The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-06-10

and various other instruments, ana cast
and ground glasses for optical and other
Instruments. for which he received many
orders, being accounted skillfnl and in-
genions workman. Me had an assistant,
4 stolid looking Alsatan, named Jules
Gochen. His principal WORK. however,
seemed to he at the Bourse, where he
speedily became known as q daring op,
orator, who would carry the heaviest load
of shares in the face of the most arduous
difficulties, who always accepted his sue
cesses with modesty, and paid his losses
promptly at maturity. AS the police
kept the secret of his past life faithfully,
and he himself, of course, did not dis
close II, il came generally to be admitted
that Raoul Surian was a wealthy person,
who had made his money by following
civil engineering in South America, and
returned to Paris to spend 1t like gen
tleman.
In 1869 there was tremendous effort
made at the Bourse to "corner" the shares
Of the Serdo-M Moldavian Railway. The
corner" was broken prematurely, and a
grea, slaughter ensued among the "b llls.
Among those punished most severely
was NJ. Raoul Surian, whose net losses, 1t
was whispered, exceeded 100000 francs.
He came up gallan,ly, however, paid
every centime, and, as If to show he was
not hurt, set up a coupe OF has own
"Madame" had already been in the habit
ofdriving to the Bois ina very handsome
turn ont, but that, it was understood, was
hired only.
Simultaneously an operation of another
kind agitated financial centers and at
tracted the undivided attention of the
police. Bills on American account ag-
gregating over 5000 900 francs were sold
in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Ham
burg, which were found to be forgeries
The police, after long consultation and
comparison of data, found no room tn
doubt that all these operations were the
work of one man, and the style was that
of the once eminent but now reformed
confidence man, NJ. Raoul Surian.
A couple of the most trusty agents were
detailed to "work up" the case, and at
the end of three weeks Surian was ar
rested and confronted with the parties in
the several cities who had been victim
lied by the forger. 1t was known that
Surian had been absent from Paris, and
it was hoped to identify him beyond mis-
take. just here, however, a most uneX-
pected hitch occurred. The swindler was
said to be Something like" Surian, but
he had grey eyes. hair and light blonde
beard The witnesses were unanimous
as to the color appearance OF the eyes,
which were described as being as differ
ent as possible from the suspected mans
eyes, and Surian was accordingly dis
charged.
Not satisfied with this, Surian went to
police headquarters and complained OF
the injury of his character and business
by his arrest upon so light fabric of sus-
picion. He laid before the head of the
department what was pretended to be a
full exhibit of his business affairs, and
which showed that after all his debts
were paid he would still have a surplus
of 100000 francs. Gone does not steal
under such circumstances" said Surian.
The delinquent agents were reprimanded,
and Suran went home apparently well
Coniented.
II is probably, however, that he sus-
pected what was actually the case; that
he was being carefully and assduously
watched. He contracted his speculative
operations very materially, and million
in the Bank of France was drawn out
and shipped to America, to parties un-
known to the authorities. The outbreak
of the Franco Prussian war, however,
took Surian to Bourse again, and he was
long of "Rentes" when the calamity of
Weissenbourgh overlook France. Surian
went down with the funds and com.
promised with his creditors with deficit
Of a million and half. Two weeks later
he was again arrested for passing some
2O,000,OOO francs of fraudulent quarter
master drafts. This time the police felt
sure they had Surian, but the battling
matter of identity again sprang up The
actual criminal had a general resem-
blance to Surian, except that his hair
and moustache were dark and his eyes
as black as Jet. The authorities were
dumbfounded The testimony, however!
was direct and uncontrovertibe, and
aftera searching raid upon Surian's house.
where, however, nothing was discovered
which tended to criminate him, the ex'
convict was again released
The Germans now rapidly threw theil
tremendous cordons around Paris, and
the memorable seige of the great city
began. Surian joined a regiment of vol
unteers and went on duty. The position
assigned his company was charge OF
picket post out side the fort of Vanvres
where the Prnssian breeching batteries
were finally established. One day he
and four of his companions were surprls
by some Uhlans riding in the gray of the
morning. The other men were speareo
and Surian was reported missing, KILLED
or captured" Twenty four hours later
Surian appeared at his post again and re-
ported for duty. He had fled under the
cellar of a house, and could not get away
anv sooner. Three days latter he was
arrested with q show Of great solenity
and carried before Gen. Villot, comman
der of the division to which he was at
tached. The Colonel of the regiment
and many other officers were present
as this the man?' asked General Villot
pointing to Surian, and accosting per
son in Prussian uniform.
"That is the man saw in Versailles
four days ago." said the spy; II am will
ing to swearto him. He came up th'
street escorted by Uhlans, and vent di
rectly into M.de Bismarck's headquarters
l saw him myself"
"You are charged with an offense thu
penalty of which is death, Surian," sale
Gen Villot. "What have you to say to
yourself2 Did you give information to thu
enemy?
"You say you saw me! cried surian
turning his full face upon thespy; "ar'
YOU very sure you saw mel"
The spy staggered back aghast. MOI Mo
Dieu no no! will not swear! Th'
man saw was like you-but it was no
YOU! The man l saw going into Coun
Bismarck's had certainly brown eyes
and yours are blue.
| tSurian thus escaped again. He wen
into Paris for the first time since TN
seide beoan, Apparently the state of hi