The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-05-04
No. 294.
Extraordinary Imposition.

-
! very singular case of swindling. accom-
panied by "bold stroke for q husband" on the
part Of a young girl in humble life, has for
some time past occupied the good people Of
Chartres; and it came to deRoument four days
ago by the trial of the heroine and her mother,
as swindlers, by the Tribunal of Correctional
Police of that city. The facts were these
Leoni Lohoux, daughter of the driver of the
diligence which plies. between Chartres and
Dreux, conceived In November last the ambi-
tion 10 become heroine of romance. though
she possesses none of the beauty or graces which
are generally supposed to be necessary for the
part. In execution of this design which she
| had formed. she borrowed a sum of 200f. of a
fish woman named Wire, for, she said. lady
of high rank named Raymond, who had taken
her under her protection. The money not hav-
| ing been paid, MADAM Wire went 10 Leonie's
mother. At first the mother did not know what
was meant, but Leonie produced letter pur-
porting TO come from the Bishop of Chartres,
and stating that he intended to marry Leonie
| to young man of good family. TO give her fa-
ther and mother 100000 year, and to give
| Leonie herself fortune of 100000 All this
the mother appeared devoutly to believe and
she made her husband believe it too. The lat
| ter accordingly made no hesitation IN paying
Madam Wire the l00f
The Bishop, in his letter, recommended that
his benevolent intentions to the girl should be
kept secret for the present But the father,
in the pride Of his heart. could not refrain from
talking Of it to some rather wealthy farmers
near Brunet, where he was accustomed to stop
to change horses. Brunet's son a young man
! thought that fortune Of l00, ,000f was very
tempting, and asked whether Leonie was re-
| ally to the Bishops pontege-hinting that il
she were not, he would have no objections to
taking her himself. But the father, though
willing enough to accept him as a son-in-law,
assured him that there was no hope. He show
ed tho young man the Bishops letter; and the
latter could not help remarking that it was con-
cluded in rather bad language, as It began,
"Dear Madam, Il the Lord Bishop of Char
tres, Monseigneur Clausel do Montals, write
these lines to you to produce an effect on your
heart" and as moreover, there were sundry
faults Of spelling. But the father eagerly an
swered, that when Bishop was 80 years of
age he was at liberty to write strangely. and
spell badly; and this profound observation re-
moved all the scruples the young man.
About month later, another letter arrived
from the Bishop. told the Lehoux that they
should live with him in his palace after the
marriage of his beloved Leonie. and that he
had already received the first years rent Of
20,000f for them, though he could not send it
for few days as he was short OF money. He
directed that new bonnet and muff should be
bought for Leonie. and cravat for himself
His intention was, he said, to spend 90,000f.
for wedding garments and jewels for her, and
to increase her intended fortune from 100000.
to 400,000f He also promised that when
Henry v. should be restored to the throne, he
would make her "Regent of the Court" and
would confer titles on her parents. Dazzled
by his approaching good fortune. Lehoux, the
father resigned the post ofdiligence driver, and
took special delight in talking to tradesmen and
neighbors of his own and his daughters future
greatness. 1t was not without great envy that
the humble friends Of the family heard of their
extraordinary fortune; and when the trades
people heard of it TOO, they were naturally dis
posed to give credit. Mademoisee Leonie
and her mother went to Dreux, where they
not only purchased the bonnet, the muf, and
the cravat for the Bishop, but quantity of fine
dresses and costly articles. for none of which
they paid. They employed man servant to
wait on thom and purchased him gold laced
hat; and Mademoiselle Leonie INDUCED herself
with maid.
After awhile another letter arrived from the
Bishop. 1t set forth that as the husband he
had destined for her had attempted to assas-
sinate him, he was determined that he should
not have her, and he charged her parents to
select themselves a young man who would
make her happy. On this, overtures were
IHdue 10 young D'uHet, uHu ho coSetiy 40
cepted them. The courtship was carried on,
the marriage contract drawn up; the wedding
dresses purchased, aud the happy day fyed.-
All at once IL occurred to Brunei, the father,
that he might as well consult his lawyer on the
subject. He did so, and produced the Bishops
letters. The man of law Immediately deolar-
ed that they must be forgeries, as it was utter
ly impossible. Cor prelate to be concerned in
such transaction. or write in such an extra
ordinary wav. An application was made to the
| prelate's secretary and he at once declared the
| letters forgeres. and that the Bishop knew
nothing of Mademoisello Leonie. On this the
young lady and her mother were arrested
| As to the father. no charges arose against him
as he was from the first the dupe Of his own
ereduty. The amount out Of which different
shopkeepers were cheated, was very large
| amount.
When called upon for her defence, Leone
frankly admitted that the letters were forger-
ics and that she had written them to get her
self fine clothes, and if possible, husband
| The mother, in answer to all questions, only
exclaimed 1T was in the letter. it was in the
letter!' 1t was contended by the public pros
ecutor that she knew all along that her daugh-
ter was guilty Of imposture; but it appeared
from her nptette that he had been deceived as
we'll as the father, and she was acquitted
Mad'lle Leonie, for whom no excuse was pos
sible, was condemned to l9 months imprison-
ment. The hearing of the case excited great
interest, and the court was crowded to excess.
-[Galignanrs Messenger.
|