Daily globe., 1883-05-13
focused of SSf For0ertes.

Paris dispatch TO the London Daily Telegraph.
N. Mary Ciquet, an ex-notary of Mar
saiI, in the Dordogne, appeared at the To-
cal assizes at Perigueux yesterday to ans
wer no fewer than S81 charges of forgery,
from which he had derived about 25O,0OOf.
This extraordinary man, whose existence
for the past 10 years has been one series
of nefarious crimes, committed at the ex-
pense of the simple-m inded Inhabitants of
Mareuil, claims to have been an aide-de
camp to Marshal Prim, but does not ex-
plain how he rose to such a position from
being a mere notary's clerk in Paris. In
1872 Cliquet, then only about 80 years of
age, set up as notary at Aareuil With
no other capital than a multi-colored ro-
settle in his button-hole and vast amount
of self possession, he gradually succeeded
IN gaining the confidence of the country
people. His plan of action was simple
enough. Renters, villagers, and peasants,
on applying to him for advice as to the
best investment for their money, were in
variably received with a bland smile, and
informed that an excellent opportunity
existed for investing in mortgages on some
property in the neighborhood. In exchange
for their money the investors received a
carefully engrossed deed bearing the
forged signature of the supposed borrow
er, and that of the official registrar of
mortgages at Nontron.
With the money thus obtained, Cliquet
led life of luxury, which simply dazzled
the good people of Mareuil. The splendor
of his fetes and the magniicence of his
dinner parties were the talk of the whore
neighborhood. Ciquet condescended to
accept the Mayoralty of Mareuil, but it was
rumored that his ambition would not stop
short OF a seat in the Chamber Of Deputies.
As pastime he took to the theatre, and
lost large sum by the failure of a piece
at a small Paris house which he hired for
45, ,000f. At yesterdays sitting of the Assize
court it transpired that the prisoner had not
only forged multitude of signatures to
mortgage deeds, but had manufactured q
false certificate, purporting to be signed
| by the doyen Of the Faculty of Caen, whose
signature he had obtained by writing to
ask for a consultation. Clquet's frequent
Journeys to Paris were facilitated by q
forged military railway pass, signed by the
colonel of the One Hundred and Seventh
! Foot. In order to make an impression on
the peasants Cliquet kept in his Office a
number of sacks filed with copper coin
which. in the course of conversation, be
| took care to describe as five-franc pieces
! Not the least curious feature of the affair
! is that the registrar of mortgages, on
being shown his forged signatures to the
| deeds manufactured by Chquet, declared
| them to be genuine, and oostinateIy ad
| hered to this opinion nntil he discovered
| that the do cuments were not entered in the
register. He then exclaimed: why, the
man writes my signature better than | dc
myselfw Among a host of clever tricks
| for obtaining money is the following, by
which the prisoner made a considerable
amount of money. Being in Paris, anC
short of ready cash, Cliquet coolly intro
| duced himself to a financier as the Marquis
| de la Cote, a nobleman of Perigueux, add
ing, that if any references were required
his notary Maitre Cliquet, of Mareuli
would furnish the necessary information
He then took the first train for Mareuli
answered the letter of inquiry himself, anC
returned to Paris for the money. Tht
fraudulent system of bogus mortgage
CIquet carried on for nearly ten years
being always careful to pay the interes
punctually. He thus allayed suspicion IN
til last year, when landed proprietor &C
cidentaily heard that his estates had beel
mortgaged, and, as he had not raised an
money in that way, lodged a complain
against Cliquet. Thus the whole affai
came to light. The prisoner expresses dee
regret for his nefarious practices, whic
have ruined number of poor peasant:
but persists in stating that if left at larg
he would have made money enough in tn
theatrical business to satisfy all hi
Ecreditors"