DESPERADO'S END.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 2 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

DESPERADO'S END.

BOLD STAND AGAINST THE LAW.

PARIS, Tuesday, Jan. 15.

The drama of Saint Savine has come to a tragic end. Yesterday the dog who served to give warning of any one approaching was shot; to-day its master .angeu himself.

_-or tour days and nights Coquard, burg- ,_-, poaener, anu desijerauo, who was Uis.atisnett with a conviction lor theft, kept an armed xorce of soldiers and gendarmes at bay, threatening to shoot any one who dared to approach ids Darricaaed refuge, and firing on all who passed within nrte range.

The authorities of the department were in an awkward dilemma. The desperate character of the ruffian they had to deal with was evidenced by the murder of the man Woelfle, who paid with his life for his imprudence in going too near Coquard's hiding place. The prefect did not wish to sacrifice life needlessly, and yet it was Imperative that Coquard should be brought to justice. A strong military cordon was therefore drawn round the house, and escape was made impossible. The closing scenes were watched by thousands of interested spectators.

This morning, however, the Commissioner of Police decided to force an entrance, and when he did so he found that the besieged man had taken the matter into his own hands and ended the embarrassing situation in dramatic fashion. Hanging in a shed attached to the house was the body, not yet cold, of the man who had defied an entire department, and examination showed that at the moment nf suspending himself from the roof in a running knot he had made death doubly sure by firing a charge from his rifle into his head. rsonuard left plenty of ammunition and provisions, but he evidently saw that the enme was up. and so fulfilled his declaration that he wouV not he taken alive. The funeral of Woelfle. Coounrd's victim took Place th's afternoon, when an enormous crowd followed the body to the cemetery .