The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1882-03-24

moistened every eye,
And took his seat-tO mediate on his stupen
dous lie
Century Magazine.
HOW FRENCH DETECTIVES WORK
Some five or six years ago, being OF
q visit to Paris, | went to see friend
a French gentleman | had known fol-
many years, who, with his wife and only
daughter, lived AT second in small
house in the Fauboro st Germain
found the family one and all in the
greatest possible excitement During
the night their domicile had been broken
INTO, and property to the value of abou!
thirty thousand francs, consisting OF
plate, jewels, money and bonds had
been stolen My friend was by nc
means rich man, and the loss was to
him a very serious one The strange
part OF the affair was that no one seemed
to have the slightest idea by whom, or
how, the lost things had been taken
They were kept in large iron-clamped
chest, which was never moved out of
the sale nldager, and which was
found IN its usual place next morning.
but with the lock forced open The
servants of the family were only two in
number, and consisted of an elderly
man and his wife, who had been in the
same service for more than ten wears.
They did not sleep on the same floor as
their master and mistress; but, as is
usual in Paris, occupied room some
stories higher in the mdnSdrde or attic.
Ihey had II key by which to let them
selves in from the back stairs to the
Kitchen in the morning; but at the time
Of the robbery neither one nor the other
bad been in the dining-room where the
chest was kept, until after my friend $
daughter had found out what had
happened. The lady of the family
had locked the chest-it was her usual
habit-before she had retired to rest
the previous night The key was
found hanging on a nail at the head of
her bed, It's usual place. The theft must
h2ye been committed between eleven
p m, when the chest was locked. and
eight Il. M, when her daughter discoy-
cred the loss. The concierge declared
that no one save those who lived in the
house had passed his lodge during those
hours. The door of the apartment OPEN
ing on the main staircase was found
locked, and the key on the inside. Al
together 1t was a most mysterious bust
ness of which no one could make any
thing save that the property had van
lshed, therefore it must have been taken
by some one.
My friend resolved to 90 at once to
the Rue de Jerusalem Scotland
Yard of Paris-and ask the authorities
to inquire into the matter. | suggested
an agent de police or policeman from
the nearest station might be called, but
was told that that was not the way that
they did things in Paris The police
men that keep order in the streets, and
those whose business it is to discover
what has become of stolen property, are
two departments perfectly distinct from
each other. Being anxious to see how
our neighbOrs managed affairs of this
kind, and whether they were better up
TO their work than our London de-
tectivcs, | accompanied my friend to the
Prefecture de Police, where he sent in
his card, and we were at once uShered
into the presence of n quiet-looking
elderly gentleman, one of the S0uS-chef
of the department, who looked more
like bank manager, or head clerk in
a large mercantile house, than man
whose occupation was to indicate where
the thieves and others who were
wanted - could be laid hands on.
A Frenchman is nothing if he is not
polite. The individual into whose sane
tum we were shown welcomed us with
a civility which nothing could exceed.
lie heard my friends story from first to
last, made few notes with a pen in
kind Of diary which he had on his desk.
and now and then asked a question or
two respecting the house and apart
ment which had been robbed, the ser
wants, visitors and other matters. But
he did not detain us long. The inter
view was over in twenty minutes. The
S0as-chef them told my friend that he
would send one Of his subordinates to
see The chest the next day. In the
meantime would my friend prepare a
INST, and as minute description as pos.
slble OF the property that had been
stolen9 As a rule Frenchmen, no mat
Ter to what rank of life they belong,
have the greatest possible respect for
all who are in any way connected with
the police, and never dream of disput-
ing what they say; but my friend was
somewhat annoyed at what he deemed
useless delay and asked whether the
police-agent could not be sent ut once,
The S0HS-chef however overruled his
objection, and said it was best for many
reasons the agent should not 90 to the
house till next day. ''In the first
place he said, II do not wish any one
but yourselves to know that the gentle
man who will call on you tomorrow is
in any way connected with the police.
lie will send up card, and you will be
kind enough to receive him as q friend
talk to him of the robbery in the pres
once OF your servants as you would to
any casual acquaintance. He then
turned to me and said, laughingly:
1--WE do not manage these affairs as YOU
do in London. We don't ahcae our
police; we don't send constables The
pronounced the word "conestabeln1 to
make a fuss and put every one on their
guard; we like to do things quietly:
.he result is BETTER He then bowed
US out and we took our departure, not
as to what the upshot of
he affair would be.
"Un monsieur qui desire vous voir,"
'ald my friends man-servant next dav,
putting card into his masters hand, !
ust as we were finishing our midday
neal, and gentleman-like, middle-aged |
nan was shown in.
He was close shaved as to the chin
nd upper lip, but wore small whiskers, |
1ore like an English man of business Of