A Book of Remarkable Criminals   By: Henry Brodribb Irving (1870-1919)

By H.B. Irving

TO MY FRIEND

E. V. LUCAS

"For violence and hurt tangle every man in their toils, and for the most part fall on the head of him from whom they had their rise; nor is it easy for one who by his act breaks the common pact of peace to lead a calm and quiet life."

Lucretius on the Nature of Things.

Transcriber's Note:

The upper outside corner of page 15 and 16 has been torn from the hardcopy. The spots are marked with?? and a best guess at missing words is in brackets. Footnotes have been moved from end of page to end of paragraph positions, sequentially numbered.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

THE LIFE OF CHARLES PEACE:

I. HIS EARLY YEARS II. PEACE IN LONDON III. HIS TRIAL AND EXECUTION

THE CAREER OF ROBERT BUTLER:

I. THE DUNEDIN MURDERS II. THE TRIAL OF BUTLER III. HIS DECLINE AND FALL

M. DERUES:

I. THE CLIMBING LITTLE GROCER II. THE GAYE OF BLUFF

DR. CASTAING:

I. AN UNHAPPY COINCIDENCE II. THE TRIAL OF DR. CASTAING

PROFESSOR WEBSTER

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. HOLMES:

I. HONOUR AMONGST THIEVES II THE WANDERING ASSASSIN

PARTNERSHIP IN CRIME:

I. THE WIDOW GRAS 1. THE CHARMER 2. THE WOUNDED PIGEON II. VITALIS AND MARIE BOYER III. THE FENAYROU CASE IV. EYRAUD AND BOMPARD

A BOOK OF REMARKABLE CRIMINALS

Introduction

"The silent workings, and still more the explosions, of human passion which bring to light the darker elements of man's nature present to the philosophical observer considerations of intrinsic interest; while to the jurist, the study of human nature and human character with its infinite varieties, especially as affecting the connection between motive and action, between irregular desire or evil disposition and crime itself, is equally indispensable and difficult." Wills on Circumstantial Evidence .

I REMEMBER my father telling me that sitting up late one night talking with Tennyson, the latter remarked that he had not kept such late hours since a recent visit of Jowett. On that occasion the poet and the philosopher had talked together well into the small hours of the morning. My father asked Tennyson what was the subject of conversation that had so engrossed them. "Murders," replied Tennyson. It would have been interesting to have heard Tennyson and Jowett discussing such a theme. The fact is a tribute to the interest that crime has for many men of intellect and imagination. Indeed, how could it be otherwise? Rob history and fiction of crime, how tame and colourless would be the residue! We who are living and enduring in the presence of one of the greatest crimes on record, must realise that trying as this period of the world's history is to those who are passing through it, in the hands of some great historian it may make very good reading for posterity. Perhaps we may find some little consolation in this fact, like the unhappy victims of famous freebooters such as Jack Sheppard or Charley Peace.