New-York tribune., 1902-05-23

Gabriel Levy & Co., commission agents, ftue de
Rocroy. 100000 francs; Paul Bernard, retired
banker Paris 100000 francs; Dumoret. re-
tired jeweller Rue de la Paix, 100000 francs;
Seminario Bros & Co. bankers. Rue Scribe.
100000 francs: Oppenheimer. dealer in antiqui-
ties Rue dAboukir. 100000 francs: Cattaui.
banker Rue Lafayette. 1.050.OD0 francs; Cros-
Mayrevieille. president Of the Narbonne Court
of First Instance, 250.OOO francs; Brugnere.
landowner Narbonne 2.600.0O0 francs. Then
there are twelve or thirteen others. bringing up
the amount to more than 50OO0O00 francs. or
S1O.OOO.OOO.
1t turns out that on several occasions
Mime. Humbert had borrowed for forty-eight
hours bonds and securities which she deposited
in her safe and showed to several OF her intend
ed victims. together with the judgments of the
tribunals in which the value of the estate was
incidentally mentioned. and she also exhibited
memorandums of the notaries TO whom the bor-
rowed securities had been shown in which were
statements of the dividends and interest that
accrued from them.
Some of the creditors including the banker
Girard. some years ago required repayment and
as Nine Humbert did not repay committed sui
eide. The lquidator applied TO NJ. Waldeck-
Rousseau, then practising law. NJ Waldeck-
Rousseau went TO ROubaix-this was June
IA. 1S9S-and in his pleadings which now add
to the popularity of the French Premier as they
were republished yesterday. the day of the bye
elections, described the affair as monster
swindle. NJ. Waldeck-Rousseau got a Judgment
against the Humberts requiring them TO repay
$100,O00 into the Girard Bank. and the tribunal
also ordered the contents of the famous safe to
be taken possession OF.
The Humberts however. following their prin-
ciple of borrowing from Peter TO pay Paul
tied with the Girard creditors and the safe re-
mained intact.
During the Boulanger excitement the Hum
berts were at the height of their glory. They
entertained lavishly gave theatrical entertain
ments, and leading actors and artists performed
at their house They were enthusiastic support
ers of Boulanger. and when the Dreyfus affair
cropped up were violently anti-Dreyfus. They
have since been rabid nationalists and bitter op-
pOnents of the government. and especially of NJ.
Waldeck-Rousseau, whose legal acumen nearly
upset the Humbert apple cart four years ago.
They seemed to prosper until recently when a
small but persistent creditor, NJ Morel, the
amount of whose claim was only $4,000 sued
for payment, and at last NJ. Ditte. president Of
the Seine Civil Tribunal. ordered that the safe
in the Humbert residence. No. % Avenue de la
Grande Armee. supposed to hold the S2O.OO0,OOO
in bonds and gilt edged securities. be opened in
the presence OF judicial authorities and the con-
tents verified.
A noisy crowd had collected in front of the
mysterious house. from which NJ and Mime.
Humbert. Mile Marie d'Aurignac and the rest
of this extraordinary family had already dis
appeared. The servants were all there. and
their wages had been paid a full month in ad-
vance At 7:30 o'clock in the evening locksmiths.
after three hours hard work. succeeded in open
ing the safe. which was found to contain red
leather Jewel case. in which a large da-
mond brooch which upon inspection proved 70
be false. and worth perhaps 81 There were
some extinct gold mine shares and few news
papers. OF the famous $40 900 in bonds and
securities there trace The superb
chateau of Wives Faux near Melun, where ter
races of fountains conduct the waters of lake
into the Seine simultaneously visited. but
no money was discovered. The yacht lie Levrier
was found moored in a private dock, and was
seized.
1t also noticed by experts. both at the
mansion in the Avenue de la Grande Armee and
at the chateau that the valuable COrots. Meis-
soniers and Ziems had been replaced by copies
of the originals which had been sold some
months previously. Eager crowds gathered in
front of the life insurance company in the Rue
Auber. and one old man. who had handed over
his entire fortune To the Humberts for life
annuity fell senseless on the pavement when he
heard OF the collapse of the establishment. War
rants for the arrest OF the Humberts were at
once issued. and several lawyers and notaries at
Paris Rouen. Havre. Nantes and elsewhere.
charged with completely. have been taken into
custody Impending trials of the alleged
completes will doubtless disclose further start
ling features Of this vast and adroitly managed
conspiracy and exploitation Of human credulity,
carried on under cover of the borrowed prestige
of former Minister of Justice, Of ex-Depu-
ty of ex-magistrates. and Of judgments Of the
highest tribunals Of France.
As To the Humberts. they have not been seen
since Wednesday. when Mime. Humbert. in
smartIv appointed brougham drove 10 a fash
tonahle milliners in the Rue de la Paix. selected
some exceedingly pretty spring hats. for which
she paid in cash. and in the evening put in an
appearance at her "entre colonne' box at the
Opera where she heard NJ. Jean de Reszke and
Miss BESSIE Abbott sing in "Siegfried"
Meanwhile the police are searching for the
fugitives all over Europe. Seals have been placed
on the mansion in the Avenue de la Grande
Armfe where the most valuable object among
the assets is a superb painting. The Archangel,"
nv RaphaeI which the Humberts purchased at
the Aguado sale for S100.NoO. and which has
hung for twenty years at the top OF the beau
tifuI marble staircase. silent witness of this
extraordinary page of the comedy of humanity
Near bv is a full length portrait of the austere
father Of NJ Frederic Humbert, wearing the
purple and ermlne robes of a Keeper of the Seals
of State and Minister of Justice, c. l. Is.
TITUS WATCHING FOR HUMBERfS,
Captain Titus said yesterday that he had men
watching the piers of incoming steamers Tor the
Humberts who got away from Paris after the
great $1,000 900 swindle. They were seen IN Liver
pool some DAYS and ii is thought that they
may come here the Umbria. due on Saturday or