Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-11-20
TIE sAlNT CYR MYSTERY.

he TSld the Members of Ihe Court
MsFtta..
Paris Cor. New York Times.
A very sad case is now occupying
public attention here. Some time
ago the pupils of Saint Cyr, the
West Point of France, had to make
frequent complaint for robberies.
Many of them lost money, and in
a few cases of rich young men, the
sum abstracted was of considerable
Importance. All agreed in saying
that they had their money when
they went to bed in the dortoir, and
that it must have been taken dur
ing the night. After the third or
fourth complaint a careful watch
was kept, and the Professor soon
acquired the painful conviction
that the thief must be one Of the
students. At the next robbery all
were questioned. All had slept
profoundly, and heard nothing OF
seen nothing extraordinary. The
next day, however, one Young mar
said that there was one Incl
dent of the night which he liac
not related, because it was Of nj
Importance; he had been aroused
by Sergeant Phillipot, who was close
to his bed, and on asking what was
| The matter, Phillipot replied thai
he was suffering from the collie anC
had been out. At the next rob
berry student saw Phillipot com
| ing from the end of the hall. Or
that occasion all submitted to {
search, but nothing was found
When the Professor was going ou
one of the students saw Phillipot
glance at o package Of cigarettes ol
fhe table, and when he took it u
Phillipot turned pale, The objec
sought was a thousand franc bill
taken from the pocket OF one o
the young men, and it was founc
in the package Of cigarettes.
should say that all agreed to
search, because the examination
were Just over, and in three day
all the young men would re
ceiye their commissions in th
army. 1t was out Of the ques
ton to aiicw thief to be com
mis8ioned, and hence . gran
search was proposed. PhlNoot wa
arrested, and when before the III
bunal remained calm and impass
able, He confessed to the crime
and said that he had been driver
TO it by his want Of money. Some
thing in the young mans manne
led the President of the Tribuna
to think that he had not gotten a
the real secret. lie began to ques
ton in a kindly way, but with
great deal of tact, making appeal
to the noble sentiments of human
nature, and in a short time Philli
pot broke down. He began to cry
and then the Presidentpressed him
with kindness, to tell the truth
The story he told was this: He wa
the illegitimate son Of retired
army officer. lie had never know
q home or parental affection. II
was kept at a boarding.school, ut
terly without money, never seeinj
, any relative, and getting no letter;
and only got into Saint Cyr becaus
he passed at the head Of his clast
. When he got in, his father wrot
him one cold letter to tell him
J stay there and mind his studio,
r but he was allowed only enoug
: money to pay his regular bill
In the second year he II
d ceiyed another letter. Hi
E father wrote that he had just maj
. ried a rich widow, who had a sol
9 Of his age Just entering st. Cyl
!. Young Parlsot was therefore h
brother by marriage, but he, Phi
lipot, was particularly charge
not to reveal the secret Of his brit
or to make himself known to Par
sot. He obeyed the parental n
quest, and for three years kept th
secret. Meanwhile young ParisC
n had his pockets full of money, |
e was always well dressed, he r,
> ceived constant letters, and wei