Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-06-09
skillful and ingenious workman. Fl,

had an assistant, stoful looking Asa
tan, named Jules Gochen. His princi-
pal work, however, seemed to be at the
Bourse, where he speedily became
known as daring operator, who would
carry the heaviest load of shares in the
face of the most arduous difficulties,
who always accepted his successes 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 disclose it, it
came generally to be admitted that
Raoul Surian was very wealthy per-
son, who had made his money By follow
ing civil engineering in South America,
and returned to Paris to spend it like q
gentleman.
In 1869 there was a tremendous effort
made at the Bourse to "corner" the
shares of the Serbo- Moldavian Railway.
The 'scorner'' was broken prematurely,
and great slaughter ensued among the
''bulls." Among those punished most
severely was M. Raoul Surian, whose
net losses, it was whispered, exceeded
750, 900 francs. lie came up calamity,
however, paid every centime, and, os if
of his own. MADAME" had already
long been in the habit of driving to the
Bots in very handsome turnout, but
that, it was understood, was only hired
simultaneously an operation of an
other kind agitated financial centres and
attracted the undivided attention of the
police. Bills on American account ag-
gregating over 5000, 900 fCancs were
sold in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and
Hamburg, which were found to be for
geries. The police, after long consul
tation and comparison of data, found
no room to doubt that all these opera
tons were the work of one man, and
that the .sstyle" was that of the once
eminent but now reformed confidence
M. Raoul Surian. lp
A couple of the most trusty agents
were detailed to ''work up the case,
and, at the end of three weeks, Surian
was arrested and confronted with the
parties in the several cities who had
been victimized by the forger. It was
known that Surian had been absent
from Paris, and it was hoped to identity
him beyond mistake. just here, how
ever, most unexpected hitch occurred.
The swindler was said to be something
like Surian, but he had gray eyes,
dark hair, and light blonde beard. The
witnesses were unanimous as to the col
Or and appearance of the eyes, which
were described as being different as
possible from the suspected mans eyes;
and Surian was accordingly discharged.
Not satisfied with this, Surian " ent to
police headquarters, and complained of
the injury done to his character and
business by this arrest upon so slight
fabric of suspicion. He laid before the
head of the Department what pretended
to be full exhibit of his business af-
fairs, and which showed that, after all
his debts were paid, he would still have
surplus of 100000 francs. Zone
does not steal under such circum-
Stances said Surian. The delinquent
agents were reprimanded, and Surian
went home apparently well contented.
1t is probable, however, that be sus-
pected what was actually the case; that
he was being carefully and assiduously
watched. He contracted his specula-
tive operations very materially, and
million in gold, which he had on deposit
in the Bank of France, was drawn out
and shipped to America, to parties un-
known to the authorities. The out
break of the Franco-Prussian war, how
ever, took Surian to the Bourse again,
and he was long of s'Rentes" when the
calamity of Weissenbourg overlook
France. Surian went down with the
funos, and compromised with his
creditors with deficit of a mill
ion and a half. Two weeks later he
was again arrested for passing some 90
100000 francs of fraudulent Quarter
masters drafts. This time the police
felt sure they had Surian, but the baf-
fling matter of identity again sprang
up. The actual criminal had a general
resemblance 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 uncontroverti-
bic, and, after a searching raid upon
Surian's house, where. however, moth
ing was discovered which tended to
criminate him, the ex convict was again
released.
The Germans now rapidly threw their
tremendous cordons around Paris, and
the memorable siege of the great CITY
began. Surian joined a regiment Of
volunteers and went Oh duty. The DO
siuion assigned his company was the
charge of a picket post outside the fort
of Vanvres, where the Prussian breach
ing batteries were finally established.
One day he and four Of his companions
were surprised by some Uhlans riding
in in the gray of morning. The other
men were speared, and Surian reported
missing, "killed or captured Twenty
four hours later Surian appeared at his
post again and reported for duty. He
had fled, he said, under the cellar of a
house, and could not get out any sooner.
Three days later he was arrested with a
show of great solemnity, and carried
before Gen. Villot, commander of the
division to which he was attached. The
Colonel of the regiment and many other
officers were present: lis this the
y,oop0o oc1>o1 nor V;l1o4