THE TRAGIC BANDIT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1755, 21 May 1913, Page 8

THE TRAGIC BANDIT.

HEAD-FIRST DIVE FROM PRISON ROOF. DRAMATIC CONFERENCE WITH HIS COUNSEL. Paris, .A pril G. Lacombe, the Anarchist bandit who was captured on March 11 at tho fair cf L:i Yillette, and was awaiting his trial for two murders to which he had confessed, committed suicide yesterday by leaping from tho roof of the Saute Prison niter making his escape from the eurcise yard.

Taking advantage of a moment's inattention 011 the part of the warders, he made a dash for the iron railings which enclose the exerciso yard. Climbing them like a cat, he got his hands on tha tiled roof of one of the prison buildings, and hauled himself to the roof. Then he scaled a 10ft. wall. When warders attempted to follow he hurled the t'les at them. Tor two hours he led his pursuers a chase across the roofs of the prison buildings, jumping from one wall to another. Warders, a magistrate, and the governor of the Santo Prison implored him to come down, but when they placed ladders against the walls lie repelled them with a fusillade of tiles. "If you come up 011 the roof," he cried, "I'll jump and kill myself."

Th? governor attempted to parley. "If you want me to come down," said Lacombe, "send for my counsel and the examining magistrate. I will see then what I mean to do."

When the magistrate appeared tlie bandit reproached him with keeping him in prison instead of examining him. "I would prefer death to detention." Then as lie walked about the roof l.e complained of the prison food. "If y.m will come down," said the governor; "I will examine you as often as you please, and I will have your food sent in from any restaurant you choose. What n.ore can I do?" he asked in a pleading \oice. " Lacombo smiled grimly. "No, I have had enough of it. My mind is made up. In'a few minutes I will throw myself into the courtyard and kill myself," .

"No, you will not kill yourself," said tho magistrate, "you will only maim yourself." ' "Leave that to me," was Lacombe's reply. "When I jump I will kill myself." MATTRESSES AS SHIELDS. At that moment M. Boucheron, the prisoner's counsel, arrived, and when the other spectators had retired Lacombe consented to shako hands with him. But all the barritser's efforts to* induce Lacombe to re-enter his cell wero fruitless. The bandit's final words were, "At 11.30 I will jump from the roof and it will bo all over."

The governor ordered mattresses to he laid on the ground to defeat Jacombo's design, and ordered firemen to give chase. The bandit mado such good use of tho slates that they had to retreat. Using mattresses as "shields, they eventually surrounded him. Then Lacombo artvanocd to the edge of the roof and shouted, "Tho moment has come."

It was exactly 11.30, the hour lie had fixed for his death. Turning towards his counsel, he said. "Tell my mother my last thoughts : were of her. Good-bye to all by comrades." Bringing his hands together as if to dive, ho plunged head downwards to tho ground, lie fell 25 feet, landing on his head. Death was instantaneous. As his body struck the ground the occupants of the cells surrounding tlie courtyard, who had Icon following the l escaped prisoner with eager eyes, yelled with delight, "Vive Lacombe! Vive i'Anarchie!"—'"Daily Mail."