The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-06-18
SWINDLERS IN FRANCE.
ZARoN DE CHABREFY,o CHIEF OF GANG OF STARTERS.
Banks Were Almost Inundated With Forged Securities on Which stoppage or Attachment was Placed.


 Forged Securities on Which stoppage or Attachment was Placed.
 Important arrests of members of the swindlers and forgers' syndicate have been made in Paris, Havre and Mar seilles. The story of the operations of the gang is a rather long one. Some months ago several Paris bankers made the discovery that they were being practically inundated with forged se- curities. Many of these securities had circulated on the money market and passed into the possession of specula- tors It was found that the series they put into circulation had been what is termed "washed"-that is to say, the original numbers were altered by g. very efficient process of engraving. The securities were stolen once, on which stoppage or attachment was placed, and some of them had belonged to persons who had been murdered, as for instance, the retired ballet dancer Anita de Mauroy, who was strangled in her residence at Asnieres, outside . Paris, in January, 1902. The complaints of the financial people led to energetic action at the Paris detective depart ment, and seven persons have been ar rested including the chief of the sym clicate called Baron de Chabrefy, and his alleged wife, domiciled at Bois-Co- lombes, outside Paris. The first person ' marked by the detectives was one La- Y lande, a commission agent frequently I seen on the Bourse. He was shadowed and after time was arrested. In his possession were found securities which K had not yet been washed or altered \ These were identified as stolen proper ty, and Lalands said that he had re- ceived them from Louis Bellest, bus mess man at Havre, and known there l as the coffee king. This Bellest was next arrested, and letters in his posses sion showed that he was in constant communication with Lalande and with Baron de Chahrefy, of Bois-Colombes.
 The baron, was shadowed in his turn, and he was seen in daily communica- tion with an engraver named Lanck man, who lived near him. The engra- yer always remained shut up in his lit tle rococo villa, and the baron brought him food and drink there. M. Hamard bf the detective department and his as SiStants entered the villa at six o'clock In the morning recently, made search Ihere, found securities which had un- hergone the Justification process, and tthers awaiting "lavage," and finally Irrested Lanckman. A move was next hade to the baron's abode, and he, in bite of his protests, was arrested, to- lether with Belgian woman, .Marthe Leemans, who passed as his wife. Af- ler a rapid examination of the baron's apers identifications were discovered 7hich led to the arrest later on of Bru- ef de la Martimiere, an ex-cashier of a ank, who was brought to bay at his ssidence in the Rue Pigalio, Paris even persons, including one woman, re now prisoners, and the syndicate is roken up. The latest arrest was that Dotto, who was acting as Marseilles gtnt of members of the gang, who had
 their possession stolen securities presenting thousands of pounds. Ie- nde, the first man arrested, had in IS rooms certificates or securities of e valut of eighty thousand francs. he two most notable among the swim ETS ana .IOFgerS are beileSI anu -lne aron de Chabrefy. Bellest, the coffee ng, is norman, of Rouei, and for any years was supposed to be a und and substantial business man of avre.
 NJ. Bellest has admitted that he was
 communication with Lailande, and
 at he gave that person securiiiitiies
 which there was opposition or att
 chmant. He did not know, however,
 1t they had been stopped when he re-
 wed them from two Englishmen,
 lose names he has not mentioned.
 ron de Chabrefy, the chief of the
 ng, is smart man of fifty years,
 ] passed as a genuine nobleman at
 a-Colombes. His alleged wife, the
 lgian woman, was great beauty
 merly, but now dyes her hair and
 piitiisi. The couple always paid