The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
THE REAL JEAN VALJEAN
THE CoSvICr WHOSE RECORD IN
sPIRED "LES MIsERABLES."
Memoirs of the chief Inspector OF Prisons
of the Second French Empire-Story of
Urbnin Lemelle-IIsrd Luck of an Adam
doned Boy--His Trials and Final Pardon.

Memoirs of the chief Inspector of Prisons
of the Second French Empire-Story OF
Urban Lemeiie-Iard Luck of nm Aban-
doned Boy--His Trials aud Final Pardon.
From the Fl-srv.
NJ. Morcau G hristOphe, the Inspector Of Prisons
under the Second Empire, knew the man who
served az the prototype Of Jean Vatican, and whose
story haunted the brain OF Victor Hugo and in
spircd his famous "Miscrablcs" NJ. Moreau-
Christophc had passion for reforming conyicta
lie gathered many confessions. and knew many
strange secrets The following story OF the con-
vic, trbain Lcmcllc is taken from his notes:
Urban Iemclle like Jean Vatican. was the
abandoned child Of n drunken father. When he
was only years old he went from farm 10 farm
to offer for piece OF bread the work that his little
hands could do. He was FIRST taken in hand
by a kind hearted peasant named Brisset who
kept him mindng COWS for three years Then
he was employed by two ncighboring farmers
who sent him to tend sheep for three years mora
Urbain tired OF the life Of a shepherd and deter
mined to become snilor. when he reached the ngs
Of IL. He began as cabin boy in river boat from
Anglers, whose captain generally spoke 10 him
with the end Of rope. Three years passed in
this way, during which trbans only consola-
ton waS in his friendship for the ui the plain,
Il young man named Geryais. who ives no Ices
badly treated than himself This iritndship Was
when the waters Of the Loire frozen and nnvi-
CATION was suspended, Gcrvnis proposed 10 Ur-
bain to take away the money that wns in this
safe Of the boat for the pcv Of the hands.
Then" said he, "wc will TO 10 Nantes where
VIC will become real sailors
But that is robbery you propose 10 me! saiA
urbain.
Robbery, nonsense replied Ger,ais "Doosnt
my father owe YOU 50 frenos' Well. you
IL Al.
| then you will be square"
An hour ai,erward the rorey YVES no lorror
and Urbain had hid il in The Trunk Of a wiiow
| tree Next day the imprint Of h'r feet upon the
snow led TO the tree yhr" III: t'rs rrc vns found.
/ having been broken he wTB CONDEMNED ia seven
years pcnnl servitudc. ilevas then only "a,
wns rc.iencd industrious rcNeiora and sXenf-
plsrv in his conduct When h" left the peni,en-
,iary. who're he hid los, seven rsers he though, he
had nothing 70 do but +" r"'rrr To- Nug"rs purified
comTlt"ly. twas ~ Nnrcts to- l." committed
, his crime and he wanted 10 prov" thai he wa,
! that h" WIS an cN convict closed I'll focr. End oil
, h"nrts,g him. lie found il, c,t'crre, d,n,cu, to
, get work. and whom, hy chance hc did procure
I some nrduuus employment the other workmcn
:ciI;sot to as. cia,c win Iir l'ewns condemned
one Surdnv MN" ron ming throurh the coun-
try h" stopped istrucd to rest hi"P,lf in field
! where there wcr' some horses NJ liberty llo
FROM him. and Of lme-icH. that new world Nhero
III" ida turned Its bod lie jumped like q
! mad NAV unor nnc ~ IN" horsca md started the
IIc out in the evening and arrived az the break
Of day o. InCrr nd's Nearing that place on tho
turned loose III" ho-s- md entered thc town An
unknown p":son tuning, h"rs, loose Vas sps,
befor' IN" Mavo- He cav" his name without
hesitation. but while they were discussing his
cas-" a" msn.-sl t. "scarc. lie coached Nantes
voyage Put 10 cThNtE. II was necessary TO have
pap"rs ard 'rhrin d,dn'i hrvr' hon
nlmos, on the yrrs,c Of suic dc wicn a bic hand
touched his sh"nlt". ,hc lard Of q boi,man OF
wanted hclp. 50 rhain wen, i,h him 10 Anglers
. lie bad hardly arrived before he was arrested
and pu, in rrisou on ~. complain Of stealing
I!riss"t was the "wncr 81 the horsc IN question
back to him and ,hs, rha!r, Was TOO, honest,
follow to want 70 steal T. Rut he pleaded for
S% IL G'n .cdn Hi time Sg &c HG@h q
Main 81 oirr 10 lively" years penal s"ryiiudc
i, A. Prs, he SorE"d hs ,inc JUS, as he did i.rTsr
r-oSChabic hu, sf,sf four ycrr- Il fortunes in
nictci urnn him in that dreadful place he CsceI"d
Ina, conli vide hin from he polcc lie wcrt
,herr without rncoun,,rinr any d,r'runss and
the Place de Grcyc among the lahorirC men
Thee he "ns taken BY bnliGlnE Contractor nS:
rcrrrts followed him 20 the establishment OF NJ
Mass, a dry goods manufacture, where he re-
kept him and entrusted TO his hands largo sums
of money. which lrhHn always handled with
real and intelligence and perfect honesty. lie
commenced tu prosper and married an honest
working Girl Ngnpv IN the thought that at
last he was loved and respected he lived with
hc- for seven yeas
one SUNDAY viii" he was walking in the s,ibufhs
with his wife, h. me- = policeman who MAS
former convict, who knew him a. Iir"st This
policeman DESTROYED his entire happiness He
arrested him (rhgin was brought Ia Bcctte
AMI from there wa taken 10 BrcSt tO fniEh ths
eight wears ~ r"Hhl ~rrvItuie that lr ad still
10 serve, in addition 10 the supplementary years
for The crn" oi Crcapiu~
|, was during "" few months 81 his detention
Al Bicrr", in 1888 ths' MCr"au Chrisophs
knew Crhlin and lcArncl III story. N, Morcar
Christorh" Obtained for him the favor Of cNcmp-
ton from the nrS, chain gang on leaving lNrcire
for NrcSt: AMI few months later he managed
10 send him hack 10 Paris In othcr words, he
! Brought the case 10 the attention a. the King
who narionct the man upon the spot
| Grhain TrT"llc livcl 20 a C-ca' old acc lie
was the h'S' Of husbands, AMI wished tn bc tho
best 81 iahcrs. hul TINT 10Y, wa denied him lie
! corsNlri himself nevertheless. by making pets
/ 81 al the r'iilirrn in She place whr-r he livci
, and h" amused ''~m often nv telling Thorn stories
| 81 hrgands Heaven only knows what queer
stori"s he must have learned during his ten Yeas
in the lal,nc!
|