The Sad Termination of Two Rash People
source date: 1890
availability: public-domain

he startling information was flashed over the wires from El Paso to the Marshal of Silver City that Chas. Baine, better known as “Frenchy”, who had been the gardener at Hud- son’s for the past year, had killed Lucy Croenne and then suicided at the St. Charles Hotel. Mrs. Croenne for the past year has been in charge of “Nettie’s Place’’ on Hudson street. She was a tall, stylish, good looking dame of French extraction and was always demure and modest in appearance. Charles Baine, alias ‘“French’’, whose real name was G. Blane, was a man of pleasent address and agreeable manners, having been educated by the French government as a scientific farmer. He was then sent to some French colonies near the Suez canal but as he knew nothing of irrigation he made a failure there and afterward entered the French army. He soon tired of army life and came to America. About ten years ago he came to Silver City and at one time was well acquainted with nearly all the citizens here. He next turned up with Geronimo and was the Frenchman who supplied Geronimo with cartridges. He came near being captured and killed near the Mexican line dur- ing Geronimo’s raid but managed to make his escape. Soon after this he got into trouble with the Mexican government for smuggling. At this time he had about $15,000 which was spent to get out of the scrape.