Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-20
FRENCH DETECTIVE SYSTEM.
"Agents de La surrete Generate" or
"Mouchards."

OF. ]. w. Dam in Philadelphia Press)
RENNES. August e.-Hennions men
Seem to have disappeared. These creepy,
mysterious shadows. known 20 the gov
eminent as agents de la surete generate,
to everybody else as mouchards. have
been watching us ana everybody else for
two weeks past. till they begun to irri-
tate our nerves
Nobody dares express an honest Ameri-
can opinion in anything above a whisper.
The man beside YOU in cafe. or who has
room next to you at the hotel or who
is drinking with he pretty girl who
smiles al you. or who steps out OF the
shadow of the stree. and begs a light al
l O'Clock in the morning, may be. and
probably is. one Of Henulon's men.
The whole panorama at Rennes is like
Gaboriau novel. with living. moving per-
sonages. 1t asks nothing Of the imaglna-
ton. and is better than any pen that
tries TO describe IT. To find out what has
become of the mouchard. ] went 10 see
Hennion. 1t appears hts men are sitting
all the strangers at Rennes through their
sleeves TO run TO earth the camel0ts who
tried TO kill Labor.
Hennion is a tall blonde fellow, OF s.,
inclined 10 stOutpess. He has blonde
HluSlU1Ut. anu iDohS flht a oNtinAtif NAN
is pure French. He was born in Avernes,
was four years an officer IN Africa, and
at the completion Of his military service
entered the Department Surete Generate,
which Is included in the Department OK
the Interior. He is now deputy chief un-
der Niguie. Hennion has peculiarly sharp
blue eyes and a quick. nervous manner.
but Is affable ana generally popular
among the correspondents.
MEN NEAR WHEN LABORI WAS
SHOT.
He was willing 10 talk within limits
and said while slipping coffee after de-
Jeuner in the cafe OF the Hotel dc
France:
1.-The special branch Of the Agence de
la Surete Generate which l command Is
my own invention. The Organization
dates from 1898. when the Anarchist OUT
RACES called for police protective service.
That is part of my duty. My men, IN
addition TO being distributed over all
parts of Rennes, are supposed 10 protect
all the prominent persons In the Dreyfus
case. When Labori was shot TWO OF my
men were within 100 yards of hinl-one IN
front and the other behind. a dozen
others were within call
This Is perfectly true. When Hennion
arrived on the scene or the shOotlns ne
cried out some order. Five men wnon
| noted suddenly revealed themselves as
mouchards The man who pushed me
back was q workingman in blouse
When. in surprise, / told him to let co.
he said in a low tone, sharply, but po-
litely: Il am an officer of the State
Others were a big, stalwart youth, with
jolly expression, in jacket and cap;
"A man OF 10 in a black cutaway, with an
Alpine straw nat; stout fellow OF 80, In
fannels who looked like a boOk-maker,
and a slender, dark. Misunderstanding
young fellow in a straw hat and shabby
brown tweed suit like a pickpocket. They
were all quick resOlute. and determined,
and obeyed like machines.
you are said 10 have 100 men in Rem
mes: Is that cOrrect?' / asked Hennion.
IL cannot say; it wouldn't do he re-
piled.
AN ENORMOUS STAFF,
How many men are under you In
France-4.Oo1r'
Il cannot give you the number. but
there are many more than that. We
have agents in every city in France, in
every town they are needed. The civil
police and also the military, as YOU nave
SEEN are under our call
where do you get your mem
From all grades Of society. from the
lowest cafe TO the drawing-rooms or
Paris They wear the same clothes as
before engagement, and lead exactly the
same life They are selected according
10 ability and fitness for the work.