Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-08
TRUE TO HIS OATH.

IbOE 10 Ills OATH.
One morning about ten years ago the
Partisan public we're made aware Of the
fact that the confidential clerk of Nor
sieur Laurin. well-known banker, had
absconded with the sum OF nearly 1000.
600 francs. Large payments were due
that day by the banker, to meet which
he had been relying upon this sum. A
run upon the bank followed, and that
evening his name was among the list of
bankrupts. Detectives had, of course,
Instantly been put upon the track of the
absconding clerk, and, just as he was
stepping on the boat at Calais to cross
the channel, he was arrested and con-
veyed back to Paris.
When arrested, he seemed Mortified
at the charge against him, and earnestly
protested his innocence. This was but
!atural under the circumstances, and
did not have the least impression upon
he officers but one thing that did puz-
Zle them was the fact that no trace of
the money he had stolen could be found.
At his trial the evidence against him was
too strong to admit of any doubt of his
guilt. The banker swore that on the
previous day he had given the clerk
several orders upon the treasury,
amounting in all to between 100000
and 100000 francs, with instructions,
after getting them cashed, to return to
the bank, and deposit the money in the
vault, of which he alone, beside the
banker himself, knew tho combination.
Evidence was forthcoming from the
Treasury Department that he had re
ceiyed the money, but the evidence of
the other employees was definite that he
had not returned to the bank during
business hours, while the janitor was
confident he had not done so afterward.
This, taken altogether, and added to
the fact Of his sudden fight, seemed
conclusive to the Judges that he was
guilty. The prisoners defense took
the form of an accusation against his
employer. He acknowledged having
received the orders, and also getting
them cashed, but denied that he had
been told to deposit the amount in the
bank vault. Instead he averred the
banker had told him to retain the
money in his possession until evening,
when he was to admit himself by key
the banker gave him to his house, and
deliver the money into his own hands.
This the prisoner declared he had done,
when the banker, unlocking n drawer
in the desk at which he sat, took out
large envelope, and told the clerk to
address it to well-known banking firm
IN Leadenhall street. London.
Having done as he was desired, his
employer took folded paper from the
drawer, and placed it in the envelope,
sealed it securely and gave it into his
hands, telling him that he wished him to
start for London at once to deliver it to
the firm to which it was addressed, and
receive in return some securities of
value lying In their hands AS he had
on more than one former occasion been
thus sent on similar secret missions by
his employer, he thought there was
nothing strange in the request, and,
setting out In less than an hour, had
travelled all night to Calais, arriving
there just in time to catch the boat, was
stepping on hoard, when he was arrest
ed and brought back to Paris to be
charged with crime Of which he had
never even dreamed.
The officers testified to having found
The envelope upon him, directed as
he had stated; but, on opening it, the
Enclosure was found to be nothing more
than several sheets Of blank paper. His
story though told with the earnestness
of truth and conscious innocence, seemed
80 wildly far-fetched and improbable
that it only influenced the Judges still
more strongly in the belief of his guilt.
To be sure, the main proof against him
was the bankers word, but the whole
chain of circumstances also favored his
assertions. Where or how the clerk had
hidden the money was certainly an IN
explained mystery, but the supposition
was natural that he had laid his plans