The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-21
BALENSI EXTRADITED.
wanted IN France for the Embezzdeinent
OF 5000 900 Francs.

WASHINGTON, Dec. pa warrant Tor
the extradition from this country to France
Of Louis Alfred Balensi has been issued
by the State Department and Forwarded
by the French Embassy TO New YORK.
where Balensi ia held in custody. Balensi
Is wanted in Paris for the alleged enbezzie-
ment OF 600, 900 francs He was arrested
last June on complaint OF the French Gov
ernmeat at the Sing Sing Prison. where
he was serving q term. He had also been
imprisoned in the Eastern New York
Reformatory at Napanoch. Ulster county.
The papers In the case on file at the State
Department show that Balensi stood high
in Paris. In 1891 he became the director
Of La Societe Franc ,ise de Banque ct de
Change, a stockbr oking concern organized
by him and others that year. Most OF the
people who placed money In the hands
OF the sociee were relatives and friends
Of Balensi and the oth her officers. Balensi
appears 20 have been irtrusted with the
entire management of the business. He
left France in January. 1900, and came to
New Yo-k
Soon thereafter, tho societe found that
its capital and trust funds had disappeared
with Balensi. and it was compelled TO make
an assignment There is nothing in the
documentary evidence in the Possession
Of the State Department concernins b.
lensi's conviction in this country. but he
must have been sent to prison soon after
he cached New York. as he said in hear
ing Of the e1tradition case in June that
he had been In comm ement for sixty-hve
months.
The societe evidently did big business.
1t had many, wealthy patrons. who appar-
l., Ia A..ll..
was Max Labaudy. who invested 3,72? ,0si
francs which he did not get hack: Mayor
Lubens Of St Laurans lie Medoc put 10000
francs. into the societies hands. while his
mother invested 74S, SO francs and his
uncle 10000 francs. Bougu, Bertrand and
Lsibens. who were partners of Balensi and
trusted him implicitly, charge that he got
away with 2JO.OOO francs Of their money
In June Balensi was taken from the
Sing Sing prison and turned over Ia United
States Marshal Henke Of the southern
district Of New York. A hearing was
given him that month before John A.
Shields. United States Commissioner Of
EX;radition for the same district. Ed
mund Bruwaert, the French Consul General
in New York. appeared IA complainant.
He charged that bet ween January, 1894,
and December, 1898. Balensi had embezzled
from the societe the equivalent Of 81 ,307 ,692
in American money.
Balensi tics titied that he was To receive
W per cent. OF the Societies prohts, That II
had capital OF $50 600, and that the profits
for three YEAR, were only about $1,000 or
5000. He said that he had left bet ween
$50 900 and SO ,OOO of his personal property
VII IA the receivers Of TIE concern.
Commissioner Shields committed Balensi
for eStradition. The State Department
examined the evidence in the casa carefully
before issuing the warrant Of surrender
Louis Alfred Balensi no under the
name Of William Bellwood" was convicted
in the Court Of General Sessions in 1898 Of
getting by false pretences iewelry valued
at $4,000 from Marcus / Co. Of Union
Square, was sentenced To six years. i'm
prisonment in Sing Sing on April Of that
year. II was said then that when Balensi
term expired he would be taken 10 France.
where he had been convicted Of embezzle-
rent in helping 10 pluck Max Lebaudy.
"the sugar bowl Of Paris"