The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-10
A Curious Trial in France.
THE CUSTODY OF OFFICIAL PAPERS.

THE CUSTODY OF OFFICIAL PAPERS.
The Paris correspondent Of the London Star
says:-
"A most curious trial has just taken place in
consequence of the death of an old lady, Mad,lle
de Serllly who died last February at Theil. You
are aware that on the death of public function
aries the State has right to take possession OF
their papers, manuscripts, and documents OF all
kinds, and abstract theretrom whatever may
refer to public affairs. Mad'lle de Serrilly had
carefully preserved an immense number of
official papers which had been handed down in
her family from one generation to another She
possessed $50 documents referring to the admin
Istratlon OF one of her ancestors, NJ. d'Etigny,
who was project OF Auch during the last century;
439 papers bearing on the life OF another dEtlgny,
who was Governor of Bearn during the reign OF
Louis XIV; furthermore, several papers signed
by Louis XIV, and countersigned by Choisseul;
letters from the Count de Toulouse, from Mar
shall dEtrees ETC. etc.
IN. lie Prefet d'Yonne, in the name Of Govern
ment, claimed one and all of these family papers.
Last year the Tribunal Of Sens tried the case,
and delivered u verdict in favor of the De Serllly
family" sIhe project appealed to the Paris
courts, and, to the infinite satisfaction Of those
who possess family archives of any historic
interest, the prefect has lost his cause. Six
hundred papers, however, referring to the
administration of subprefect actually living,
are to be given up to Government. To this the
family never objected. NJ. Oscar de Vallons
made an able speech, which is worthy of study
for those curious in French law. He clearly
explained that the only motive that actuated
Government in such a case was its anxiety to
preserve historic records for the use OF the
public in generals but, as he justly remarked, If
in this instance verdict were given against the
heirs of Mad'lle de. .Serilly, every family would
be exposed to the chances of having their NUM-
ment chest rihed by Government at any moment,
and their most private documents taken.
''The publicity to which death exposes a
family in France is very singular to our English
ideas. The moment your relative expires il
becomes your duty to send for the medecln
leqiste, who inspects the dead body and notifies
to the prefect the fact OF his decease. In a few
hours the police commissary arrives and seals
up every drawer, secretdire, and possession o.
your late relative. These seals can only be re
moved after the family council, as it is called
have met, and read the win OF the deceased il
presence of a public tunctionary. An instance
of the extreme inconvenience to which this
practice leads came under my own notice in tn
case OF an English lady whose husband had beer
pasteltr OF a church in the neighborhood of Paris
From the fact OF her brother being absent iron
home and travelling at the time OF the demise I
the pdstelT, the family council could not NEE
for six weeks, during which interval the lad
had not even access to her own writing drawe
or the power of Withdrawing certain money
belonging to herself independently of her lat
husband