The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-04-17
French Justice,

Eighteen months ago young man was ar
rested at LYONS on train coming from Mart
settles. because he was without ticket, il
being misdemeanor in France to ride on
train without one. The young man declared
that he had lost 1t; that his name was Gas
ton de Limmereui, and that his last resi-
dence was In a hotel in Paris. The railroad
Inspector telegraphed to Paris and got re-
ply to the effect that CASTOR de Limmereuil
was suspected of having stolen sum of
$500, missed at the hotel about the time Of
his departure. He was turned over to the
police of Lyons, aud the JUICE dinstruction
to whom his case was referred, examined
him as TO his antecedents and family. The
answers of the young man were to the effect
that he was born in the United States, and
had never known who his parents were. He
had been brought up by a gentleman who
had accompanied him to France, and then
disappeared, leaving him certain sum of
money. When this was almost spent, he
went to Monaco in the hope of breaking the
bank, but, instead, the bank had broken
him. All of this seemed so improbable TO
the JUICE obstruction that he determined to
forward CASTOR de Lmmereuil to Paris.
The Partisan police took up the inyestlga-
ton of the case in their turn, and, believing
that they had got some famous criminal into
their hands, tried to saddle on his shoulders
all the crimes whose authors had as yet re-
manned undiscovered. These Investigations
lasted eight months without giving any re-
suit, and then CASTOR de Limmereuil was
sent before the court to answer to the charge
of having stolen f.300. There was not much
of q case against him, but he was convicted
all the same, and sentenced to six months
imprisonment. He took 40 appeal, and, af-
ter a further delay of two months, the case
was argued and resulted in the condemna-
ton of the accused to two years imprison-
meDt and to five years police surveillance.
Those who have read "Les Mis6rables'' viii
know what is implied by the latter part of
this sentence. This unexpected result TO
his appeal induced the young man to make
a clean breast of it. He was the son of
very respectable family in Belgium, and had
enlisted in the Belgian army, from which he
had deserted. When arrested at Lyons be
was afraid that he would be sent back 10
Belgium. and had consequently invented the
story told the JUICE obstruction and in
which he had since persisted As for the
robbery of which he was accused, he had not
yet left Belgium when 1t occurred and SO
could not be guilty. Four mere months
were consumed by the police in investigat-
ing the truth of these allegations, and their
truth was fully established. As the sentence
of the court of appeals was final, there was
only one way of relieving him of its effect, a
pardon. But here an obstacle arose. The
pardon could only be granted to CASTOR de
Limmereul who had been sentenced, but
this name being false one, pardon grant
ed under it would not be valid 1t was nee
essary that an order of the court should be
made amending the record of the case. In
July of last year an application to this effect
was made to the court, and in the meantime
the young man was transmitted to the penal
establishment at Gallon, where he was set
to work at chair-making. Seven months
passed before the formalities as to the
amendment of the record were all completed.
but at last things were Strengthened ont,
and, as his presence was necessary when the
decree was pronounced, the court ordered
the prison authorities to produce him. Well,
last February, an officer was sent to Gallon
after the poor fellow. Three days ago a let
ter was received from this officer, and in it
he said
THE prisoner whom have been ordered
TO bring to Paris died last December