The Criminal Celebrity

The Bonnot Gang's motorized crime spree from 1911-1912 created new type of criminal celebrity. Jules Bonnot and his anarchist accomplices used automobiles—symbols of progress—for robbery and murder. Their mobility and firepower outmatched police capabilities, forcing law enforcement modernization.

The press coverage transformed criminals into anti-heroes. Newspapers published their photographs, manifestos, and love letters. Bonnot's death in a dramatic siege at Choisy-le-Roi drew thousands of spectators. His final words—"I die for my ideas"—elevated common criminality to political martyrdom. The gang's female members, particularly the mysterious Rirette Maîtrejean, fascinated public imagination.

The Bande à Pollet demonstrated crime's theatrical nature. This gang operated from Belleville, staging elaborate robberies while maintaining Robin Hood personas. They distributed money in poor neighborhoods, creating local support networks frustrating police efforts. Their leader, "Pollet le Terreur," cultivated image through press contacts and staged photographs.

Female criminals received disproportionate attention. Marguerite Steinheil, acquitted of murdering her husband and mother, became celebrity through scandal. Her numerous affairs, including allegedly with President Félix Faure (who died in her arms), provided endless speculation. Whether murderess or victim, she profited from notoriety through lecture tours and memoirs.