Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-05-22
THE CHANGING EYES.
A French Story.

Raoul Surian, called Freluquet, was
the son of an optician and instrument
maker of Marseilles, and followed the
trade of his father until his nineteenth
year, when he came up to Paris to seek
his fortune. He first became known to
the police through rapid succession of
swindling operations, very successfully
contrived, for the deliverance of goods
which he did not possess and the appro-
priation of money which was not his
own. Finally convicted, he was SEN
fenced to close confinement for three
years, and graduated from prison very
accomplished cheUaIicr d'mduStrie
His operations now assumed bolder
character, and he worked in larger
field. He was again convicted of de.
ceiving a wealthy bourgeois and obtain
ing "loan" from him of 100, 900 francs.
This time he served five years. A third
conviction insured him close confne-
ment 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 a little money by extra
labor in prison, his father was dead, and
he set up small shop at Belleville for
the sale of spectacles, eyeglasses, and
mathematical instruments. He was
closely observed by the police, but
seemed to conduct himself in the most
exemplary manner. His passport at this
time described man of ordinary height
and figure, modest but manly carriage,
face rather pale, blonde hair, no beard,
and large, liquid, noticeable blue eyes.
The face, so the Si9naIenaent declared,
was ingenious, frank, open, with rather
engaging smile, but none of the features
were striking unless it were the eyes,
He was great favorite of the police,
who had necessarily great sohcitude
on his behalf, for, instead of avoiding
them, he assiduously cultivated their ac-
quaintance, made them little presents,
and gave few francs now and then to
the funds for the support of the INDECENT
criminals and for the burial of deceased
sergeants de vile. He admitted, with
many shrugs of the shoulders, that he
had been a bad subject, but claimed
that he was shrewd enough to understand
that in any contest betwixt him and the
law he was certain to fall underneath.
He had tried it several times, and was
quite well satisfied with the punishment
he had received. In short, his reforma-
tion was definite and complete.
After few months shop-keeping at
Belleville, Surian sold out his establish.
ment. He had made a good deal Of
money, he said, specializing in shares at
the Bourse, and did not need any longe,
to continue the drudgery of shop-keep.
ing. He now rented modest apart
ment on the third floor OF handsome
house in street not far from the Boule.
ward des Italiens-a drawing-room,
dressing room, breakfast t-parlor, two bed
rooms, room for servants, and a small
room which he called the laboratory
Here he installed "Madame" Surian, 6
very handsome and vivacious brunette
understood to have been certain Mile
Cytheree, not unknown to frequenterf
of the coulisses of the opera. In his
" laboratory Surian had stock o.
furnaces, crucibles, wheels, and various
other instruments, and cast and ground
glasses for optical and other Instruments
for which he received many orders, beine
accounted skillful and ingenious work
man. He had an assistant, stolid
looking Alsatian, named Jules Gochen
His principal work, however, seemed tx
be at the Bourse, where he speedil,
became known as q daring operator, whc
would carry the heaviest load of shares il
the face of the most arduous difficulties
who always accepted his successes witt
modesty, ond paid his losses promptl,
at maturity. AS the police kept tn
secret of his past life faithfully, and h
of course did not disclose it, it cam
generally to be admitted that Raou
Surian was q very wealthy person, wh'
had made his money by following civi
engineering in South America, and re
turned to Paris to spend it like gentle
man.
In 1869 there was tremendous effol
made at the Bourse to "corner" th
shares of the Serbo- Moldavian railway
The corner" was broken prematurely
and great slaughter ensued among th
"bulls." Among those punished mos
severely was M. Raoul Surian, who's
net losses, it was whispered, exceede
100000 francs. He came up CALAMITY
however, paid every centime, and, as