The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-09-08
Paris Thieves and Police.
We copy as follows from the New York
World, Of tho 10th.

respecting the thieves and the police of
Paris. The army of crime is divided into |
regular classes and ranks, beginning with
the comparatively harmless vagabond or
tramp and ending with tho robber and
burglar who kills, as well as robs his VIC
tim. The most numerous as we'll as the
most dangerous of the :hieving confratern-I
ty are the f0iSeurs. who seem to be similar
to the ingenious rogues who are called in
New York ''confdence men," They are
to be met everywhere and every day--n
the street, at the theatre, at the cafe, ut
the fashionable wateling-plac Some.
times the faseur has an Office in the COM
mercial quarter of the city, room divided
i'll two by "a grating, with faisse painted on
a black board III white letters. He adver-
tises for funds, promising excellent invest
ments large interest and uneXcepti0nable
security: and there are always guIs to be
caught by these fees. He is also well
skilled in buying on credit and selling for
cash when his bills become due the clerk
who calls for the money finds that the
lodgings are to let, and that the late tenant
has forgotten to leave his address. He
goes heavily into stock jobbing, banking,
trade, jointstock companies, ETC., and
swindles in all. A faiseur not long ago
arrayed himself in generals uniform and,
representing himself to be one of the aides
decalnp of the Minister of War, purchased
on account of the government large guam
tity of supplies which he speedily sold and
pocketed the cash. The faseur is great in
dealing in bills of exchange, and generally
has large stock of these on hand, signed
by persons who make business of it, and
cpop nfv aptt IN fsyO fran
for signing their names. Next to the
faiseur comes the "orayueur de la haute,"
who is beggar Of the shabby genteel
when he is asking aims from lawyer, and
ruined clergyman when lie applies to
priest for relief. They are extremely clever
with their hands, and the dexterity with
which they will picket watch, a spoon, or
a purse is worthy Of all praise. Then
come the pickpockets, who are not SO deX-
ferrous as the London ones, aud the shop
lifters, who have elevated their profession
to the dignity Of a science. One OF them
! in the course of q single afternoon, took
from different shops which he visited, a
cigar case, watch case, ring pocket
book, and a pair of shoes. burglary and
murder are not very extensively pursued as
professions, but thoss engaged III these
occupations are extremely skilful. The
most celebrated of these, in recent times.
was Lacenaire, who used to sign bills for
small amounts, payable, in the dmsiest
parts of the town, and when the collecting
clerk presented the bill Laccnaire would
engage him in conversation, divert his at
tention, and then drive sailmaker's needle
into his heart, and rifle his pockets
Another one was Beaumont. who got
himself up in an immaculate black suit
with white choker, portfolio, etc-the very
picture OF procureur imperial--en cred
the euard-house at the Prefecture Of Police
ordered soldier to stand at the door Of
u the Chief Secretary's office to prevent any
one entering plundered the Office, lett q
note Tor the Secretary, expressing regret
for any Inconvenience he might have
caused. dismissed the sentry, walked off
and was never caught. The famous place:
of amusement which used to be reqaentet
by the thieves--the Iapis, Francs, liz
Cafe de P,'eas Handles, the Cello,
FiGele, etc-have nearly all been sweep
away by M. Haussmann's Improvements
One very notable place of this character
however still remains-a large caf
f on the Boulevard Mont Parnasse.-
The front room appears like an ordinar,
cafe occupied by respectable and qniet peo
pie, drinking coffee or absinthe, smokin
u and playing do,ninoes. But at the back i
t large hall, brilliantly lighted, containing
: sixteen billiard tables, and crowded wit
thieves and their mistresses, who NEE
here every night to divide the days plnr
: der and to plan new operations. Th
d number of the thieviug and swindling popr
g laticn OF Paris is not accurately known
o but as 35,75l persons belonging to thes
y classes were arrested in 1868, their numbs
u must be very large.
C The police of Paris, as it now exist
Il was organized in 1854, when a great il
:. crease took place in the number of sergent
> de vile. There are twenty ACCOMPLISHMENT
d in Paris, in each of which there are thre
J. brigades of police, each under the o!derS {
j. an inspector. The inspector reports hin
II self every day at the Prefecture of Polio
and at the end of each four hours sends
. a written report. Every murder, robber
IL fire or accident is at once reported, so TIL
G nothing important occurs which is nj
known at the Prefecture in an hours tim
$. There is special brigade of $50 sergeant
;. de vile, who wear no number on their CO
lar but only the arms of the city. The
are very eflicient-in which respect the
;, are unlike the New York poiice-bu
n like them, they are very brutal. "The
"a roughness and brutality are so proverbi
y that the people call them les cognes."-
y. There is Especial brigade, also whose so
u duty consists in inspecting all the hote
g and furnished lodgings. All the keepe
< of these places are bound to enter Il
names of all their dodgers in list whit
10 is daily forwarded to the Prefecture
! Police, SO that if any foreign visitor
" y wanted it is not difficult to find him.
There are 1858 hotels and furnish'
lodgings in Paris under the surveillance
10 the police, and in the month Of May la
- they were occupied 10y l60,370 Frenchmt
A. and 3d. 27 foreigners.
vs. The detective branch of the poll
y service in Paris was organized in 1917
n the celebrated Vioocq. Itnow consists
at one nspector.in-chief, four clerks, 70
~ sub-nspectors, six se,geants, six corpora
one hundred and seventeen privates, n.
'd seven auxiliaries, total of one hundr
Q, and forty-ive. Their skill is very grea
they have made tho habits and customs
n thieves and murderers their special stud
ry q mere glance at a broken lock will email
some of these men hunters to determi
:, who was the burglar. They do not rcse
III to DISCUSSES as frequently as they used
no do but sometimes they Dress for as we'll
wv act, their parts. No long ago two OF thu
ch were intr,isted with n very ifnpOrtaut II