The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03

Acting on his suggestion three of US
went on to her topgallant forecastle,
when the old sailor loaded his pipe and
sat on coil of rope that lay abaft the
cathead, while the exile leaned up against
the capstan and delivered the following
bit of French history:
Two noted schemers," he said, "were
born in Bordeaux in the early part of the
present century. Their names were Jacob
and Isaac Perier. They were educated at
st. Simon, and with the knowledge thus
gained they worked on the simplicity of
the French people and became rich. 1t
was this iil-gotten money that made Ma
poleon HIS coup d etat possible. As
recompense the Government OF that
monarch gave to these two corruptionists
very valuable concessions, among which
was the authorization to establish the
Credit Mobilier. They put everything into
shares, mostly fraudulent, and this worth
less paper was given to the French people
In exchange for their money. An era OF
wild speculation followed which lasted Tor
fifteen years. Shares of the Credit Mobilier
went skyward. In March, 1856 they were
quoted at 1882 francs, or 1896 per share.
A@- OStOOSiS 4oOi, 'buey Adt IoAASA W IN
francs, or $28 share. In 1868 the concern
was thrown into bankruptcy, declared by
the court to be robbery and the liquida-
tor was ordered to pay each shareholder
$40 share for his stock. OF course the
shareholders were ruined, but not so with
the brothers Perier, for their fortune at
the end of the collapse was estimated to
be $32, 100000.
''It was when these shares were al the
highest that the Periers advised French
men TO buy, telling them at the same time
that 1t was the safest and most profitable
investment for widows, orphans and
fathers of families.
1.-The headquarters of this brace or wor-
thies was In Paris, 1t was there they cut
their widest swathe. They engineered
immense schemes, built great boulevards,
some of which they had named after them
selves. Back roiches were turned into
fine front lots that faced on these boule-
wards. This ship was a part of one of
their schemes, and the rivets in her must
have cost our family one franc apiece.
Isaac PeTier was anxious to become
mem Der of the Cham Der of Deputies, and
in 1863, with the full consent of the man
of Sedan, he offered himself as a candi-
date i'll the department of Pyrenese
Oriental and was elected, but he never
took his seat, as the election was ques-
toned on the ground of fraud, for he had,
through his agents, bribed most of the
electors who voted for him. In 1869 Ma
poleon III induced him to try again in
another department, which he did, and
was successful, but his election was also
annulled, for the proof was established
that the voters had been corrupted"
My friend was very excited when deliy-
ering the foregoing statement, but it ex-
plains in part the shock which unnerved
him. Here he was in the presence of a
ship whose name brought back memories
OF relatives ruined for daring to be re-
publicans and called up in his own mind
the sorrow which he experienced st the
time he was banished from the land of his
fathers to wander among strangers IN a
strange land. All these things combined
would have upset most any man under
similar circumstances.
Though close on to go years of age the
old gentleman still celebrates the fall of
the Bastils as if he were but 20. But all
the same he is a patriotic American, for
when he came here he brought the re-
publican ideas that he imbiped in his
youth with him and he has stamped them
on his children. DENIS KEARNEY.