The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-24
TRICKY JEAN AYMON
AN oLDEN-TrME IMPosToR WHO
swISDLED ITALIAN CATHOLICS,
Then Fled 10 Holland and Ended by
Stealing Valuable Volumes from
the Royal Library.
London Standard.

The conditions of modern life are unfavor-
able on the grand scale. Mere swindlers
we have. as active and at least as ingenious
as in any former age, but the progress OF
science and the decline OF faith unite in de-
stroying the frame of mind which encour-
aged the grand impostors of old. Such at
tempts as Arthur Orton's will always be
made from time to time. but with increasing
difficulty. There are plenty on record.
In 1895 French society was much inter-
ested by the temperance OF the Comte de
st. Helene, a wealthy and agreeable young
man OF high family. whose death in Spain
had been reported two years before. He had
not the least trouble in proving his identity.
for everyone recognized him. the royal fam
lily included. For forms sake he produced
his papers. which were quite correct. The
King, delighted, gave him "a step" and
when he rejcined his regiment officers and
men recognized him unanimously. This was
a stronger case than Orton's, therefore,; We
find no mention OF the Comte's relatives, but
1t must be supposed that they did not OBJ
ject. For two years he enjoyed himself
nightly. At the end OF that time, when
parajing with his squadron at some court
a drunken loafer greeted the
brilliant captain vociferously as Ami Cog
nard"-he would not be silenced, and the
police arrested him IN recovering his
senses he persisted that the Comte de st.
Helene was his old comrade OF the hulks.
In brief. so IL proved: after a sensational
trial the hero was condemned to the gall
leys for life. and died at Toulon sixteen
years later. But such impostures are mean
beside the grand school of antiquity. Read
the amazing tale of Alexander, the Paphla-
gonian, or that of Peregrinus, which Chris
tian antiquarians have not ceased to discuss
both told with spirit inimitable by Lucian.
The career of the Comte De st. German
is mysteriously interesting even yet. 1t is
not TO be hoped that the world will see
again such a wondrous humbug as George
Psalmaneser, who actually invented a Ian
guage and grammar TO support his flcti-
tious adventures in Formosa. The talent
could be found, no doubt and the impu-
prise in the bud.
CAREER OF AYMON.
A name of evil celebrity among bibli-
ophiles is that Of Jean Aymon. He was a
very able man, of course, perhaps a devout
Roman Catholic. Pope Innocent XI made
him a prothonotary-one of those Offices of
which the title is a household word TO most
OF us, but comprehended by few. In the
height Of his favor, for reason unknown
probably neutrality-suspicious. fled to Swift
erland and became a Protestant There, al
so, he made an excellent po~sition-deserted
it and went to Holland. A rich and pious
widow fell in love with him, his eloquent
preaching charmed the Dutch, and fer some
| years wealth and fashion kept him quiet.
Suddenly he declared his intention Of visit
ing Constantinople upon mysterious bust
ness which would bring great advantage
to the Christian faith; when his admiring
friends left him, however, he went to Paris.
There the extraordinary man presented
himself TO Nj. Clement, keeper OF the Biblio-
theque du Roi, protesting such remorse for
his apoStasy that Clement was persuaded
to introduce him to the cardinal archbishop
of Paris. That dignitary. overjoyed to re-
pious retreat for six months, but he al
lowed Aymon to pass the time in the royal
Before the six months expired, however.
he was back in Holland with a number Of
time. he announced the publication of various
works profoundly interesting TO scholars
a and tnsioitog os the A prooeged fhem was ~f tho to be 1ss a
council at Jerusalem, of which the only
manuscript known lay in the Bibliotheque
du Roi. The hapless Clements saw this adj
vertisement. and rushed TO his shelves-his
logue OF the library. What Aymon took
never will be known. But he had foraged at
will among the unique and priceless treas
ures which were the glory of the collection.
Fourteen sheets, even, had he torn from
We're recovered from the Baron Von
Stocks years afterward; thirty-five sheets
from the seventh century manuscript OF the
Pauline epistles-Earl Middleton returned
thirty-four of them in the end; the last has
never been heard of. Volumes of secret
! dispatches, confidential letters from popes
and kings, antique manuscripts and records
the sagacious and erudite Aymon had pa
tiently overhauled the lot and appropriated
the most valuable. For a century the Off
cia.s OF the Bibliotheque. supported by gov
eminent. were negotiating. intriguing and
threatening to recover such lost treasures
as they could identify from the persons to
whom ha Cnld fharo Tho thtof v.oo,nhilo
lived in high consideration at Amsterdam
and died in the odor of sanctity. The
Dutch government would not be persuaded
nor coerced to proceed against him, and
his congregation never lost faith.
REMARKABLE LICENSES.
An instance OF another sort well worth re-
calling is told in the Annals of Lord Ell
gins Mission TO China" Some weeks after
the taking of Canton native merchants
brought a proclamation to his lordship,
asking whether ii were authorized. The
document was most imposing. printed on
official paper. signed and countersigned and
sealed. IL read, in Chinese: Whereas, The
British fleet is now stationed from Shakok
TO Shakmum. it is hereby ordered that, in
return for protection against lawless per-
sons who would cut grain without author
ity, two mace per acre shall be paid into the
British Office at Ning-i-Tong Uhe hall
of peace and patriotism), at Nei-
1 tOtiS, " NDitn al NuitiFdtOio dtC QiIttttu u
repair on Oct. 80, or the two following days
with money in hand" On due payment they
will receive a license under seal, (which will
be recognized all over the EARTH" Any cul-
tivator who presumed to cut his grain with
out such license would be seized forthwith
''by the vessels of the Ning-i-Tong of Greai
Britain" and carried TO the said hall. there
TO be punished for contempt and TO lose the
whole of his property besides Rice junks
must be registered without a moments de-
lay, their papers vised and indorsed. The
| proclamation. in fact. was a masterpiece
of business-like drafting.
1t did not come to the knowledge OF the
British authorities until Nov. 1, and for
two days money had been pouring into the
hail of peace and patriotism. When Mr..
Wade hurried to the spot he found a crowd
struggling for admission. Six persons of
the most digniied appearance sat at a
table. They were arrested, but somehow
only one could be proved guilty-the COM
padre who had supplied her Majesty's ships
with provisions. The story reminds us of a
certain Able Gerace, who played tricks al
were occupying Calahria in HOS.
The able. a jovial little man, much
like a ball in figure, made himself a great
favorite with officers. and then volunteered
to clear the provinces of brigands IL in
trusted with a sufficient force. General
Parthouseaux gave him four companies OF
| chassieurs, with whom he secured the coun-
try and on several occasions surprised a
brigand camp In the most satisfactory man.
ner. The able was disguised in uniform,
but every morning he resumed the clerical
| attire and rode off, with his personal at
| tendants. TO get information. as he said;