The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-06-10
Se1tf Shryy.
IFrom The Paris Police ArchiveSl
TEE STORY OF RAOUL SURAN,


Monsieur Button invented the phrase
it is something more than a mot-and
she police furnish practical application
of it, The identity Of all the leading
criminals is measurably arrived at by the
police knowing the style in which they
operate. This style is the key to what
would otherwise be impenetrable cipher.
The instructed experts Of the Paris police
are able to determine, with a precision
and certainty which seem marvellous to
the uninitiated, whose hand it was com
mitted certain robbery or violated the
law in any critical way.
Raoul Surian, a criminal of distin-
guished emnence, had style of his own
that, while very successful in its pecu-
MARY results, was very troublesome in its
consequence to him, since it was so plain
lv marked as to be Immediately recog-
nized by the Dolice. Hence each time
me Operated" he was to be arrested, and
not always safe to escape conviction
As his operations were numerous and
extensive he WAS often convicted, and at
4he age of forty had passed fifteen of the
last twenty years Of his life in prison.
Raoul Surian, called Freluquet, was q
son of an optiCian and instrument maker
of Marseilles, and followed the trade oi
his father until his nineteenth year, when
he came up to Paris to seek his fortune
He first became known to the police
through a rapid succession of swindling
operations, very successfully Contrived
for the delivery of goods which he did
not possess, and the appropriation Of
money which was not his own. Finally
convicted, he was sentenced to close con
finement for three years, and graduated
from prison a very accomplished cherdttei
ID indilstrie, His operations now assumed
a bolder character and be worked in q
larLe field. He was again convicted Of
deceiving wealthy bourgeoisand obtain
5ng a "loan" from him of 100000 francs
This time he served five years. A third
conviction insured him a close confne
men. of five years more.
At the expiration of this last sentence
Raoul Surian returned to Paris and an
nOunced his intention to reform" He
had saved little money by extra labor
in prisoh. his father was dead, and he sci
up small shop at Belleyille for the sale
of spectacles. eyeglasses and mathemati
cal instruments. He was closely observed
bv the police, but seemed to conduct him
self in the most exemplary manner. His
passport al this time described man oi
ordinary height and figure, modest but
manly carriage, face rather pale, blond
hair, no beard, and large, liquid, notice.
able blue eyes. The face, so the SigndLe
ment declared, was ingenious, frank, open
with rather engaging smile, but none o.
the features were striking, unless it were
the ewes. He was great favorite of the
police, who had necessarily great so
iicitude on his behalf, for, instead o.
avoiding them, he assiduously cultivated
their acquaintance, made them little pres
,ents, and gave few francs now and then
to the funds for the support of INDECENT
criminals and tor the burial of deceased
:ser0ert de rlle. He admitted, with many
shrllgs of the shoulders, that he had beer
a bad subject, but claimed that he wai
shrewd enough to understand that in
any contest betwixt him and the law he
was certain to fall underneath. He hac
tried it several times, and was quite wei
satisfied with the punishment he had re
ceived. In short, his reformation wa'
defnitive and complete. - -.
After q few months shop keeping a
Belleville, Surian sold out his establish
ment. He had made good deal O
money, he said, specializing in shares al
the Bourse, and did not need any Longer
to continue the drudgery of shop-keep
ing. He now rented a modest apart
ment on the third floor Of handsome
house in a street not far from the Boule'
yard des Italiens. a drawn-room, dressing
room, breakfast parIor, two bed rooms
room for servants, and small room
which he called the laboratory. Here he
installed "Madame" Surian, a very hand
some and viyacious brunette, understood
to have been Mile. Cytheree, not un'
known - frerrc:"'c:S Of the cOulisses o.