The sun., 1904-08-28
THE PARrs or LOUIS xY.
corruption Of tho Police NIinistering to .
PREDICATE Monarch. i.

PREDICATE Monarch.
PARIS, Aug. 7o-During the reign Of Louis
XIV. the police Of Paris was riddled with
corruption. Its chiefs and their subordinates
devoted their energies mainly toward fur
thering the amorous intrigues OF the King
and the nobility. Louis XIV. was barely
dead when libertinage and implety ragged.
not only unchecked. but also fostered by the
base subserviency of agents Of the law. The
police became mere recruiting force for the
provisionment Of the Parc-aux-cerfs. an In
stituton where young girls were educated
and trained for the pleasure OF the King. This
establishment was under the direction OF
woman OF title. assisted by two men. officers
OF the order Of st. Louis. The case OF Mile
Tiercelin will show clearly the agency OF
the police In encoura ging the deviations OF
his Majesty. Before detailing 1t. however,
will give tho copy OF rare document from
the archives Of the police Of Paris. a letter
written by a father to the then Lieut.
General Of Police Berryer offering his daugh-
ter for the service OF Louis XIV. 1t discloses
to what depths of depravity and debasement
men OF noble birth had fallen.
Monsegneur: Tho father OF family. noble for
the past two hundred years, gentleman whose
ancestors have been noted for pride and unassai-
able dignity animated by ardent love for the sacred
person OF the King begs to inform you that he has
a daughter. real miracle OF beauty, freshness.
youth and health.
would It be too much. Monseigneur. to ask you
10 obtain for one Of three daughters. Anne Mario
de Mar. is years of age, entrance to tho cstab-
l,shment Parc- aux -Cerfs where those Of her sex
are reserved for the society Of the Klngs Ali Mon
selgncur what gracious reward this would be
for my thirty -four years OF service In the army.
as Captain In the regiment de M. what salts
faction for the two elder brothers OF my well be-
loved one an ofacer In the navy the other Magls-
trate. My eldest daughter. educated at st. cyr.
is ismarried to -, gentleman In waiting In ordinary
10 the King while the youngest Is In the convent
de-AP.
Perhaps objection may be made 70 the advanced
age OF the young person: but she has been reared
in complete innocence by her mother noble wife.
chas,e and model OF every virtue who has trained
her daughter to please our well beloved King.
who will hnd In her an inestlmable treasure.
Iawalt. Monseigncur, your reply with impatience.
Ifit be favorable It will shower the blessing OF God
upon family which shall always be yours with
passionate devotion.
have the honor to remain. &c.
On the back Of this letter was indorsed
q roir" TO be looked into), in different
handwriting.
Louis XIV. while walking In the gardens
Of the Tueries on a certain day when he
was visiting Paris to take part In an Official
function, was attracted by charming child
OF about II years. She was under the care of
maid and In the company Of other young
R1TlS OF neT OWN axe. fieT lONclHess,
evident near advance to womanhood. her
fourishing health. and her coauettish man
ners inspired the King with desire to secure
her. The same evening, upon his return
to Versailles, he spoke to Lebel, his valet de
char,bre, who had immediate recourse to
NJ. Berryer lieutenant Of police. Without
asking the motive. NJ. Berryer doubtless
OWNED it. Lebel asked him to learn at the
earliest moment the name and residence
of ha damOiaalla nh0nt Of
age. who was in the Garden Of the Tuileries
on the day the King was crossing 1t. The
description Of the young girl was sufficiently
minute even to details OF clothing. to furnish
O completely accurate clue.
The Lieutenant OF Police placed the matter
In the hands Of one OF his subordinates who
had special charge of such delicate affairs-
He in turn selected agents noted for their
skill in this particular field He put them
on the track Of the quarry. giving them to
understand that successful zeal should not
go unrewsrded. Naturally, they sought ao-
quaintance with the numerous maids who
frequented. with their charges, the garden
OF the Tuileries. and through the use Of fat
terry and little gifts they were not long In
discovering the child Of whom they were in
search, but this was not enough. The police
were admonished that it was essential that
the maid be secured In the interest Of the
kidnappers. This was not difficult to men
accustomed to subdue the most recalcitrant
opposition through irresistible arguments at
their disposal. 1t was arranged with the
maid that in consideration Of the payment of
sum OF money she was to assist in the dis
sasse hs
evasion. Moreover. she was assured that
in case of active proceedings against her on
intiuences inn a,s 81 would protect her. " RE police
considered these precautions sau 10 Ridiculous
OrHers suDeriOr authority. They could
than complaint from an humble bourgeois
ton in which the first families OF the kin gdom
would feel only too honored to be willing
Mile. Tiereeln was kidnapped and put in
secrecy. they we're in Il the % pay Of 50 many people
talk oil the town. The maid. in the mean
her and with so little discretion that her num-
erous contradictions excited the suspicious
OF As aHs nd of as g td spbs pbe nd "a sbe
at this attempt against morality and the
peace OF fanilies; MOI, was he Suieted by the
police who had had charge OF the kidnapping
.. s aDS sre s @ % SDs TO IG o sed the
This he succeeded in doing by telling the
injured father that the disappearapce OF his
not be mended by vociferous protest: that II he
continued to complain it might bring upon
him exile or warrant Of arrest and accusa-
tlon of iese majeste. It would be much wiser for
him 10 accept the incident philosophically and
satisfy himself with the reward that would
come to him by humble acQuiescenoe. One
might be a man Of honor: but that did not re-
pay one for a ,prolon ged stay in the Bastille.
Kings when they were in love were as OBJ
stinate as simple individuals. and they pos
impunity. Besides, this was no common;
place affair: 1t was not every one who had
opportunity to enjoy his daughters. good
fortune. After ALL the King was worth hav-
ing as a son-n-law. although on this occasion
1t might-b only q marriage Ia didble;
The crafty police agent brought ridicule,
fear and bribery to bear on NJ. Tieroelin. In
the endeav vor TO discover the venal side of the
apparently honest bourgeois. who. when he
finally succumbed. showed all the eagerness
OF an apostate suddenly converted to the side
he had previously opposed. He demanded
everything-honors. twenty different decora-
tions and imagined his daughter already in
the place occupied by Nine. de Pompadour. ex-
pressed himself as so grateful to the police
agent that he made him ma gnihce promises
Of preferment which the official found it diff
cult to resist, After this conference another
was arranged with NJ Berryer which COM
pletely satisfied NJ. Tiercelin.
When this matter with the father h ad been
settled. the daughter was given the name OF