The Castlegar Sun

Wednesday, June 5, 1991

:The Castlegar Sun

Page 5B

t is a common bellef that serial
kitlers are a recent

razor, which had the effect of providing
his ith less than a

non, Such is not the case, Down

through criminal history, there

have always been predators

who preyed on their fellow

humans, committing the most
hideous of murders imaginable.

Joseph Vacher was one of 15 children of

. a respectable French family. As a young
man, he joined a religious order, but
soon made up his mind that the ecclesi-
astical life left something to be desired.
He quit the order and took up the more
arduous task of farm laborer. In 1883
Joe attempted to rape a male servant,
but was let off with liltle more than a
warning.

It was around this time that our Joc
contracted a vencreal disease, which
required treatment in hospital at Greno-
ble. Upon release, his condition wor-
sened, necessitating an operation at
Antiquaille, where an itsy bitsy portion
of one testicle was removed.

Footloose, but a bit sore, Joe made his
way to Lyons, where he obtained
employment in a warehouse. It was here
that he first displayed his sudden mood
changes. Joe could be calm one moment
and fly into a rage the next. His ware-
house job was abruptly terminated when
he was drafted into the French army.

Joe was soon promoted to Corporal.
As a sort of celebration, he slit his own
throat. Recovering from this exuberant

wi

good night’s sleep.

Joc tried his hardest to make Ser-
eant, but Instead was sent to hospital
for observation. A few weeks later, he
was released as being fit as a fiddle.

In June, 1883, less than a year after
Miss Borden was accused o!

Louise repulsed
advances. Joe didn't take it well. He
shot Louise in the jaw and twice more In
the neck. Fortunately, he was a lousy
shot and all three wounds proved to be
superficial.

Joe then turned the gun on himself
and, although his aim was not perfect,
he did inflict far more Samane to him:
self than he had to Louise. He injured
his right eye, which forever after was
bloodshot and half closed. The bullet
also severed a facial nerve, causing a

artial paralysis of the right side of his

lace.
After the shooting spree, Joe was con-
fined to the asylum of Saint-Ylie, but
was soon released. He became a wan-
dering transient, bumming his way
throughout France.
On May 20, 1894, a 21-year-old factory

display, Joc became an ‘0
break up the long nights, he habitually
ran around the barracks wielding a

ployee, ente Di stood on
a deserted country road near Vienne
waiting for her boyfriend. It was he who

found her horribly mutilated body,
Years tater, at his trial, Joo revealed,
“A sort of ‘frenzy drove mo blindly
forward to commit my crimes, Never
did 1 look for victims, Chance meetings
dectded their fates, Tho poor creatures
need not bo pitied, None of thom. suf-
fered longer thar 10 minutes.”” Hg

Six months later, 13-year-old Louise
Marcel became Joe Vacher's second vic-
tim. Unfortunately, as in many of Joo's
murders, an innocent man was charged
with tho crime. In this case and all suc-
ceeding cases, these men were later
exonerated and released. :

On May 12, 1895, Adcle Mortureux, 17,
was strangted, stabbed and disom-
boweled, Two months later, Mme,
Morand, a 60-year-old widow was dis-
patched in the same manner. Only a
week passed before Joc struck again,
This time, his victim was a youn; shop:
herd, Victor Portalicr, from the tiny vil-
lage of Onglas,

On March 1, 1996, little Alphonsine
Derouct, 11, was accosted near Noyen
on her way to Mass. For the first time
in his reprehensible career, Joe was
interrupted ‘in: his killlng ways, A
stranger heard the youngster scream,
ran to her aid and found Joe hiding In a
nearby ditch. A scuffle took place. Joo
kicked the man In the leg, momentarily
stunning him, enabling Joc to run away.
The rather courageous man was able to
give police a good description of the
murderer,.Qne must remember that
Joe's appearance, with his bad eye and

artlally paralyzed face, was not soon
forgotten.

ight days after the, murder of
Alphonsine Derouet, Joe was arrested
for yagraney and sentenced to one
month imprisonment. Despite his dis-
tinctive appearance, no one connected
him to the series of brutal murders.

The killings continued. It is believed
that Joe Vacher was responsible for 11
murders, which he later confessed to
having committed. His uninterrupted
idling. spree’ may be attributed to the
fact that he was constantly on the move.
Then again, almost 100 yesrs ago, com-
munication between judicial districts in
France was not as efficient as It is
today.

But 11 similar murders in three years
was just too much, Police issued a
detailed description of the man they felt
was responsible for at least several of
the murders,.’Hundreds of France's
250,000 vagrants were detained and
questioned.

On Aug. 4, 1897, at 6 a.m., Joe Vacher,

laying an accordion, approached the

iome of Jean Pierre Badel near Tour-

non. Mme. Badel gave the bum a slice
of bread and a soup. Instead of leaving
her doorstep, the man lingered and
seemed dispesed to conversation.

Badel ‘had | 5 and
didnt tikes bousework to attend to. an

stranger slouched away down tho road,
A. few hours: later Joo came: upon.
Mme. Marie Eugenie Plantler, who had
jono into the Bols des Pellerler with her ©
usband and children to gather pine
cones. Mme, Plantier was alone when
Joe sneaked up behind her and clamped
his hands directly over her mouth. The
terrified ‘woman was bigger pad custody
stronger thai g
Bs rugale i Jon's previous vic: Witnesses who had secn the tramp

tims,
ame gs ed and brake free from near the locations. of the various mur-

her ‘assallant’s ‘grasp. Her hysterical
screams brought her husband on the

Plantler took In the scene Instantly,
He picked up a large rock and smashed
it Into: Joo’s face. He then Jumped on
Joe. Mme. Plantier: and assorted chil-
dren ‘cont

evidence against him mounted,
change of heart and confessed to all the
murders attributed to him. To prove his
credibility, he led police to the body of a
transient named Beaupicd, whom he had
sexually attacked and murdered,
On Oct. 28, 1698,.a French jury found
rf Joc acher guilty ot the murder: of ihe
oung shepherd, Victor Portaller, He
ing him a severe beating, ‘1 was executed by means of the guillo-
ec,

didn't attack your wife. It was my com:

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€> + Happy Birthday
Brian M°Cormick
Love Mom, Dad, Chris & Carrie

THIS WEEKS WINNER IS INDICATED BY LOGO >
Phone tn Your Birthday Wish & Wo Wil Print 8 Froe of Charge. All
Birthday Greetings Must be Phoned (365-5266) In By Noon
Thursday Of The Week Befora The Paper Comes Out.

Pick Up Your

AOYAL TREAT

at the

Castiegar Dairy Queen

° “dle ‘both ‘the controls and ‘his

Cookies go overseas to the troops

Dear Ann Landers: I am 4

outpouring of love our soldiers are
Medivac dust-off pilot in Saudi

receiving. As a two-tour veteran of
Vietnam, I am witnessing the sharp
contrast of the support for this war
and the sad atvence of support for
the other one, if r

We are proud of the job we have
done and are anxious to return

to the troops we saw along our
route, we reasoned that since they
Arabia, Our helicopter company were the ones who sacrificed so
which provided air ambulance ser- much to bring this war to such a
vice to the surrounding MASH and swift and successful conclusion,
BVAC hospitals was located next they deserved ‘to share in this
door to the 47th Combat Suppon demonstration of love from the
Hospital. American people. a

How lucky we were to have had Some of the soldiers lived in

their consideration. Since smoking
has been banned in many public Halley, Chicago):,

areas there has been a remarkable There once was a girl from St,
change in attitude, Rather than Paul )

anger at being pushed outside on Wore a newspaper gown to a
cold, rainy day, I have witnessed all

polite cooperation,Even in areas
where smoking is not specifically

Gem of the Day (Sentinby Bob — why didn't “Greg's” parents tell
him, “I don't care what ‘Joan's”
mother says, you are not 8 pending
the night with her.”

So who is going to suffer the
most from all this selfishness and
stupidity? the baby, that's who.
Since these kids are too young to

The dress caught on fire
And bumed her entire.

home, but the political

here will require our presence for
months to come. Please ask your
readers not to forget us. God has
certainly blessed America again. —
CW4 Roger Watkins, 108th Med.
Co.

Sgt. Constance Kimmons on staff
there, You published her letter ask-
ing for chocolate chip cookies,
The response from your readers
was overwhelming, Connie said 80
jtrail 4 5

arrived. Because she couldn't per-
sonally thank all who sent those
wonderful goodies, much less eat
the kies, we d to
assist her,

On our flights into Kuwait carry-

Dear Roger: Thanks for letting
us know what happened to Con-
nie’s cookies. It was generous of
you to deliver them to the troops
along the way, and I'll bet they
were thrilled. We haven't

holes beneath their tanks. Their
grimy smiles when they saw those

Pp ited I have seen
excuse themselves from groups to all
80 outside, Most important, I have
secn smokers excuse themselves
when small children are present.

As a former smoker, I think
these considerate folks deserve spe-

Front page, sports section and —_take on the responsibility of parent-
hood, was any thought given by
their parents to terminating the
Pregnancy or give the baby up for
adoption so the poor child could
have a chance in life?

Maybe Greg can tum his life
around, but his parents are going to
have to get their stuff together and
stop wringing their hands because
of what other people have done. —
Tired of Excuses

Is life passing you by?
Dear Ann Landers: When I
saw your column from Heartsick in
Champaign, IIL, about the boy who
‘ got a girl pregnant and then wasn’t
cial thanks for their remarkable — considered the baby’s legal father, I
change in behavior, — LB, Birm- _ lost my cool. These Parents are cry-
gham, Ala, ing and praying now, but why
Dear LB.: I, for one, appreciate weren't they saying NO to their 17-
it when smokers go elsewhere to year-old son when he was dating a

ing medical supplies and personnel,
we also took along hundred of Con-
nic's gift packages. We would land
at remote outposts and deliver them

treats would melt your heart, Ann.
The newfound pride Americans

seem to have found in “doing it

tight” is manifesting itself in the

our soldiers overseas. Please come

home soon, ote
Dear Ann Landers: I want to

thank the smokers of the world for

shave the nerve to light up at a din-

light up. H. a 14-year-old girl and staying
what we now know about second- overnight in her home?

hand smoke, only a clod would Why was all the blame put on
the parent of the girl? It is obvious
that they behaved foolishly, but

Dear Tired: Me, too, but. this is
the way a lot of people behave.
‘Thanks for the wake-up call. Lets.

hope they hear it.
ner party these days, oo

¢ A 12-year-old girl is under
., treatment at the All India Institute of
Medical Sci b ‘ants

for the family. Surveyors noted an

into a huge dryer by a 100-pound
increase in interest in sex manuals

cream cones he was delivering fell
load of wet clothing. T he man was

onhim,

you can to please them.”) Wiggin- emerge from her right eye.’ Doctors
ton was said to have gone into a have used medication to reduce the
“feeding frenzy” after the murder of © number from 50 to 60 per day to 6
Baldock, looking afterward as or 7 per day. They believe small
though she had eaten a huge meal, _ holes in an eyelid may be hosting
according to Ptaschinski, ant eggs, but surgery and x-rays

+ Logan, Ohio, police charged have been inconclusive. She reports
Charles Hess, 49, with cruelty to
animals in February after they found
four wolves living in his car, The
backseat had a layer of straw, cov-
ered with blood, feces and urine.

© Wanda Webb Holloway, 36,
was arrested in January for putting
out a murder contract on a Chan-
nelview, Texas, woman. Holloway
wanted to ensure that ber daughter
was chosen for her junior high
cheerleading squad and thought the
way to keep her daughter’s main
rival out of the competition was to
Kill the girl’s mother so the daughter
would be grief-stricken and drop
out. Holloway reportedly first con-
sidered killing the woman's daugh-

+ In Connecticut’s second such
incident in a year, Gary A. Escedy
tumed himself in to park rangers in
Hamden, confessing that it was he
who had crawled under an outhouse
in a state park in January, in order to
peer up at women using the toilet.

First Thing First

«In December in Green Bay,
Wis., roger L. Compton, 38, pleaded
no contest to neglecting his 16-
month-old child. The child was left
alone and disappeared briefly, and
Compton said he had planned to
report the child missing but was

the condition irritating but not
ainful. t

trapped inside for the six-minute
spin cycle.

° A 31-year-old delivery man
was killed in April in Tampa when
500 pounds of Nutty Buddies ice

+ A Borsad, India, judge granted
a divorce to a woman in October
because her husband wanted to
marry another woman, but with the
Provision that before the final
decree, the man would have to sub-
mit to a public beating by his wife.

¢ In August, Chile’s supreme
Court ordered the private Providen-
cia Clinic to release a newbom baby
that had been withheld from his par-
ents for 11 days as collateral for
$1,000 in unpaid medical bills.

Undignified Deaths

« both brides in a double wed-
ding ceremony were among 13
killed in Ramtha, Jordan, in
September when the dance floor in
the reception hall collapsed and sent
guests into a cesspool. both grooms
survived,

° A 31-year-old commercial
laundry worker in Boston was killed
in November when he was knocked

(Send your Weird News to Chuck
Shepherd, P.O. Box 57141, Wash-
ington D.C. 20037.)

+18

IN CONCERT

Sunday, June 9, 8:00 p.m.
Greater Trail

Community Centre
Auditorium

\ Tickets $18 , L&J Books

ter, too, but discovered she couldn't

afford both contracts,
ope Herbert L. Borison, 68, a
7 professor and neurophysiologist at
Proof that truestories are Dartmouth Medical School, was
weirder than made-up found dead recently of apparent sui-
stories. cide. He was a leading authority on

In March, Air Force pilot Craig vomiting.

bane lost ass nultion F-16 jet os ¢
ter when he was unable t : ane " figs ns
and ‘his “pi E OR ONE ‘BILLION is Wibions still die every year (rom. .
PEOPLE THIS unsafe water supplies. Through our
ed to raise himself up for a better IS A TOXIC water projects, CARE Canada helps
urinating position when his foot hit improve health conditions in developing
penne pedal. Fisher ejected SUBSTARICE.

communities. Please support our work -
give to CARE Canada now.
Creme De La Weird - .
+ Australian lesbian Lisa »
Ptaschinski, 25, was convicsed in Cc a A R > E
February of assisting her lover,
Tracey Wigginton, in the murder of
Edward Baldock. Wigginton pre-
ferred blood to solid food and occa-
sionally seduced Ptaschinski to cut

waiting for the end of the Packers
game on television.

+ A recent survey of 500 couples
in Jiangsu Province, China, found
that a higher number than expected
view sex as a means of expressing
love rather than for the traditional
purpose of producing more workers

dle-pack,” a sponge-filled pouch f
in-flight urination. He had attempt-

P.O. Box 9000, 1550 Carling Avenue,
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4X6
1-800-267-5232

Ely and her staff would like to thank
our valued customers and clientele for
their overwhelming response to our
1ith anniversary sale.

Our sincere thanks also to the
Castlegar Sun for their very
professional and efficient manner in
conducting our anniversary
advertisement.

Our 11th Anniversary Sale was
extremely successful, largely because
of our ads in the Castlegar Sun.

Ely likes to remind her valued clientele and future
customers that Ely's Boutique is continually bringing
new gift items, fashions, and jewelry in keeping with
her policy of bringing to Castlegar and area unique items
of value that will cater to the will and pleasure of her
customers. al

Ely Santos

Y

Pe pres Paes by persi

eee Sate

Ely's Boutique

295 Columbia Ave., Castlegar * 365-2432

Sale Ends
June 15, 1991

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