The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-03-22
NAPOLEON 1. A FORGER.

| We believe we have told our readers
of the curious papers, letters and
otherwise, which the late inhabitants
of the Tuiieries left behind them-Bo-
naparte in his confidence of returning
thither in triumph from Berlin, and
his wife in her escape from the clutches
of the mob. Many and curious are
the revelations they make; and not
the least extraordinary is the con-
fimation of the story, which was
hushed up some five and forty years
ago, that Napoleon the Great added
to his other titles to distinction that o
being a forger of bank-notes on n
scale of magnificence commensurate
With his victories. In the year 1925 q
publication called La Chronicle In
discrete d9 Xxx Steele contained a
state.nent of retired Hamburger mer-
chant, Castel by name, that q French
general sent him, in 1872, notes of the
bank of England amounting to s., 900,
with q request that he would discount
them which he did. Not long after he
discovered that they were forged. The
Chronicle also stated that the British
Government denounced Nopeleon to
that of Louis XVIII, in 1914, as a
forger. These rumors revived from
time to time but their was no evil
dence of their truth, all of which it was
said Louis Napoleon bought up. 1t
now appears that it was true that he
had bought the damaging papers; but,
through some strange inadvertance,
had neglected to destroy them. So
they fell iatO the hands of his enc
mics, who forthwith published them
to the world.
1t appears that In 1910 M. Lale,
engraver-in-chief to, the Ministry of
War, was sapproached by M. Desmaret,
chief Of the secret police, and carefully
sounded ss to his willingness to do q
certain very confidential piece of
work. Learning that it was some
thing that would be damaging to the
enemies of France, he consented. and
arrangements were made for forging
an indefinite quantity of Bank Of
England notes, by means of which
Bonaparte believed he could ruin his
mighfiest enemy by running her
credit. A suitable house was taken
in a retired street, press provided,
and a trustworthy Savoyard copper
plate printer employed, and the work
went bravely on, the minister of po-
lice, at first Fouchee, and afterwards
the Due de RorigO, examining the
proofs, which were finally submitted
to Napoleon himself. NJ. Lale took
the precautiOn to furnish himself with
paper from the minister foIbidding
an interference with him by the police.
On one occasion too Jealous official
made s. descent on the establishment,
refusing at first to read the pro-
lection. The persons employed made
fight, and serious wounds were given
and received. When, at last, the intru-
der cast his eyes on the paper he turned
pale, trembled from head to foot,
begged u thousand pardons, and drew
off his forces and came near being dis
missed the service. When the notes
were printed, they were signed by two
sworn clerks, who had become SO
ssillful as to sign thousand day.
Then the notes were thrown on the
floor i'm room full pfdust, and brushed
about with a horse hair broom, until
they had the look of much use. After
this they were done u p in bundles, and
sent to the different seaports, whence
they were conveyed into England by
agents employed for the purpose.
Five at least of these agents were
taken, tried, and hanged; and they
were the parties that suffered the most
by this imperial strategy.
M. Lale WAS also asked to forge
prussian notes; but as Prussia was
then at peace with France, and had
a resident minister in Paris, he pru-
IDENTIFY declined so dangerous an
operation. Bu. at later period he
obeyed his imperial master, and forged
notes to geat extent, after
the war of 1872 had been declared
but the reverses of the Russian cam
raign made his labor all i'm vain.
When the Russians entered Paris, with
the other allies, poor Laie was in
terrible fright; but was "quit for the
fear" as the French say. The perfect
good faithiwith which e performed his
part in this rsscality is one of the most
curious circumstances about the mat
ter. To obey His Majesty and to in
jure lis enemies seemed the simplest
Juty of good Frenchman; though
be himself says of the operation that
u it was one that should be buried
in everlasting oblivion, since its
object was to impoverish kings by
running their subjects. He kept the
secret to his death but his heirs made
his papers not very blameworthy
means by blackmailing Napoleon the
Little Napoleon committed many but
and many a blacker crime than this
never SD despicable, or one that would
be so damaging to his prestige, with pus-
terity. Byron, when he wrote his ode
on Napoleon Bonapsrte, builded his
rhyme better than he knew when he
exclaimed:
"Toth that Gods fair earth had been
The footstool of thing SO meanl'
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