Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-19
MEMPHIS. TENN. THURSDAY EVENING DECEMBER 49, 1872

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order Vauler and Ernest distributed
condescendingly among the fathers of
their future wives; and away the goods
went to Bombay, the victims paying the
carriage half way They then sent the
invoices and bills of lading to their
fraudulent agent in India, who, on the
arrival of the goods, threw them into
the market, and sold them ut once for
anything that they could get. And all
this time the firm kept up round of
parties and balls; and their picRics 10
the gardens outside the town, at which
they had usually Egyptian dancing girls
and jugglers to amuse the guests by
skill, became quite famous.
While all this tissue OF gascality was
weaving. Vauler and Ernest had the
good sense never to quarrel, and always
took every opportunity Of praising up
each other to the world as sharp men of
business, and delightful dashing fellows.
Even the boys and pachas became
drawn in, so fascinating were the pa
triots of the new bank, so glorious were
there winesi-forbidden by Mahomet,
but winked at by his degenerate follow
ers. There was even some talk that
Messrs. Vauler and Ernest, the rich and
enterprising glories of Alexandria, might
be induced to undertake the raising of a
new loan to help to wipe away some of
the viceroy's debts. Even some native
ladies of rank gave them audience.
In the meantime the firm prepared TO
play their final card, and sweep the ia
Bile, and decamp. They issued orders
urgent orders-for vast consignments;
cottons and calicoes from Manchester,
cloths from Leeds, Goals from Newcas-
tles-goods, indeed, from every large
town in England. They also sent for
silk from Lyons, champagne from
Rheims, brandy from Charente, aud
costly bronzes and clocks from Paris.
Orders were, in addition, distributed
freely in Vienna, Berlin, Trieste, Smyr-
ma and Constantinople. The goods ar
rived nearly all at the same time. They
had calculated the bills would fall due
the week they left. While waiting for
the goods from Europe to pass the time,
they bought up all available goods in the
square of Alexandria, and paid for
them with bills for six months. These
latter goods they secretly sold to the
Jews of Cairo and Alexandra, half of
whom paid in ready cash; and in this
way the rogues realized thousands.
When the goods from Europe arrived,
the firm, following Alexandrian custom,
sold everything FROM the invoices, being
very particular about ready money. |
This done, as the place was getting hot |
ter daily, the firm scraped up all they |
al.
gees from Syria, and fled from Alexan- |
dria The game was over, the last card |
played, the table swept, and the room
deserted.
The news fell on Alexandria like the |
news of Sedan on Paris. From the |
viceroy to the poorest donkey boy, every |
one was struck with the thunderbolt OF |
amazement." We must be pardoned re-
curing to Oriental metaphor. The |
news that Vauler and Ernest had gone
gone, too, with el05, ,000-hew like
lightning from country-house to country
house. Faces turned pale, jaws fell,
hands shook. The sixteen future fathers
in-law tore their hair, and yelped hyster-
ically; the sixteen future brides tainted
right of, and when they came to,
screamed violently, and went of again.
The women ran aboat the streets crying;
old Arabs almost wrenohed off their
top knots, by which the angels were to
carry them up to heaven, and shouted
for their seventy years savings. After
fonr days Of inoredqlity, it hegan to be !
pretty certain that the men we're swim.
dlers, and had really fed. | was then
commission agent in Alexandria but
had been rather an active chief in
spector of police in the town; and had
in my time brought to justice more slip
perry Fognes than even such men as
Vauler and Ernest.
Ny first step was to 90 to different
foreign consuls, and get them TO sign a
general warrant empowering me to ar
rest Waller and Ernest wherever | could
lay my hands ON them. felt sure, that,
as the swindlers could neither of them
speak Arabic, they must have obtained
some one else's passports, and have left
for some place in the Levant under ma
tive names. / had previously II been to
the passport.ofice, and taken down the
names of all natives who had recently
left Alexandria by sea or land. / called
the list over, and came to the names OF
two Jews, who at once answered although
their passports had been made out for
Beyrout.
"Gacorb and Demethriani-that will
do" said "These are the two fellows
want; the rest dismiss to their busi-
ness, regretting that so many honest
and worthy gentlemen should have been
inoonvenieneed by two rascals."
Taking my frieBd Wilkinson with me,
disguised as a Bedouin, and blacking
myself as an African from Barbary, :
started by the Austrian night steamer
for Beyrout. With my hair creased, !
and armed with big knife, revolver, a
war-club and battle-ax, | looked suti-
ciently formidable, for 10 that country 2
men 20 armed. In the same boat there
were Aleppo men carrying swords and .
targets, and no one wondered at my Q
wieldy equipment. On arriving at Bey- T
rout we kept very quiet for fear of .
alarming the thieves or their friends. a
We went FIRST to the offices Of the differ q
snt steamers to make inquiries for GER
tain friends we pretended to have ex- e
peeted by the last boat. While entering a
he port, we had noticed another steamer o
nearly ready to start, which we had E
heard was the vessel going TO Cyprus, so
We felt there was no time to lose, aud
posted 70 and fro more like madmen {
han decent thleftakers. o
Two hours after, as / was on my way s
% M. Lesseps, the French consufs, | 4
vas astonished to find a crowd in the y
Itreets dragging along some unfortunate D
wretch. passed through the mob, and, L
% my delight, found one Of my men. 1t ?
vas Vauler, one Of my birds; and, like a b
rue sportsman, / ran TO take him from :
he dogs. They had a halter already =
'ound his neck and one side Of his face
-. Llo.l.r..- Il. IL. 49, u. IL