Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-07-06
MISCELLANE
The French Police System.
Striking Incidents During the RevOlu-
tiOn.

a merchant of high respectabiIity
in Bordeaux had occasion to visit
Paris upon commercial business, car
rying with him bills and money to a
very large amount. On his arrival
at the gates of the French metropolis,
genteel-loolling man opened the
door of the carriage and addressed
him to this effect: . Sir, have been
waiting for you some time. Accord
ing to my notes. you were to arrive at
this hour; and your person, your
carriage and your portmanteau eS-
actly answering the description hold
in my hand, you will permit me to
have the honor of conducting you to
Monsieur de Sartine."
The gentleman, astonished and
alarmed at this interruption, and still
more at hearing the name of the lieu-
tenant of the police mentioned, de-
manded to know what M. de Sartine
wanted with him, adding that he had
never committed any offence against
the laws, and the police could have
no right to detain him. The mes
the cause of the detention, and said
that when he had conducted him to
NJ. de Sartine, he should have cx-
ecuted bis orders. After some fur
ther explanations, the gentleman per-
mitted the officer to conduct him to
the police official.
NJ. de Sartinc received him with
great politeness, and after requesting
him to be seated, to his astohisiimGrt
described his portmanteau, and told
him the exact amount in bills and
cash which he had brought with him
to Paris, where he was to lodge, his
usual time of going to bed, and n
number of other circumstances which
he had conceived were known only to
himself. Having thus excited his at
tention, NJ. de Sartine asked: - Sir,
are you a man of courage!"
The gentleman, still more astonished
at the singularity of this interrogatOry,
demanded the reason why such a
question was put, adding that no
man had ever doubted his courage.
NJ. de Sartine replied: Sir, you
are TO be robbed and murdered this
night. If you are man of courage
you must go to your hotel and retire
at the usual hour. But be careful
not to fall asleep: neither will it be
proper for you to look under your
bed or into the closet which is in
your chamber. You must place your
poftmanteau in it's usual situation
near your bed and bctray no sus-
picion. Leave what remains to me.
If you do not feel YOUR courage suf-
ficient to bear you out, / will procure
some one who shall personate you and
go to bed in your stead"
The merchant being convinced that
NJ. de Sartine's intelligence was ac-
curate in every particular, refused to
be personated, and resolved to follow
literally the directions he had re-
ceived. He accordingly drove to the
hotel, and went to bed at the usual
hour, eleven O'Clock. AT half past
twelve-the time mentioned by NJ.
de Sartine-the door of his bedcham-
ber burst open, and three men entered
with a dark lantern, daggers and
pistols. The merchant perceived one
of them to be his own servant. They
rificd his portmanteau undisturbed
and settled the plan of putting him
to death. Hearing all this and not
knowing by what means he was TO be
rescued, it may be supposed he was
under great perturbation of mind du-
ring such an interval of suspense.
| When at the moment the williams were
preparing TO take the merchants life,
four police officers, who were con-
cealed under the bed and in the
closet, rushed out and seized the Of
tenders with the property in their
/ possession. The consequence was
that the preparation of the murder
was prevented and sufficient evidence
obtained to convict the offenders.
NJ. de Sartine's intelligence thus en-
abled him to prevent many cases OF
murder and robbery.
The second story is as follows: The
Emperor of Austria, Joseph H., haY-
ing in the year 1887 formed and
promulgated a new code of laws
relative TO criminal and civil affairs,
and having also established what he
conceived to be the best system of
police in Europe, could scarcely ever
forgive the French nation, in conse-
quence of the accuracy and intelli-
gence of NJ. de Sartine's police hav-
ing been superior to his own, not
withstanding the pains he had be-
slowed on that department of his
government. A notorious Austrian
offender, who had committed many
atrocious acts of violence and depre-
! dation in Vienna, was traced to Paris