New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-10
An Vp-fo- Dafe .SsOfr1dler.
Persian Who 1000 600 Francs
Steam Yacht
Paris, August 80.

he Gravel. alias Baron de G,lerche and of his
Young and fascinating accomplice Nine. Sohet.
alias Valentine de Merell. alias Comtesse de
Naude. alias Andree Florador which have be-
come Partisan nine days wonder disclose
lacuna in French contemporary literature and
open fresh fields for the imaginations of novel
lists and dramatists The classic swindlers Of
Balzac of Dumas. of Jules Verne, pale in COM
parison with the achievements of the Grand
Therese' Humbert of Jean Galaxy. Monte
Cristo, Mercadet, Nautrin and Farragus, con-
trasted with the scientific cultured swindlers OF
the twentieth century. seem very much as old
wooden sailing frigates of the days OF Nelson
or Of Decatur beside the steel armored cruisers
Of the fleets OF Sampson or of Togo. The
portrayals Of Gaboriau, of Eugene Sue and the
photographers Of Vidocq, of Cartouche pre-
sent simple malefactors handcuffed by a couple
Of gendarmes and brought to trial in yellow
diligence or stage coach.
But to capture modern swindlers like the
Grand Therese" or Galaxy, who operate with
z0-horsepower automobiles and steam yachts.
the police of two continents is modified. Cab
met Ministers and Ambassadors are aroused
from their slumbers. diplomacy is brought into
play. and the cost alone of kilograms and cable
dispatches exceeds thousands of dollars The
Odyssey OF Jean Galaxy has ELECTED, the ed-
tnrial comments of Senator Cle1nenceau, of Sem
Earddn, Of Rochefort, OF Drunont and OF
HanotauX. the biographer of Richelieu, and has
inspired NM. Sem, Forain Capiello Leandre
and Caran dAche with some of their finest
oaricature sketches. Jean Galaxy and Valentine
de Merelli the "actualte' of the moment.
Although their swindling operations attain the
comparatively modest sum Of only 100000,
their exploits have tinge Of romance imbued
with modernism. and present the latest develop
Inent of the "esCroc."
The primary cause OF the sensational opera
tons of Jean Galaxy the influence of the
ambitious and eXtravagant Valentine de MeTeln,
a professional beauty of literary, dramatic and
musical talents whose brother, II. CASTOR Oar
hour. is clever painter, and whose portrait or
his sister illustrates the cover of NJ. Paul Adams
novel 'L'Annee de Clarsse." Valentine de
MerelIi is indeed a familiar figure 10 many prom
inent Partisan men and women of letters. Val
entine is a sort OF modernized Nine. de Bovary,
and. singularly enough, her last residence In
Paris sumpJuous apartment in the Rue
Gustave F1aubert. Some years ago the writer
made her acquaintance. She was then twenty
two years old and was living happily with her
husband NJ Camille Sohet, head of an artistic
printing firm in the Rue Favart When the Paris
daily newspaper lie Journal" was founded
by the late Fernand Xau, a sort of literary bar
lie Journal" and became favorite resort of
authors dramatists artists and press men
Among those who freQuented this quaint little
bar were Emmanue! Arene, Alfred Capus, An
tome founder of the Theatre Antoine; Courte-
line Jean Lorrain. Henri Bauer (natural son or
Alexandra Dumas, Oscar Wilde, Ernest La
Jeunesse. Coquelin cadet, Sylvan. Of the Thea
ire Francais; Catulle Mendes. the last Of the
Parnassians; Rene Maizeroy, Tristan Bernard
Jean Moreas. Greek poet and author Of An
tigone"; Pierre Louys, author of "Aphrodite';
Paul Adam. Capiello. AIphonse ALIAS. Baron
d'Astier de la Vigerie, the criminal lawyer;
Hippolvte Rourdeaux. Juge dInstruction-who
by irony of fate is now charged with the task
OF prosecutiue, the case of Jean Galaxy and Ia
MereIli-Sacha Guitry. Jean de NIFTY. Edouard
Bouteron Robert Schefer. the novelist; Jean
Hess. Saarlouis the painter Henri Bataie.
Paul Potter, Roland Strong Marty, Project of
Pontoise and former Chef-de-Cabinet Of NJ.
Emile Loubet when the latter was Prime Min
lister; Prince Pierre Karageorgevitch, cousin
Of the King of Servia: Paul Sain, the painter;
Jean St. Yves. the military novelist: the DUO de
Chaulnes Comte d'Hinnisdal. Lucas, the painter,
and last, but not least. that Voltarlan featured
dreamer in pastel, Henri de Groux, whose draw
ings OF the "Epopee Napoleenne'' famous,
and who was by some mysterious agency sud
denly whisked away from Montmartre and in
generated in a madhouse in Venice. whence he
escaped and came foot, in rags and tatters.
all the way back to Paris. and related his ex-
periences to a circle Of friends at the journal
barroom.
Valentine de MereIli then Nine. sohet. used to
appear at this smart bohemian bar, together
with her husband. almost daily. She was on
speaking terms with many OF the above men
toned Parisians and would sit. chat and lis
ten to the brisk suggestive witticisms Of the
converse ton while slipping indolently a glass of
pale absinthe or of madeira and calisaya bitters,
and gracefully smoking an Egyptian cigarette.
Valentine was born at Sedan on November II,
1876. She was educated in the Convent of the
Assumption. together with other young women
Of the first Sedan families, and married a thrifty
master printer named Camille Sohet Soon after
ward an aunt died and left a legacy of some
twenty thousand dollars to Valentine. who shared
the sum with her husband. and the couple came
To Paris Valentine not content with a quiet
boureeois existence wished to become famous.
Her husbands affairs prospered In Paris, and
they took an apartment in the Boulevard de
Clichy where they gave literary and artlstlc tea
parties. Among their guests were NUMBER Oh
well known men and women OF literary TASTES
introduced TO them by Valentines Drolhel' NJ
CASTOR barbour the painter. who was lieil Gil
gagged In illustrating the novels or NJ faui
Adam, Of NJ Alfred Capus. and Of other PROM
nent authors.
Valentine whose imagination was unduly eH-
cited by the contagious atmosphere OF Null
nartre. studied for the stage. and uhoei III.
name Of "Andree Florador'' sang at the Oiaio
SUignol, attained moderate success in q risky
title play entitled lie Debut dams lie Monde,
and acted IN NJ. Marcel Prevosts play, Les