Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-07
Every Glass Of Society Under the Most
Active and Insidious Vigilance.
Paris Letter in Chicago Times

Paris Letter in Chicago Times
Mr.. Andrieux. late project of police, is con-
tributing To his newspaper In Ligae, a very in
teresting series Of papers on the inner ways and
working of the French detective system. As
anything from such a man on such subject l.
we'll worth studying, il may not be considered
out Of place in this CORES Ondence to give the
substance of what he has lately written on
this question M-AndTieux takes care to classify
the agents into two distinct bodies to wit,
those who are enrolled in the four different
brigades and those who are not enrolled in any
brigade or public or private force whatsoever.
The former have their cards. which. in cases o
danger, will insure them the protection OF the
regular police. They are strictly forbidden t.
show these cards To- anyone save To state Off
Gals of high standing when the indirect ser
vices of such officials are required. or To II e
sergents de vile. To whom have Just allude"-
and under the circuI:iS tanCeS referred to. They
frequent club aud other meetings, the wine
shops of the exterior bouleVard~. and houses
and streets OF iil-fame. and also attend at the
senate and chamber of deputies during tie
parliamentary session. In the morning they
prepare their reports, generally speak
of which is to- be found detailed
accounts of the career and character OF huI.-
dreds of thousands of individuals in France.
These records form colossal pyramids in the
lumber-roouns, and are alphabetically arranged
according to the names of the persons whose
histories they chronicle. So that when any one
comes suddenly to the front or is compromised
in any criminal affair the librarians can have
no ulfflculty IN laying tEclr hdnuS on the OH
clal summary OF his or her antccedentS- 20
complete is the collection that the name Of the
most obscure rag-picker in Paris has lis chroni-
Gle as well as the president OF ne republic.
In regard To those secret agents Of the second
category Mr.. Andrieux is as explicit as he is in
discreet. "A man 'Sco:rhman, he SaVS.i-a mans
mistress a mans barber, a mans valet may be-
long to this battalion" Many Sal0On-llceper> and
house-pOrters are actually compelled, under
pain OF forfeiture of their licenses and positions
TO act aS the spies of the prefecture. Several
journalists, who are the bittcrCSt political Op-
ponents, IN opposition newspapers, OF the pow
ers that be, ana not few frantic orators VINO
"dO' the stump at SOcia!istie gatherings and
denouBce the criminality Of capitol amid the
cheers of the WOTkingmon. are in the lay Of the
police authorities. The hfgh-bOrn and respect
able imperialf>t, who mikes in Prince Ma
pOleOns society and calls him My Lord
"1our Majesty, and sports violet ia his but
toni de ON the occasion of the anniversary mass
for the repOSe of the soul of Napoleon III, at
the church of st. Augustine. keeps up his gOr-
geous equipages and pays FOR his Bonapartist
dinners out of the public funds. The Simpcring
royaliSt, who carries about with him over his
heart battered fragment Of one OF the old White
flags OF France. and who i guShingly fender and
enthusiastic in his defense of the throne and
altar,is -rigged out at the expense OF the state,
and is paid to spy on the movements and az
fiOnS of the rOyali~tS, just a. his BoUapartiSt
colleagues to look after the fmperialiStS. The
few journalists and public speakers who attack
the government with the greatest violence,wh
are more or less in the confidence OfthCSe dupcs,
are in receipt OF a fixed salary. The Others are
paid by results. The master mOuchardS, who
do the drawing rooms Of the taubourg 81.
Germain and the Bonapartist dinners, draw
heavily on the public purse, owing to- the OK
penseS they are forced to incur in such ariSto-
cratic surroundings. Each OF these agents must
have some oSten>ibc trade or profession at
which he may occasionally employ an hour or
two of his time in order To avert any suspicion
that may be entertained of him. Thus every
class of societyin Paris is under the most active
although the most inSidiouS. vigilance. As
much precautiOn is taken against revolution
to subyert established authority under the re-
public as during the reign of Napoleon HI,
DpORp-T;imiIV
could not sit down to table without having at
least one mouchard among them.