The Washington critic., 1888-10-06
AN ArnACInlls swINnLER.
After a Long Career of Crime, TIC Is
Caught at Last

Caught at Last
Eugene Altmaycr, an audacious swim
der robbcr and forger, who has long
been bathing the police, was arrested
at llavrc on Sunday, says the PAIL Mall
Gazette. The career of this clever
rogue, with his escapes from the hands
of Justice, and the amer in which he
has for several years balllcd the police
in their search after him, would afford
material for an interesting narrative.
| lie was never a vulgar criminal, but
| lived in luxury, and, under one name or
another, participated in all the gayctics
of French life. When in Paris he drove
| about in elegant carriages, was always
at the theatrical premicrs and at the
races, and was admitted 20 several
clubs. lis personal appearance was in
! his favor. He was of medium height,
| with bright eyes, auburn hair and u
! smiling, amiable countCnauce, which
made him II great iavonte with the
ladies. His father was an honorable
| tradcsman living IN the Boulevard
! llaussmann. He gave to his son, Eu-
gene Altmayer, all the advantages of
u first class education, but he only pro-
fitted by it to more easily make dupes.
! llt WIS UuuuEdlN utIEUNtui LUZ
| when quite young, he robbed his pit
rents on several occasions. His father
was in hopes that the army would re
form him, but he stole some jewclry
from the captains chimneypiccc and
was condemned to five years imprison-
mcnt lie failed in an attempt to cs-
cape by getting his fellow-prisoners to
conceal him in sack OF old papers, but
he obtained a commutation of bis sem
tencc, and, after serving the rest of his
time in the army, returned to Paris.
Here he led n gay life, and kept car
ragc and mistrcsscs, but, in 1886, he
was detected in "a fraud effected by inn
itatng n PERSONS voice in the telephone.
lie was arrested after desperate strug-
gle, but, on the way TO prison, trippcd
up policeman and took to Hight.
lie was again arrested and incarccr-
atcd in Mazas prison, but while the mag
istratc went into the antc-room to wash
his hands Altmayer, who had been scru-
tinizing the papers on the table, snatched
up blank form of release, forged the
magistrates signature, coolly walked in
to the next room, showed the turnkey
the order and asked him to accompany
him to the endorsing office to get it en-
dorscd. This done, he walked off, tho
magistrate meanwhile supposng that the
turnkey had been impatient and had
taken him back to his cell. This hap
pcncd in November, 1886, and AltmayeI
had the cffrontcry to frequent Paris
cafes and thcatcrs while the police were
looking for him in distant parts.
Last October he induced eight dupc
TO try and negotiate bills of cXchang,
with the forged signature Of q Moorisl
inancier. When these men were ar
rested he wrote to the authorities offer
ing to appear and clear them on condi
tion of safe conduct. This summer h,
has been visiting u Norman watering
place, clubbing himself Vicompte de Mais
ire, and leading u luxurious life. lie in
duced a lady to lend him a, 900 francs
assuring her that a sale of Il bit of hi
estate in the South would insure he
speedy repayment She had resigned her
self to the loss of the money and had re
solved to keep it secret, when an un
known person presented her with nj
! envelope containing the sum borrowed
Why he made restitution in this one cas-
does not appear. At Biarritz he cashct
II forged check for 1900 francs.
detective traced him to Bordeaux, wher
he registered his luggage for Ccttc, bu
he went instead to Coutras Gironde)
and thence to IIavrc, where, with his mis-
trcss, he arrived on Thursday.
On Sunday afternoon detective saw
him taking II drive He snatched TIN
| bride and stopped the horse, while
colleague seized Altmayer. Taken be
! fore magistrate he voluntarily avowc,
| the theft of letter containing 20,
francs in Algeria, for which an limo
t cent man is in custody. AlSmayer, VIII
is twenty-nine years of age, was con
demned by default last February t
twenty years hard labor. He has no,
been brought so Paris, and there will
' a second trial. His demcanor is aston
Fishing everybody. He is perfectly cain
and sclf-possessed, and when taken be
fore the police commissary at Havre h
made fun of the detectives, selling ther
/, he had seen them hundred times look
\ ing for him. He had recognized then
\ but the detectives had failed 80 identif
h him. Addressing one of them, he said
/ My. poor fellow, | have kept you rur
t ming after me good long time, but no,
0 the chase is over" He will be '5ric
y for an inteminable list of ofTense.
J ranging from breach of trust to robber
and forgery.
n I IT