The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1857-06-27

How VIDoCQ WAS sUPERsEDED.-At th'
time ofthe robbery of the medals of the Boy
Library, the late great thief-taker, Vidocd
was Chief of Police, but failed to discover th
robbers, who were. however, successfully al
rested by Laeour under the following circun
stances
NJ. Gisquet applied to Lacour to discove
the perpetrators of the deed. He refused d
first You have" said he, your Chief d
Police, NJ. Vidocq let him find the robbers.
But Gisquet insisted, and Lacour yielded.
Some days after, Lacour, who had got upo4
the track of the rascals, sought Gisquet, and
told him that three men had committed tn 4
robbery--Froussard, and two others, who's
names we have forgotten.
"Who?" asked Gisquet
First" was the reply, '' in order to stea
the medals, the thieves must know something /
Of their value this indicates that the crimI
inals were thus learned. This reduces to fifI
teen the persons among whom we are to see
the robbers of the library. The skill with
which the furniture was opened further limit
the number; and finally, the extreme ele1
gance of the tools left where the crime was
committed, convinces me beyond doubt that
Froussard is the leading spirit in the crime
"Then seek him. said Gisquet
To seek was easy-to find him was more
difficult. Froussard, more than twenty times
condemned to the galleys, had always man
aged to elude Justice. But one day Lacour
paused upon the bridge De Tournelle. seeing
before him two persons dressed with elegance
and taste. There was nothing about them
tawdry or mysterious nothing calculated toI
attract attention. Suddenly Lacour, who
not seen their faces, said to himself. " have
it! Here are two companions Of the chain.
In spite Of the elegance Of these two gentle
men, | recognize trait not generally per-
ceptible. A certain movement Of the limb
which the convict contracts from wearing the
fetters, betrays them. One of these wore the
chain upon the left, and the other upon the
right leg"
Lacour advanced, and Notwithstanding bis
diguise, recognised Froussafd as one of the
men before him. He hastened to the nearest
post, and begged the officer to arrest the two
men. "One of them" said be, e is Frous-
sard, the author of the Library robbery"
The officer, in common with the military,
having decided repugnance for policemen.
refused to make the arrest, unless Laceur
would produce a written order, and give the
signals.
Lacour was distracted. He could NOT make
himself known the robbers would escape
Suddenly he saw magistrate upon the quay
He FASTENED to him and stated the circum.
stances Il pledge my word, y said he, "that
NJ. Gisquet has charged me with the detection
of the robbers trust to me, arrest these men,
and you will secure reward" The magis-
trate was convinced, and gave him blank
warrant, which he filed out the eommandant
was satisfied, and gave orders for the arrest.
Instantly Lacour, at the head of some soldiers,
seized Froussard by the arms and held him.
for otherwise he, would have drawn his knife
and fought to the last As it was, Froussard
attempted to seize his weapon, but he was
He exclaimed upon seeing
himself secured What arrested with
disguise SO perfect! Latour must be at the
bottom of this; l just saw him. added he,
" going to the post"
Vidooq ceased to be Chief Of Police soon
after this success Of his rival.