Year: 1876

lace, DrOOcn WIN tWenty-beVen large
diamonds, rich table service of gold,
and the lady's entire wardrobe. In the
Palais Royal, then occupied by the re-
gent, they stole two of his silver fam.
beaux. At the Louvre, Cartouche's &
lrother possessed himself of the sword
aud mantle of the Prince de Soubise,
while the regent himself was robbed one
aght ON leaving the opera. Here, how
ever, the laugh was on the other side,
as, purposely to deceive the robbers, he
had caused his sword-h hilt to be richly
chased-in steel.


Now that the inconvenience Of such a
state of things began to be felt In the
very highest society, Government set it.
self seriously to the task Of reform. A
little incident helped to spur it on. One
May morning in 1721 some laborers
came upon the body of murdered man.
1t proved to be that of an obscure poet
named Vergier. What could possess any
one to kill q poet, and 80 poor one at
that, was puzzle, till some one suggested
il was the regents work. Philippe dor
leans was black enough, in all conscience,
but rumor painted him in still deeper
colors. In a series of rhymed philippics
he had been branded with every con-
ceivable crime. What more natural, said
the public, than that he should employ
Cartouche's band to wreck his vengeance
on the poet who had held him up to rid
icule and shame. To be sure, Vergier
was not the one who had written the
verses in question, but the Cartouchians
could hardly be assumed to be familiar
with such gentry as starving poets, and
in their zeal to execute their masters
orders had mistaken the man. Stories
such as this circulating through Paris
caused the regent to bestir himself, and
the authorities loudly demanded Car
touche; but, of course, it was much easier
to ask for him than to get him.


Another murder now occurred to add


the public agitation. Cartouche and
his band were carousing at cabaret,
when they got into an alteration with
some worlxmen at an adjoining table. A
row ensued swords and pistols were
freely used The police rushed in, and
one of them, Mondelot, fell dead from a
shot fred, it was declared, by female
Cartouchian named Manon- Roy. 1t
is at least certain that this distinguished
lady always carried arms, and equally so
that when, some time afterward, she was
arrested, she intrenched herself behind
her bed and for half an hour kept the
whole posse of police at bay. The MUIR
derers of Vergier and Mondelot brought
the name of Cartouche prominently be-
fore the public. Henceforward every
audacious crime was laid to his charge.
Desperate attempts were made to cap
ture the formidable thief, but this dex-
terity and skillfulness in changing his
costume stood him good friends. The
loose, half fitting cloak, blue on one side,
red on the other, and capable of being
reversed in moment of time, owns him
for godfather. The police would be in
hot pursuit of man in red who fled like
deer around corner. When the pur-
suers followed on his track he had disap-
peared, but they encountered sedate in
dividual in blue strolling quietly toward
them, who had seen the aforesaid man
in red dart into neighboring house or
disappear down some other street.


On one occasion the police, hearing a
row in the house of pretty lemonade
seller known as Margot the Nun, made a
descent. They found little man, half
drunk, tearing around the room, firing
pistols right and left, to the admiration
of mixed company OF both sexes. He
was arrested, and after while represent
ed himself to be an honest chocolate sell
ler in the Rue Comedie- Francais, who
had unfortunately taken a drop too
much. He was allowed to go after de-
posting 100 livres and gold snuff-box
as security for his temperance. No
complaint was made against him, and in
a few days he called at police headquar-
ters and reclaimed his property. 1t was
Cartouche.


In December, 1720, lie was captured
and confined in Fort PEveque, but in
spite of the terror inspired by this re-
doubtable robber, 80 slight were thepre-
cautions taken for guarding him that he
three months later effected his escape.
The authorities reused themselves to un-
usual efforts for his recapture, and here
upon an odd incident occurred. AS the
officer OF the criminal court was uttering
the usual proclamation with sound of
trumpet and outcry, calling upon Car
touche to appear within eight days and
answer to the charge of murder, and had
come to the words, "In the Kings name
we do command the person called Car
touche'"-


Present, Cartouche shouted voice
in the center Of the crowd, that turned
the whole body, archers, trumpeters, cit
izens, and all into frenzy Of rage and
agitation. 1t was Cartouche himself, but
he had vanished.


Two persons now entered into o sol
emn league and covenant to pursue the
impalpable robber without rest or respite
till he should be slain or taken; these
were Huron and Pepin, bold and clever
officers in the service Of the police. The
chase opened i'll for our hero; Huron
tracked him so hotly as to exchange pis-
tol-shots with him, by which Cartouche
was said 10 have been seriously wounded.
IL is certain that, either to escape this
persevering foe or to recover from his
alleged hurts, he disappeared for three
entire months from criminal history, and
the police exultingly assured the public
that he was driven from the capital
They were soon made painfully aware oi
his return.


A very large reward was now set OF
his head, and Huron and Pepin agar
devoted themselves to their task. The
zeal of both these officers proved fatal Il
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