cheated.
| The judge was outraged.
"YOu are making a fool of Justice.
: he said sternly to Abadie.
Exactly" Abadie grinned. you
see am the pilot of my band. have
to do anything that will save them.
That's why am their leader"
He was sent to the penal colony at
far-away Caledonia. Here he kept the
| authorities busy. On his first day he
rebslled.
II hate the bouillon," he shouted.
IT'S too clear. The eggs are too much,
! cooked. / want wine. and hate you'd
water. My health suffers"
His health seemed to have no effect
on his defiance. He was locked up In,
solitary confinement. But the guard
found him busy making an effort TO
escape. He had made a knife of a
part OF q sardine can. cut his trousers
into strips and was fashioning his
rope wherewith to let himself out Of
the window. He was taken to the
director Of the prison, whom he inso-
lentlV addressed.
You see, one does not necessarily
die just because your courts pronounce
the death sentence. And one does not
have to stay here forever just bcauss
one has been givn a life sentences"
What would you do IL you had
succeeded In making your escaps?'. the
director asked curiousiy.
I'D 80 back to my old life ana
build up another gangm
Hut fever finally put him In \ cell
whence none escape until some rreater
judgment day. With the Paris neIies'
however. be lives NJ one Of its Iiveiiest
memories. s. &. .. -
fTHE nsDo
tcsszrixht isa7.1
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
French Detective Plays Lone Hand Against Underwor

required his playing a lone hand un-
til he should call for help. He was
told 10 go ahead.
Several days later the boulevard
press of Paris was lively with the
story of one Perugin, who had es-
capped prison in the south OF France
and who was suspected of being in
Paris in hiding. The papers told,
though in vague outlines, of an ex-
ceptionally bold escape. involving
the murder of a prison guard who
had befriended him. He was to have
died on the guillotine for the murder
Of a rich aunt who had cut him off
in her will because OF his many es-
capades with the police. There was
a bit of description Of the man In
the papers, particularly of his excep-
| tional size and strength.
Several nights later one OF the
most exclusive resorts OF the under
world in Paris noted a tall. quiet
stranger come In and sit down alone
to drink. Speculation at once began
as TO who the stranger was: every
stranger was the subject OF lively
interest in that place. The proprietor,
who was exceptionally well informed
of every phase Of Paris life that in
terested the police. took good look
at the stranger.
He looks to me like that man Pc
| rugin / read ABOUT in the paper a
few days ago-the fellow who broke
out of Jail down in Marseilles. A
keen dog, IL it is he. I'll see II ]
can find out"
He strolled over to the stranger
and casually asked:
Come from Marseilles?"
The stranger leaped to his feet,
shot his hand to his belt and snarled
What in hell do you care"'
He did not strike. but one could
glimpse a knife in his belt and his
manner showed II would not take
much to make him fight. The pro-
prietor nodded.
You're a testy bird. Meet some of
my friends and drink with u.s."
THE stranger gave his name az
Francois, which was about as
illuminating as calling himself John
would be under similar circumstances
in an American dive. He kept him.
self aloof ana showed his suspicion
plainly, his manner being that Of a
man on guard against the world. But
he also seemed harassed with loneli.
ness.
His suspicion finally abated enough
for him to join several of the people
there In drinking. But he kept a
closed mouth. Finally the proprietor
said:
IF you're a stranger In Paris. /
have some rooms 10 let in the back
OF the house. It's quiet place for
those who want-quiet. No questions
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

ing his elders, and his play would one
day serve him for getting his food as
they did--with considerable modifica-
tons.
He played at begging az a cripple
and as a blind" beggar He whined
when 1t paid. he was insoIent when
insolence brought results he stole
when no one was looking. just an his
elders did. Then one day he found
that his legs. which had speed. could
be depended upon to carry him out of
reach Of crippled beEgsrs. no matter
how enraged they were. So he took
to snstehing THAR coppers and darting
on with his loot.
It. was partly pley with him. partly
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

poker and stilled his tongue forever
"A splendid specimen" coolly said
Lebiez; II would have liked dssect-
ing him when l was AT medical school;
in fact. j am coming back tonight
with my scalpels.'
He and Abadie had dinner that
night at famous restaurant After
liQueurs Lebiez rose. "A charming
evening. my dear Abadie! Sorry to
leave you. But I have a little work
to do. II will remind me of my medi-
cal school days. 1 wonder IL my
scalpels are still good"
Next day he said to Ahadie:
HE was a splendid specimen. And
I seemed to have lost little of my
training"
1T was Lebiez who was also nearest
Abadie In his taste for writing and
putting In words his savage material
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

nor would she have cared much had
she known, for the infant only yowled.
But that twist in the backbone meant
that when the youngster grew up he
would be a hunchback.
Pink-Eye's competitors did not fail
to observe her increase in prosperity.
That was not because she spent more
or lived more at ease. For she hoard
% everything she could lay her
claw.liks hands upon: boarded 1t for
no one knew what purpose but with
the passion of a miser.
Her rivals for the aims Of passers-
By knew, however, she was getting
three and four times ~ much 40 she
used to, fer they watchsd her a. rivals
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

asked or answered. The right kind
of company IL you want 1t. But the
rates are rather high
Francois thought this over and nod
| ded. I'll come"
He came with very little baggage
next day, a hand catchel containing
apparently all he owned. The land
lord gave him room and tried to
cultivate his acquaintance further
He had little, success. SO he decided
to find ont more in his own way.
When Francois left for a walk one
afternoon the landlord let himself
into his room with a pass key. worked
open the lock on Fraicois' valise and
examined the contents. They did not
reveal much directly, but the pro
prietor. who was a member OF Aba
dies band, knew how to deduce much
from little.
''He is Perugin." he told Abadie
later in the latter's we'll hidden nat
in the Butte Chaumont section OF
Paris.
Bring him here to a party" Aba
die said. "WeIl give him a look"
Francois, who seemed to grow lone
lier and more morose every day, was
induced to come to small ana
knowing party" at Abadie's house.
Abadie himself did not appear at first.
But through peephole he studied
Francois all evening and compared
notes with some of his lieutenants.
The stranger seemed a surly brute,
but able and daring; for 1t looked as
though he were already operating In
Paris on his own. There were rumors
Of skillful jobs at burglary by some
newcomer. and the signs pointed to
Francois.
Before the end OF Abadie's party
the host himself appeared and made
his acquaintance. Abadie pumped
him, but got little direct information.
He did get, however favorable i'm
preston Of the hard ca1iber of the
man. The more he studied him and
the more Francois kept to himself
the more Abadie got interested.
Finally, though with caution, Aba.
die preached the subject of partner
ship in a paying adventure" as he
put 1t. Francois was hard to interest.
But 'Abadie by now was keen to get
him and persevered. 1t was only
after several days of persuasion that
Francois finally consented to join Aba
die in a risky but promising burglary
at the house of a cabinet minister.
Abadie's object was to test Francois
Tor H1SHtDcIbhip III HE Udnu.
THE plan OF the house to be looted
= was supplied by a woman who
had Abadie's current love and had
managed to secure a position a. do
nestle In the house of the wealthy
cabinet minister at Neuilly. a fash.
ionable part of Paris. The family Of
the minister were away for the Win.
ter holidays and 1t was understood
that none but Waterman remained.
There were some negotiable bonds.
some jewelry and other vaIuahles to
be had if q strong house safe could
be cracked open.
Abadie and Francois. dressed in
evening clothes, top hats and fur
trimmed overcoats. drove down to the
house toward midnight In 3 stylish
little colsed ear : member d the bard
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

A Russian chemist has developed
cheap method OF extracting iodine
from Waste waters from oil dYiiiings
in Baku oil fields.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
Master Man-Hunters
By Joseph Gollomb
b IX-THE HUNCHBACK KING
Hated and Feared Even By His Own Under
vor1d Kind, Abad;e was Doomed to Destruc-
.;on-He Walked Straight Into the Trab.

w Y HEN Abadie was night
~ and a day old somebody
wv wrapped him In bundle
of rags and left him whim-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06

0NE day when PinkEye was warm
~ ing the thin blood in her with
raw rum she tried to put Abadie back
into the cradle" stumbled and fell
with him. He fell on his back on the
cellar stones, but as baby bones are
soft he was not killed. Something in
his backbone twisted, however.
Pink Eye did not know 1t, of course;
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-04-29

moved safely. Two trucks were
damaged.