The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-04-11

From BentleY,s Miscellany.
Auecdote of the French Police.

police. informed him one day that one K, of
whom he was creditor to the0mount Of
some seventy thousand francs, had made a
fraudulent bankruptcy. "The rogue Is in hid
ing,a M. B. added, s'but If could put my har'
on his throat, l warrant that would II II
him disgorge" NJ. earlier urgeH MAKE
everv effort to discover - me 10 make
.o. TOLD M -..,s dishonest bank
nspr.nce he h. =. that prior to his disap-
in and ~ II lived ON Boulevard st. Mar
he ~ -..at was the only precise information
-sutd give me.
I went myself to make inquiries at the
house indicated. learned that M. KS lodg-
ings were still occupied BY his wife, but that
he was away on Journey at present. The
truth was, that since the day OF his flight he
had not once returned home. As L fancied
that to pursue my investigations further
might compromise the affair, withdrew. On
the other hand, had learned from commits
sionaire that NJ. X. bad several times given
him letters to carry to a female, his mistress,
who lived in the Rue de Faubourg Mont
martre, | established surveillance round
her abode, as well as round that of KS wife !;
the agents had orders TO arrest the bankrupt
II he called on either of the ladies', follow them
wherever they went, and as they often went
out In a hackney coach, placed a cab at the
disposal of each agent. All these measures
led to no result and for whole week that
my men remained at their post from six
O'Clock a. IN. till midnight, nothing revealed
to us the bankrupt's residence.
Everybody is aware that postmen are ac-
custoned TO utter aloud at the doorway of
the porter's lodges to whom the letters are
addressed. l therefore had the postman fol-
lowed by an agent, closely enough for him to
hear the names pronounced, and i'm case of
there being one addressed to either Of the
females, the agent was straightway to enter
the lodge, commence conversation with the
porter on some pretext, and find out the post
mark. This arrangement failed like the rest !;
aud few days later the inspector ordered TO
follow the postmm to Madam KS house
could not refrain from saying to me:
"That old Pipelet is as obstinate as the true
Picard is; the lodger must have paid him
handsomely"
The fact is we had hitherto had TO deal
with sharp fellow; all had been provided for,
and whatever ruses might be employed they
had remained unsuccessful. One word struck
me, however.
Be "You say that he is a Picard?" ff
Eyes, SIR"
"What makes you believe it?"
"Oh, that can be easily perceived by his
accent"
svery good" / continued; 'sif he be so,
we perhaps have chance of our gentleman"
/ immediately sent tor one of my Cossack
irregulars, who, having worked for a long
time in the different towns of Picardy, was
perfectly acquainted with the patois, and
might easily pass himself off as pure blooded
Picard. / explained the affair to him fully,
and concluded:
You will go to the porterof the house where
Madame K. lives, and to get into conversation,
you will ask him for somebody. He will reply
that he does not know him, and then will come
q small explanation, to which you will sudden
ly put an end by exclaiming. why, surely,
you are Picard The worthy man will reply
In the affirmative, and, as countryman, you
will offer him a glass of wine at the nearest bar.
But you must take care to sit down with him
over q bottle of good wine, which you will sue
coed by another, and still another, till you see
that you have rendered your Cerberus confid-
ing and chatering Then you will tell him, UNI
der the seal OF secrecy, that you have been in
trade, that you have been unfortunate, that
the police are after you. but you have succeed
ed in completely throwing them OFF the scent
This confidence, offered in your quality OF fell
low provincial, will surely provoke his, and as
your position Is indentical with that of K, it
may be presumed that the Picard will tell you
In his turn the story of his lodger, probably
without naming him, but certainly explicitly
enough for us to be able to find him."
My Cossack was an intelligent man, he play
ed his part admirably and as matters turned
cut as had anticipated, we learned that our
hsgkEapt was in hidiag. at. MQniH92aEtge. Yaae1
new difficulty presented itself in fact that the
windows OF KS room looked on garden from
which there was door into back lane. At
the slightest alarm he might therefore. take to
flight and, moreover, he frequently slept out.
The next day sent three agents to Mont
martre only one of whom succeeded in entering
the house indicated; he was disguised as a
mail guard, and carried bag containing
eight hundred francs in silver. According
TO my instruction he went up to the por-
ter.
"Does NJ. Andre live hereP"
"Yes; but he is out at present.
"What nuisance have brought him eight
hundred francs, sent from Bordeaux,"-and
here he ratified the bag. WE'LL am very sorry
for him, but shall not come all this distance
again."
Good gracious" the porter muttered, 81
really don't know what to do, for NJ. Andre
gave me strict orders not TO tell any one, no
matter who, where he is.p
That is possible, my good fellow" the agent
replied; "your M. Andre, from what can see,
does not wish TO be found by his creditors
but II man hide himself from persons to
whom he owes money, that is no reason why
he should treat persons who bring him mon
ey IN the same way. Still"
Pom my word, that's true" said the por-
ter, fiattered by this argument, which he
could understand. "0f course we do not ire
pulse those who bring us money. Well, sir,
since that Is the case he is at the Office of
u. T., In the Rue st. Dennis, and you will find
him there
The agent left, but on the way said to him
self, X. is clever ielloY, who distrusts every
thing, and seems TO guess that we are after
him. III i 60 to the Office and stupidity ask
Tor NJ. Andre, he is capable OF sending some
Dne TO answer in his name, and boiling"
The pretended guard, followed by the two
agents at a distance, went TO the Rue st. |
Dennis, and requested the porter himself to
lead him to NJ Andre, that he might deliver
bag of gold which he had for him into his |
own hands.
The porter hastily led my agent into an |
ONCE and addressing the PEI son in it said, IN. |
Andre, here is mail guard who has bag Of |
gold to deliver TO you" But TO the stupiiac- |
tion of the porter and no less to that of Nj. K,
the false guard had already laid his hands on
the bankrupt's shoulder and said to him:
m. K, have a warrant for your arrest"
K, starting from the agents grasp. as il a
red hot iron had scared him, took up his hat,
and while making few observations, was |
preparing to attempt new flight; but at |
this moment the other agents entered the |
ofiiee, and the bankrupt, considering any re-
sistance hopeless. quietly went off to the pre-
lecture.
As for NJ. b., the projects friend; am not
aware whether, through this arrest he was
Rble, as he stated, 10 recover his seventy
thousand francs.
Guardians Sale.