The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-05
incredible in SO young an offender. All at
onca uac cnrnrised to hear an exclamation

incredible in so young an offender. All at
onceI was surprised to hear an exclamation
from my husband who stood near me:
Good heavensr' he said half audlbly, Il
believe see through the whole plan; what
blockhead was not to have thought of it
before! But it was neatly planned and car
ried out, by Jove it wasp
He crossed the hall to where Colonel
Styles was sitting, and after speaking to him
for few minutes in low, hurried manner,
he asked leave to call a witness, who, he be-
lieyed, might be able to throw some light on
the matter in hand Permission having
been granted, he said in loud voice:
''The man calling himself Jules Fetier,
body servant to Colonel Styles. aud now
present in this hall, is requested to stand
forward"
For the first time since our entrance the
aoy's face fell, and he looked perplexed ard
rather dismayed. There was movement
in the crowd as though some one was trying
to effect a departure from the door; but the
attempt being promptly frustrated, saw
them lead into the witness box the French
servapt who had accompanied my husband
abroad, but who had left his service on his
return to England. After some time passed
in making inquiries and eliciting very little
from the cautious man before us, he was
searched, and many letters OF his present
employers were found on him; also a pock-
et-book which contained memoranda prov
ing great deal against himself and his two
accomplices-his wife and the boy in the
dock before us. No one else seemed con-
cerned in his fraudulent transactions.
On further search the whole system of his
roguery was unfolded piece by piece. He
would take service with gentlemen about to
travel, imposing on their credulity with
false references and gaining their confidence
by his well-trained demeanor and intelli-
gent conversation. Once safely out of the
ouslschemes, and with the aid of his clever
wife and child, carry them out successfully.
Nothing was ever forgotten that could lead
to the desired end. No fraud was started
until the detail had been thoroughly mas
tered by his accomplices, and the plan well
| matured. 1t is impossible to say how many
| people he had defrauded in different ways.
He had soon found out how matters stood
between my husband and brother-partly
from his own researches, and partly from a
| conversation he overheard between his
| master and brother officer-and consider
| ing the situation capital one for practising
his system upon, he had at once communi-
Gated with his wife and unfolded his plans
to her, sending her the signature distracted
| from one of Richards letters to act as de-
| coy; and also the handkerchief which Ralph
| hap peped to have taken among his own, to
throw suspicion on my brother as accessory
to the robbery.
| Before the examination concluded the
sergeant, who had been so long on the look
| out for the perpetrators of the deed, asked
my husband how he had recognized the boy
as being the son of his former servant.
Ralph laughed slightly as he replied:
| Il believe l should have made the best
| detective of you all had been on the spot
l thought 1 recalled the boys features as be-
! ing in some way familiar to me, but could
not determine of whom he reminded me
| however, as he stopped to speak to the war
der. the mystery was revealed in moment
bv strange s roke of luck
Turning to the boy, who had lost his
| courageous air, and was looking crestfallen
and frightened, my husband babe him hold
| down his head. For the moment he refused
| but on the order being peremptorily re.
peated. he obeyed reluctantly.
From one side of his head to the other,
contrasting strangely with his thick, dark
curls, was a streak of white hair, about hall
an inch wide, which shone like silver in the
sunlight; then bidding the elder man re.
move the cap he wore, he babe him also
stoop forward. which he did with NUT.
tered exclamation; and there again we saw
the same strange white band on his closely
| cropped head.
No link seemed wanting to complete the
chain of evidence against the offenders, and
the elder was at length forced to admit that
the proofs against him were too strong fol
| him to battle against. He begged that his
wife-to whom he seemed really attached
might be treated lieniently, as she was slow.
ly but surely dying from cancer; the state
ment was afterward proved to be correct
| and the woman was removed to hospital
where she fingered but short time. The
father and son were fully committed fol
trial and duly found guilty. The sentences
impose upon them was of a severe nature
owing to the number of accusations brought
against them.
can only hope that when their term OF
imprisonment has expired, they may find
people less easy to impose upon, and better
able to resist their Vaccinations than was
"the lady of Captain Ralph Branscombe, u
who fell so easy prey to their duplicity and
cunning that memorable evening of Janua-
airy %, 1859.