Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-11-17
TRUE TO HIS OATH.

the Partisan public were made aware OF
the fact that the confidential clerk of
Monsieur Laurin, a well-known banker,
had absconded with the sum OF nearly
l 900 900 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 placed 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 conveyed back to Paris.
When arrested he seemed Mortified at
the charge against him, and earnestly
protested his innocence This was but
natural under the circumstances, and
did not have the least impression on the
officers; but one thing that did puzzle
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 any doubt OF his
guilt. The banker swore that the pre-
vious day he had given the clerk several
orders on the treasury amounting in all
to between 900 900 and | 900 900 francs
with instructions that after getting them
cashed to return to the bank and deposit
the money in the vault, of which he
al me. besides the banker himself, knew
the combination.
Evidence was forthcoming from the
Treasury Department that he had re-
ceived the money, but the evidence o.
the other employees was definite that
he had not returned to the bank during
business hours, while the janitor was
confident that he had not done so after
ward. This taken altogether, and added
to the fact of his sudden fight, seemed
conclusive to the judges that he was
guilty. The prisoners defence took the
| form of an accusation against his en-
ployer. He acknowledged having re-
ceived the orders, and also getting them
cashed, but denied having been ordered
to deposit the money in the vault, In
stead he averred that the banker had
desired him to keep it in his own pos
session until evening, when he was tc
admit himself by key into the bankers
house and deliver the amount into his
EMPLOYERS own hands. This the pris
oner said he had done, when the bank
er, unlocking drawer to his private
desk, took out large envelope and told
the clerk to address it to well-knowr
banking firm i'm Leadenhall street
London.
Having done as he had desired, his
employer took folded paper from the
drawer and placed it in the envelope
sealed it securely and passed it into his
hands, telling him that he wanted him
to start Immediately to London to de-
liver it to the firm to which it was ad.
dressed and receive in return some se'
curities of value laying in their hands
As he had on more than one former oc'
casion been sent on secret missions by
his employer, he thought there waf
nothing strange in the request, and set
ting out in less than half an hour had
travelled all night to Calais, had arrived
lust in time to reach the boat and was
lust stepping on when he was arrested
and brought back to Paris charged with
a crime of which he had never dreamed
The officers testified to have found the
envelope on him addressed as he hat
stated; but on opening it it was fount
to be nothing more than several sheets
of blank paper. His story, though tolc
with earnestness of the truth and con
scious innocence, seemed so widely far
fetched and improbable that it only
served to influence the judges still more
strongly in favor of his guilt. To bt
sure, the main proof against him wal
the bankers word, but the whole chair
of circumstances favored his assertions
Where or in what manner the clerk hao
hidden the money was certainly an un
explained mystery, but the suppositior
was natural that he had laid his PLAN
well beforehand, and made arrange
ments so that it would yet be secure il
case he was arrested before he made
good his escape. Weighing the evidence
carefully, though not perhaps withou
taking into consideration the high socia
position the banker had always occu
pied, the judges announced the clerl
guilty, and sentenced him to the galley
| for term of twenty years.
When the prisoner heard his doom
to which even death would have beeI
preferable, his head fell upon his breast