The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-06
MYSTERIES Of Paris

Paris Correspondence of the London Star
PARIS, January 16.-1n one OF my latest
letters | related to you the sudden and strange
disappearance Of Prince Ghika from his resi-
dcnce, Boulevard Malesherbes. A certain
feeling of alarm now prevails in the mind OF
the pablo, owing to the frequency with which
similar cases have of late occurred in Paris
A writer of much talent ore Of the best con-
trbutors to La Prcsse, n. Pierre BaFagnon,
publishes in that paper most Interesting ana
Sensational article on the subject, urging on
the Government the necessity Of watching
somewhat more carefully over the lives and
safety of its subjects, and requesting especlal-
/ ~ the Project Of Police to bestow upon the
honest and honorable part Of the Paris popu-
lation the same surveillance and paternal care
he does upon malefactors. NJ. Baragnon's
revelations as to what has been latlerIy going
on in Paris read like a novel Of the middle
ages. One would really fancy in perusing
sthis paper that we were living in the good old
times when Lutetia was intersected by narrow
and muddy lanes, when the streets were lit
by lanterns, when people were in the habit OF
being attacked by masked robbers, thrown in
to the Seine, or plunged into oubIiettes.
Among the startling facts brought forward
by NJ Baragnon TO prove that be is in 40 way
5exaggeratiny the state Of things, allow me to
reproduce the following, which occurred dur
ing the last few months: Madame n, %
years Of age, beautiful, and strictly virtuous,
arrived in Paris with an elder sister, for the
education of her three children. Her husband,
a wealthy New York merchant, sanctioned
and approved Of this. Madame A-s took
j IL, Elrcpoc t.4.-o n
herself to the care Of her little boys, attended
church regularly, occasionally in company
; with her sister, at convent at Auteull; and,
in fact, led a most exemplary life. One morn
ING, at eight clock, she summoned her maid,
dressed hurred'y, appeared unusually agita-
ted, and explained to her servants that she
had an early visit to pay. Madame A. dld
not communicate with her sister before quit
tine the house, which she left, alas never to
return On the sad tidings reaching her hus-
band he Instantly left New York, and has been
in Paris for some weeks, during which time
he has spared neither money nor efforts to dis
cover some trace of his beloved and beautiful
wife. But one thing is certain, that not the
slightest bIemi>h can be attached to her disap~
asarance. Her life was bameess, and her
attachment to her husband and children ouu
doubted.
The directors general Of the Geographic lines
lost his chef de cabinet three months ago in
similar mysterious manner, and although that
period has elapsed, neither friends nor tcle-
graphic wires have calculated the mystery.
II. S. was man of between thirty eight
and forty, belonging to an excellent family, to
which he was much attached, extremely fond
.b { bat Of al
patons. lie attained the position ofinspector,
and had every prospect OF rising in his profess
sion. One afternoon, at five o'clock precisely,
n. S., who appeared very much Ireoccu
Pied entered his office, and having summoned
his secretary, said to him, my dear friend,
am obliged to absent myself for the next
twenty-lOur hours on private buslness.' The
secretary naturally replied, ''Very well, sir
what am | to do 90 :" Go on with the work
as usual, and should the director general send
for me say shall return Tomorrow afternoon
NJ S had received his monthly pay Of 25l.
that morning, and had immediatcly paid a bill
he owed amounting to 1Ol. On quitting his
office he had walked home, desired his con-
clerge to call a carriage, walked up to his
room, left some money on the chimney piece,
made some slight change in his dress, and got
into the cab, giving directions to the driver in
a low tone OF voice. From that hour to the
present moment, neither NJ. S, cab or cab
man has been discovered.
NJ. Baragnon expresses anxiety lest the
Great Exhibition should attract to this city a
fresh influx Of pickpockets and cut-throats from
all quarters of the globe. lie naturally in
quires what is to be done to remedy thisstate
of things. The whole sponsibiIity must nat
urally fail on police agents, and to them APP
pertains the duty Of protecting the inhabitants
of Paris from such mysterious attacks. More
over, NJ. Baragnon advises every visitor to
this capital to conform themselves to the fol-
lowing rules Of conduct: TO beware Of anon
ymous letters, and send them at once to the
Comissairc of the Quarter they inhabit; to
beware of mysterious rendezvous; to walk at
might in the middle of any narrow street Or
passage their business may lead them by ; and,
finally, never to 60 out at nig ht without a whis-
tie, which, of course, will at once attract the
attention Of the police. Prince Ghka has
never been heard Of, neither has the young
friend Of my own whose disappearance I re-
corded ~ tho can1p tin1o