Casimir Dankerque

Casimir Dankerque (29 November 1903 – 13 August 1936), known as The Monster of Artois (French: Le Monstre de l'Artois), was a French criminal and serial killer responsible for murdering four pensioners in Pas-de-Calais between September and October 1935. Convicted of these murders, in addition to other crimes, he was guillotined in 1936.

Early life and crimes Born in Dainville, Casimir Dankerque was the son of a coal merchant in nearby Achicourt. Described as an odd, sly brute by acquaintances, by 1930 Dankerque was divorced from his wife, separated from his three children, and jobless. His eccentric behavior was demonstrated after he had participated in a bicycle race in Arras: after finishing 22nd, the contestants were to have an aviation meeting, during which Dankerque parachuted in front of his astonished friends. On September 23, 1935, after he had watched a movie in Arras, Dankerque travelled to a small house in Pommier, where two elderly widowed sisters, 73-year-old Zulma Delporte and 90-year-old Céline Demailly, were living by themselves. He snuck inside a cubicle and waited until nightfall, when the sisters were supposedly asleep. However, while he was stealing food from the buffet, he was surprised by Demailly, who was feeding her hens. She began screaming that there was a thief in her home and Dankerque kicked her in a panic, causing her to fall to the ground. He then took a big branch and proceeded to beat her with all his strength. In spite of her injuries, Demailly was still breathing, so Dankerque strangled her to death with a rope. After he had killed her, he ransacked the room for some cash and drank a glass of water, before Delporte entered. Horrified by the scene, she began to scream, causing the assailant to knock her down and begin beating her as well. After knocking the old woman into unconsciousness, Dankerque stole around 2,000 francs and immediately fled. When asked why he was arrested, the inspectors revealed that he had deposited 1,000 francs, jewelry and a ring at a pawnshop in Arras, which had raised suspicions. When asked where he had acquired this large sum, he gave several conflicting accounts, including that a fraudster from Amiens had supplied him. When asked by one of the attending inspectors why he confessed to his gruesome acts, Dankerque revealed that he had been convinced by his lover, Suzy, on whom he had actually spent most of the stolen money. On the way back to the police station, Dankerque was chatting with the detectives when he suddenly revealed to them that he had planned another "hit" on an old couple in Warlus, after being told of their financial information from an unnamed debtor, but refused to clarify whether he planned to kill them or not.

Dankerque was put on trial, and throughout the proceedings he remained mostly silent, responding in simple sentences when he was asked a question by the judge. On May 20, 1936, he was found guilty by the jury and thereafter sentenced to death; in response, Casimir told the gendarmes guarding him in a low tone that it was "only natural". On August 13, he was woken up in the early morning at 4 o'clock to receive Mass and Communion, and after he was finished, he was driven to the execution site, where a large crowd had gathered to witness the event. At 4:55, Dankerque was guillotined. His execution marked the first time since 1891 that someone had been executed in Arras.