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In April 1832, while the epidemic of cholera was affecting Paris, several passers-by were accused of being poisoners and were massacred by the crowd. At the heart of such acts, we are faced with the renewal of a history of extreme violence and a need to study the complex process surrounding the recourse to violence. This slaughter is connected to a particular context. To the speed and the gravity of the epidemic were added the fear of poisoning and the fear of a plot contrived by the government. Besides, an atmosphere of excitement reigned in the capital. It is in this frame that alleged poisoners were exposed to public condemnation, either because of their attitude, their gestures, or their words. This designation of the enemy then warranted the exclusion and alienation of such individuals, who were then put to death by the crowd. The way that such massacres were meted out, and the beatings and infringements carried out on the bodies of victims, was reminiscent of certain rites of the Ancien Régime, but also of the violence committed during les Trois Glorieuses (the Three Glorious [Days]). For the slaughterers, who naturally denied any involvement, it was, above all, a matter of removing the danger—even if we cannot exclude a political motive— namely to be able to show their resentment towards a regime that gave the impression of betraying the people. In a context where violence was tending to fade from the public space, as shown by the abolition of the act of branding in 1832, this torrent of brutality only serves to amaze and exasperate contemporary experts. It also contributed towards increasing the unease that elites felt from autumn 1830 onwards towards people who proved to be vindictive and inclined towards violence.