The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-08-06

The Sugar Bowl had tried lots o
other things with the intention OF max
Ing Paris talk. Why not, he queried
become a financier? Then the bouia
Yards would have a new interest, per.
haps. At any rate he would have
something to think OF, and time would
go faster. Lebaudy was right. No,
alone did time go faster. but money
which he had been hinging away by
bucketfuls. went by carloads. He was
assured by Balensi that the most digni-
fed thing for a man Of his standing to
do was to become interested in his So
ciete Franchise de Banque ct Change
Here was medium, Il was explained
through which Lebaudy could make his
| investments without annoyance or per
sonal publicity. and he would soon. un-
der tine intelligence Of Balensi, become
| a rival CT the Rothschilds.
| What the investments were IS not COM
pieteiy known. The ones most enticing
10 Lebaudy were gold mines. Balensi
told me yesterday that the poor fellow S
money was mot all invested in golj
mines" but in miscellaneous securities.
There were frequent losses. The invest
ments Of Lebeudy increased with the
| same ratio as the losses. Suddenly,
urged by men jealous Of the phenome-
nal success of Balansi in his dealings
with the young millionaire, he demand
ed a statement.
| Balensi protested that If he should
make any liquida;ions then il would ma
terially interfere with the permanence
Of the speculations The protestations
were ulheeded. Balensl produced a
statement that showed. according to the
French authorities. that OF the $780,
o00c. Lebaudy had invested through the
Societe Francaise de Banque ct Change
less than S00.6o0f. remained.
Baiensi meanwhile had become one Of
the noted men Of Paris. He lived ex-
travagantly. He looked on as a mill
iona're. He succeeded by purchase to
splendid stable of thoroughbreds. and
because OF his knowledge of English and
England was not only regarded as de-
cided swell among certain set, but had
all the life Of Paris at his feet. He
meanwhile had held on to Lebaudy. The
loss of the great sum which had gone
through the institution of which Balensi
man. but Balensi told him that his lack
Of faith had become noised abroad. and
the securities in which Lebaudy's money
had been placed suffered a tremendous
depreciation in consequence.
Lebaudy did not have that faculty Of
childhood of dreading the fire after he
had been burned. He was trustful of
his friends, and he thought Balensi de-
voted to his interests. The process of
unloading the sugar bowl" went merri-
ly on. Balensi declared to me yester-
day that he was never intimate with
Cesti, nor did he know Mile. Marsy very
we'll. He denied that he had Joined
any person or persons IN the attempt to
get the better Of the millionaire, who
had come to them as a sheep to the
shearers. -
The s0Ooo0f. were. still available. and
the Societe Francaise de Banque ct
Change continued Other persons, at
tracted by the operations with Le5au-
dy's money. opened accounts with the
concern, 50 that, at last, IL is said, Ba-
lensi had in the neighborhood of 1,O0O.-
0oof. but when the crash came. following
said, only about 40o, ,0O0f. Of this money
on deposit.
Lebaudy died, and then the scandal be-
gan. which. before 1t ended, involved
many we'll know Frenchmen. Balensi
was alarmed. He acknowledged TO me
Yesterday that he had failed-that Is, the
Societe Franchise deBanque ct Change
closed it's doors because Lebaudy was
dead and that source of revenue no
longer. Gathering together the avail
able portion OF the wreck. he came to
this country and left his unmovable
property in Paris and in the provinces
luxurious career to be cleared off in the
interests Of his remaining creditors.
There was a terrific hue and cry. No
trace Of him was found. None knew !
where ne was save his immediate rela- |
tives. He came here. assumed another |
name that did not require a change In |
the marking OF his linen, and 10 friends |
he made here declared he had made up
his mind TO 'knuckle down to build |
UP for himself business in this coun- |
try. To this he was urged by his affec- !
tion FOR his family, for Balensi is ex-
ceedingly fond of his sons. and when he /
referred to them yesterday his eyes filed
with tears.
The memories Of the gay scenes he |
left behind him IN Paris undoubtedly |
were his undoing here. When he was
arrested on July IS and was taken to
Mr.. Marcus Office he offered TO do every
thing in his power TO refund the amount
Of goods he had appropriated. Then.
IN burst OF confidence. following con-
cessions on the part of OF the jeweler,
Balensi told Mr. Marcus his right name.
and sketched briefly his relations with
the scandal OF Lebsudy's death In Paris.
Il was unfortunate. perhaps. for Ba-
ensi that ne submitted his secret to the
man ne hadi imposed upon The ai-
mission put Mr.. Marcus on his guard.
He then insisted that the prosecution
proceed. and when in court the prisoner
was held in s5003 bail Mr.. Marcus sug-
yested % the magistrate that the bail
should be increas sed for Balensi or Bell
wood" as he was known in the COM
nitment papers. he insisted was a pris-
,ner for whom there would be decided
y energetic demand. Subsequently the
bail was increased 70 $4,000.
ADMITTED HIS IDENTITY.
Balensi started as though shocked by
N electric bolt when I spoke TO him
n the Tonbs yesterday and called him
" MS right name He Is OF sturdy
,uld. and wore during his chat with me
J gray cricket cap, and over a white
,egligee shirt a blue blazer with white
iots. He stood at times with his heav-
" bearded chin resting on the rail