Creepy Tale of Landru.
Wailings and knockings at his villa!
Paris, Thursday.
Now that investigations at Gambais and Vernouillet have been concluded a search will be carried out in the village in the department of the Eure where Landru lived for a short time in 1915, after leaving his house near Chantilly and before going to Vernouillet. The family who tenanted the villa at Vernouillet after Landru left testify to the existence of curious phenomena at night. Distant wailings, uncanny knockings on the walls, and harrowing shrieks were heard, and the occupants lived in constant dread of night-time.
It is a noteworthy fact that the persons who were disturbed by these strange noises never heard of Landru until after his arrest and were ignorant of local gossip concerning him.
Landru appears a changed man since his imprisonment. At the beginning he ate well, chatted with the warders, passed his days methodically in reading and writing, and at night fell asleep quickly. Now he has no appetite, has grown thinner, is gloomy and taciturn, and speaks in monosyllables. From morning to night he sits at a table and writes. The warders do not think Landru will ever appear before a jury. They consider that he will either die or find some means of committing suicide. – Reuter.
Western Mail, 23rd May 1919.