Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1883 — The Shadow of a Hand. [ARTICLE]

The Shadow of a Hand.

In the year 1846, the inhabitants of Dieppe were thrown into a state of the utmost consternation by a series of robberies and murders, evidently the work of one man. No trace of the perpetrator could be discovered, though one of his intended ' victims who had narrowly escaped, averred that he had only three fingers on one of his hands. The Government offered a large reward for his apprehension, and the police displayed the greatest activity. In the outskirts of Dieppe there lived an elderly lady, of the name of Beaumaurice, alone with one servant, in a rather solitary house. She was the widow of an officer, and noted for her strength of character and personal courage. The excitement prevailing in the town made no visible impression upon her, though the contrary might have been expected from one in her lonely position. On the 30th of April, Madame Baumaurice, who had been suffering all day from nervous headache, retired to her bed-chamber at about 10 o’clock in the evening. Feeling very tired, she sat down in an easy chair to take a little rest. Before her stood the dress-ing-table, draped with curtains reaching to the floor. A lamp was burning behind her, on a little table. The lady had begun to undress herself when she saw something that stopped the beating of her heart. There appeared on the floor the shadow of a man’s hand. The hand had only three fingers! The position of affairs was clear enough; the murderer was concealed under the dressing-table. The lady kept perfectly still and considered what was to be done. After a few moments’ reflection, she went to the door and called her servant, and asked her, as soon as she made her appearance: “Mary, do you kow where Mr. Bernard lives?” “Yes, Madame.” “I had quite forgotten that I have 5,000 francs to pay tomorrow morning. You ’had better go at once and get the money.” “Very well, Madame.” “And lest he should hesitate about giving you the notes, I will give you a written order to take to him.” The gif! waited, and her mistress wrote: . “Dear Mr. Bernard, the murderer of the Rue dee Armes and the Rue Grenard is in my house. Come immediately with two or three gendarmes, and take him into custody.— Helene Beaumaurice.” She gave the note to the. servant maid and sent her away. Then she sat down again and waited. Yes, the lady sat a whole hour in the room, in the presence of a notorious murderer who lay concealed under her dressing-table. There she sat—calm, cool and resolute. The

shadow of the hand appeared from time to time on the floor—the only token of the dreadful presence. When at length the gendarmes arrived, Jacques Reynauld was taken prisoner, after a desperate struggle, and shortly after paid the penalty of his crimes under the ax of the guillotine.— Pohl’s Illustrites Hans-Kalender.