New-York tribune., 1885-02-12
NOTES FROM PARIS.
,rrpApy AND PERsoNAL.


svrow THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE IhiboS"i
V@o" ' PARIS, Jan. Il.
The RecolIections of the Prefecture OF Police
nv Andrieux. an ex- Prefect of Police, is one of
the novelties Of the hour. M. Andrieux's book is
coming out in feuillcton driblets. He is clever
writer, but his predecessor. NJ. Gigot. in the high
post that he held says he is imaginative, and has
contradicted an anecdote in which he was made 10
play droll part To believe NJ. Andrieux, M. 0lgot
before quitting the Prefecture Of Police handed MS
successor his dossier, which the latter hao
bound and still keeps in his library. A ponce
dossier ia like the record which editor keeps III
pigeon-hole of his desk, OF puohc
man. Nth, however, this difference, that
il contains reports and denunciations of secret
agents who have been set to spy him.
The dossiers are of three kinds Those of men and
women of position are IN blue wrappers; those Oh
police agents in yellow, and those of women who
trade on their beauty, and of criminals, in white
II is the etiquette of the Prefecture Of Police for
the retiring Prefect to give his successor his doss,
but is equally his duty previously to have copy
tfnSde of it aud deposited with a permanent CLERK
who is bound to restore il to the archives whcp o.
fetal to whom it relates is no longer at
tho head Of the police department NJ. Andrlenx
tells us that secret agents never sign receipts,
and that their real names are only known 10 the
Project and the head of section. They paid ac-
Service Corps embraces persons of both sexes
md all ranks and professions Whenever you
hear man express extreme opinions in troubled
times you may feel pretty certain that he Is a
nsogcaardn Ganbetta insisted on knowing all the
police secrets that concerned HIM. and when at the
Palais Bourbon aud the Foreign Affairs Ministry
had highly organized corps OF moachdrds OF
political spies. Public men, to believe NJ An
dricux, should be on their guard in tho So
ciety of fast ladies who set up to have
political ideas. NJ Grovy was often betrayed. as
his dossier showed by ladies who affected to take
warm interest in him.
The death of NJ Edmond About has been ascribed
TO suicide. Although he was suffering from serl-
GUS disorder, which was aggravated by two law
suits, the event took his most Intimate friends by
surprise. One of the suits an action brought
by group of Opportunist Ferryites, who are share
holders of the XIXme Steele, to eject
him from the editorshp of that
Journal The other was charge of swim
dling-and hasten to add a most unjust one
which involved trial before the Correctional Irb-
uual. Having to appear at all In such court would
be most painful ordeal to any Frenchman enjoy
ing good social status. 1t was intensely so to NJ.
About, who, although of the kindest-hearted
fellows that ever lived had, because of the irony of
his polemcs many euemies At the Academy,
where he was soon to be received, he had warm
friends and bitter foes. The former were his old
comrades of the Ecse Normae. with whom he had
kept up his old amity The Others were the dukes
and cIsricals and the aaccid timeservers who have
their reasons for csurting both. As the Govern
ment was hostise to About. and with the cabal of
shareholders against him, he did not hope that the
Procurator's substitute would be just or the
Judges fair. What he was accused
of was receiving pay ment in kind for pufs inserted
in the journal from tradesmen. The puff in
iourishing Paris newspaper costs mint of money
to the person for whose benefit 1t is inserted and is
distinct from the advertisements which a1e farmed
out. About got would-be advertisers, the charge
was to prefer artfuy written puffs on condition
that he was to receive value in merchandise He
thus turned away large income from the share
holders All French editors derive benefit from ar
rangements of this kind The offence is in the de-
gree to which they push their traffic. About re-
ceived art furniture from manufacturers whose
goods were eulogzed in notices that he gave OF ex
hibitions at the Palais de Plndustrie. But seeing
the custom of the French press, there is nothing
to be said to this The kitchen furniture for
his country-house mentioned in the indictment
prepared against him bought at the auction Of
o club in the Rue VivIenne and paid for IN cash.
However, there was possibility that the judges
might say he had exceeded the bounds OF custom
and so brought himself within the, reach of tho
Penal Code Seeing how bright and honorable his
career had been, one can conceive nothing more
shocking than this attempt TO soil his fair fame.
His death called forth an immense current OF
public sympathy, which was manifested
at his funeral. 1t must in de-
gree console the widow and her eight
Children who were devoted to HIM as he was to
Them more affectonate husband and father
never lived. When he diHed out the family used t.
think the evening so long. Although he tenderiy
loved his children, he watched them wi a vlgi-
liant eve 10 prevent weakness from becoming vices,
and watched himself in order TO act them good
example. Since Che, two older girls grew up he
went with them and Nine About into society
They have the frankness of YOUTH aud pleasant,
frank manners II made him radiant when he saw
that their rosebud charms and fresh toilettes
admired. But the fatigue OF going to balls and
parties told on his health. NJ German ever cele-
brated with more cordlality the Feast of the Ma
tivity than this unbeliever. He also kept birthdays
relIgousy. A happier home than Abouts ueycr
Saw.